Beethoven




That was my very first felony.

While the series lost any credibility it might have had with the numerous cheap sequels, the original Beethoven remains a soft and friendly family film that can stand on its own.

A stray St. Bernard puppy finds its way into the Newton home. The family is all for keeping him with the notable of George Newton (Charles Grodin), the father. But the kids win out and they end up keeping the puppy and naming him Beethoven. The puppy doesn't stay a puppy for long, as he eventually grows into a massive St. Bernard. Still, despite periodically destroying the house much to George's chagrin, the rest of the family loves him and the burgeoning dog is all too happy to return the affection. But danger for the pooch and his new family looms on the horizon because an evil veterinarian named Varnick (Dean Jones) is planning on using him.

Beethoven would still work if it only used the family dog angle. While a pretty worn out theme for a movie, it's hard to resist the monstrously lovable, salvia-spewing mutt. He's one of those Hollywood dogs that isn't more intelligent than his owners, but has inevitable flashes of sentience whenever he helps one of the kids with their individual problems. And while there are quite a few of these instances, the main focus remains on the trouble between George and Beethoven.

George immediately informs us that he considers the family more "gold fish people" than anything else. His worst fears are confirmed in one particular montage that shows Beethoven getting bigger and destroying the house. As it happens, George is the one who appears to have to clean up after Beethoven. This and the naming session the family has are the funniest scenes by far. The movie feels like it's leaning more towards the cuddly aspect though, rather than excessive comedy.

But even George's disdain is put to the test when Dr. Varnick shows up, doing his best to take the dog away. So in the end George comes to the rescue, as we all know that there's a happy ending around the corner. And as far as family movies go, this one is commendably friendlier than the average cut.

The kids don't do so bad and are funny and cute when the need arises. Bonnie Hunt is nice as the loving mom and Grodin is great as the average dad stuck with a dog he doesn't want. And though it is stock fare in many ways, this is one of those popular family flicks that's really worth it.



-The Gnome