The Hardly Boys in Hardly Gold [VHS]
Why is Sunset Point closed for the summer? Is Gladiola Masonreallyin Canada? What made that golf ball disappear? And just what is the meaning of that empty bottle of toxic "nerve manna"? Those are just a few of the mysteries to be solved by Battina and Crooky the Weimaraners--a.k.a. "the Hardly Boys" (because they're really girls!)--in this droll, 25-minute whodunit by William Wegman, the photographer, artist, and filmmaker whose beloved Weimaraners are the most recognizable canines in pop-culture history. Just as Andy Warhol had Campbell's soup cans, Wegman's art is forever entwined with his love for these doggedly diligent purebreds, whose charcoal coats, floppy ears, and oddly expressive eyes make them ideal stars for Wegman's peculiar brand of home movie.Amateur sleuths Batty and Crooky have returned with their parents to idyllic Rangely Lake--scene of their previous case--and it's soon clear that foul play is afoot yet again. Gladiola Mason is missing, and her nurse and caretaker have plotted to poison the local water supply and claim a lucrative mineral deposit. While Mr. and Mrs. Hardly (played by "Fay Ray" and "Chundo") enjoy recreational activities, the boys employ their "secret dog powers" (and human hands as "paws") to save Rangely Lake from the nefarious plot. The mystery is pure fluff, but the wonder of Wegman's work--apart from the appeal of his talented hounds--rises from the patience and tenacity required to make a film as unique as this. First shown at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival,The Hardly Boys in Hardly Goldis a genuine marvel, made even more delightful by Wegman's kindly narration--words and voice from a gentle soul who just might be part Weimaraner himself.--Jeff Shannon