All Dogs Go to Heaven

***All Dogs Go to Heaven*** is a 1989 animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film directed and produced by Don Bluth, and released by United Artists and Goldcrest Films. It tells the story of Charlie B. Barkin (voiced by Burt Reynolds), a German Shepherd that is murdered by his former friend, Carface (voiced by Vic Tayback, in his penultimate film role), but withdraws from his place in Heaven to return to Earth, where his best friend, Itchy Itchiford (voiced by Dom DeLuise) still lives, and they team up with a young orphan girl named Anne-Marie (voiced by Judith Barsi, in her final film role), who teaches them an important lesson about kindness, friendship and love.

The film is an Irish, British and American venture, produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Goldcrest Films. On its cinema release, it competed directly with Walt Disney Feature Animation's *The Little Mermaid*, released on the same day. While it did not repeat the box-office success of Sullivan Bluth's previous feature films, *An American Tail*, and *The Land Before Time*, it was successful on home video, becoming one of the biggest-selling VHS releases ever. It inspired a theatrical sequel, a television series, and a holiday direct-to-video film.

*All Dogs Go to Heaven* was released on DVD on November 17, 1998, and as an MGM Kids edition on March 6, 2001. It had a DVD double-feature release with its sequel on March 14, 2006, and January 18, 2011. The film was released in high definition for the first time on Blu-ray on March 29, 2011, without special features except the original theatrical trailer.

## Plot

In New Orleans in 1939, the villain Charlie, German Shepherd and "road dog", escapes from the pound with the help of his best friend, the Dachshund Itchy, and rushes in the gambling den, who ran with his partner Carface in a ship aground, to get from these his share of the profits. The partner has mysteriously enriched during the captivity of Charlie, but not at all want to share with him. Carface does so drunk and then killed by Killer, his right-hand man, crushed by a car.

Charlie is in the afterlife, in dog heaven, where he welcomes him a delicious pink Greyhound named Annabelle, who explains to him where he is and tells him that all dogs go to Heaven because "Unlike humans, are good, loyal and friendly ". Also shows Charlie a watch that represents his life and that he is stopped by his death. Charlie does not accept the idea of being dead, so with deceit manages to steal the watch and uploading it again. While back on Earth, however, Annabelle's voice is heard shouting that because of that gesture will no longer be able to return to heaven.

Charlie, alive again, she reunites with Itchy and plans his revenge against Carface. Discovers how his former partner rat races make up: holding her captive a girl an orphan, Anne-Marie, able to speak with animals, and therefore know in advance who is going to win. Charlie free, promising to find her parents and using his talents to give money to the poor, but really, want to make the little girl, just how did Carface. Charlie steals the wallet at a young couple at the races and with the help of Anne-Marie, manages to pull off a big win. Early, winning a lot of money, become a master of a fabulous nightclub.

Realizing that she was used, Anne-Marie threatens to leave. Charlie then decides to really help the poor and brings pizza to a bunch of poor puppies, teaching them to share. Anne-Marie however finds the wallet that Charlie had stolen and leaves him, indignantly. That night, Charlie has a premonitory nightmare when his watch stops and he cannot return to heaven, he ends up in hell. The next morning, he finds that the baby has gone to return the wallet to Harold and Kate. The couple behaves nicely with Anne-Marie and, finding that she is an orphan, plan to adopt it. Charlie, however, convinces her to return with him. As they walk, Carface and Killer ambush to Charlie and shoot him, but he survives thanks to his watch that, as long as it works, makes it immortal. Charlie and Anne-Marie end up in the sewers, where they are captured by the servants of the alligator King Gator. These, after hearing a scream of Charlie, we dissuade you from eating it. Singing a song with him and eventually let them go. Anne-Marie, however, falls ill with pneumonia. While Charlie is committed to be near her, Itchy is attacked by minions of Carface, which burn even the local. Itchy suggests Charlie to escape, but he has become fond of Anne-Marie refuses. For pride, however, says that he's just using you. Anne-Marie will hear it and run, and was again captured by Carface.

While Itchy goes to warn Harold and Kate and the neighborhood dogs, Charlie reaches the Lair of Carface, where the girl is closed in a cage. Carface but has set a trap and catch it, tying it to an anchor to make it sink into water. Charlie launches a shriek, making rush King Gator. The alligator free Charlie and Anne-Marie, but during the encounter the haunt catches fire and Anne-Marie lies unconscious on a float. Carface keep trying to attack Charlie, but ends up in water and is eaten by King Gator. Soon after, however, Charlie is forced to choose whether to save Anne-Marie and his watch, who are both sinking underwater. Choose to save the girl, pushing her out of the lair in flames while his watch has stopped, leaving betoken his fate. Anne-Marie is then conducted to shore from where the Killer await Itchy with relief efforts. While Anne-Marie sleeps at home of Harold and Kate, Charlie returns as a ghost to see her one last time and apologize for what he did, before descending to hell. Suddenly, however, comes Annabelle, who tells Charlie that having given his life to save Anne-Marie, can return to heaven. Charlie the alarm, greets her and makes her promise to take care of Itchy, then he does finally return to paradise.

During the credits, it shows Carface, also finished him in heaven, which seeks to return to Earth by recharging the watch of his life. The Greyhound chases him saying he won't come back earlier, but Charlie says that however Carface will return.