Shiloh (film)
Shiloh is a 1996 American family drama film produced and directed by Dale Rosenbloom. It was shown at the Heartland Film Festival in 1996, but its general release came on April 25, 1997. The original book by the same name was written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. There are two sequels, "" (1999) and "Saving Shiloh" (2006), both directed by Sandy Tung and distributed by Utopia Pictures. Plot. An abused Beagle puppy runs away from his cruel owner, Judd Travers, and meets a boy named Marty Preston. The puppy follows the boy to his home, but is not allowed to  stay with him. Marty names him Shiloh. Marty's strict father, Ray Preston, will not let Marty keep Shiloh because he belongs to Judd Travers. Judd is a mean old man that uses his dogs for hunting. Shiloh was the most mistreated in the pack. Marty hesitantly returns Shiloh to Judd, but, after Shiloh is mistreated again, the dog returns to Marty. Knowing Ray will make him take Shiloh back to Judd, Marty decides to hide Shiloh in a shed behind his house. His secret is soon revealed when his mother, Louise Preston, comes up the hill and sees Marty  and Shiloh bonding. When a German Shepherd belonging to the Baker family attacks Shiloh, Ray overhears the noise and goes along with Marty to see what's going on. Ray and Marty take Shiloh to their friend Dr. Wallace to be attended to. Marty urges his father to keep Shiloh, pleading about how Judd abuses the dog. Ray initially agrees to keep Shiloh until he recovers, and tries not to become attached to Shiloh. That night, when Ray thinks Marty is asleep he gives the dog a treat, and soon his heart softens toward granting Marty's wish. Eventually Marty  goes to see Judd, and tells him he refuses to return Shiloh, and that, after seeing Judd try to shoot a rabbit out of hunting season, he will report it unless he agrees to sell Shiloh. The two make a deal that after Marty works for Judd for twenty hours at his home over the next five days, Shiloh will officially be Marty's dog. Marty works the next few days at Judd's, and is very excited to get his new pet. After all of Marty's hard work, Judd says that there were no witnesses to the deal , and that a contract is not valid without it. Marty fights with the beer-guzzling Judd, because he worked a lot for Shiloh. Marty keeps Shiloh for the next few days, until Judd comes again to take the dog. Marty fights with Judd again about keeping Shiloh with the help of Ray. Judd then tries to kidnap Shiloh. Ray comes to the rescue and knocks Judd down, and they both fight. Judd escapes Ray, grabs Shiloh, and drives away in his truck. Marty can already tell how much Judd is going to abuse Shiloh. Watching Marty and Shiloh in the  mirror, Judd seems to consider everything and releases Shiloh from his truck and the dog runs into Marty's arms. Sheena Easton sings the theme "Are There Angels" for the "Shiloh" soundtrack during the credits, which show Marty happily walking with Shiloh at his side. Reception. Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4, calling it "a remarkably mature and complex story about a boy who loves a dog and cannot bear to see it mistreated" and that "it deals with real moral issues: with property, responsibility and honesty, and with whether there is a higher good  that justifies breaking ordinary rules." On Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of 73% based on reviews from 11 critics.