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The Incredible Journey

November 20, 1963

Action-Adventure, Animals/Nature, Family

Finding themselves separated from their owners by 200 miles, the trio sets out on a perilous trek to find their family. Led by instinct, a young retriever, an old bull terrier and a self-sufficient Siamese cat face hunger, a dangerous bear, rushing rivers and much more along the way. These three unlikely friends soldier on, protecting and caring for one another in one of the most incredible journeys ever.

Rated: G Release Date: November 20, 1963

Directed By

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• filmratings.com

The Incredible Journey (1961)

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• Buena Vista Pictures

Summary The story of three pets, a cat and two dogs, who lose their owners when they are all on vacation. Can they find their way home?

Directed By : Fletcher Markle

Written By : James Algar, Sheila Burnford

The Incredible Journey

Émile genest, john longridge, john drainie, professor jim hunter, tommy tweed, sandra scott, mrs. hunter, marion finlayson, elizabeth hunter, ronald cohoon, peter hunter, robert christie, james mackenzie, beth lockerbie, nell mackenzie.

Iréna Mayeska

Eric clavering.

Bodger -Dog

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The Incredible Journey

Cast & crew.

Emile Genest

John Longridge

John Drainie

Professor Jim Hunter

Tommy Tweed

Sandra Scott

Mrs. Hunter

Helvi Nurmi

• KIDS & FAMILY

Classic Disney animal adventure about friendship, courage.

• Average 7.3

Information

© 1963 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The Incredible Journey

Where to watch.

Watch The Incredible Journey with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Fletcher Markle

Emile Genest

John Longridge

John Drainie

Professor Jim Hunter

Tommy Tweed

Sandra Scott

Mrs. Hunter

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• Films about animals
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The Journey of Natty Gann

• View history
• 4 Home media
• 5 Reception
• 6 Accolades
• 10 References

Set in 1935 , the movie tells the story of a 15-year-old tomboy girl, Natty Gann ( Meredith Salenger ). Out of work because of Depression-era unemployment, Natty's widowed father Sol (Ray Wise) parlays his surefootedness into getting a job as a lumberjack. To take the job he must leave on almost no notice on a company bus from Chicago to the state of Washington . Unable to find Natty before the bus leaves, he leaves her a letter promising to send her the fare to join him as soon as he has earned it. Meanwhile, he makes arrangements with Connie (Lainie Kazan), the shallow and insensitive innkeeper of their roominghouse, so Natty can stay on under Connie's temporary supervision.

After overhearing Connie reporting her as an abandoned child, Natty runs away to find her father on her own, embarking on a cross-country journey riding the rails along with other penniless travelers and hoboes. Along the way she saves a wolfdog from a dog fighting ring. In return the dog, whom she calls Wolf, becomes her friend and protector in her attempt to return to her father. She has a brief, innocent romance with another young traveler, Harry ( John Cusack ), and encounters various obstacles that test her courage, perseverance, and ingenuity, such as being falsely accused of cattle rustling and remanded to a juvenile facility. Natty escapes the detention center and confronts the blacksmith who has been given control of the captured Wolf. The smith turns out to be kind and fair-minded, releases Wolf to Natty, and gives her food, a ride to a train station and enough money for a ticket. She is cheated of her ticket money by an unscrupulous ticket agent and narrowly escapes his attempt to turn her in, returning to "riding the rails" illicitly on freight trains, where she is unexpectedly reunited with Harry in a railside shantytown.

When Natty's father calls Connie, she tells him Natty is gone. In a later phone call he is grieved to learn that Natty's wallet was found underneath a derailed freight train - unbeknownst to him, she lived through the crash. He is given a week's leave from the lumber company to search through the wreckage for her, to no avail. He returns to the lumber camp and requests the most dangerous jobs, known as "widow's work", now that he seems to have little to live for.

Arriving on the west coast, Natty's journey takes several more challenging turns. Harry finds work through the federal Works Progress Administration in San Francisco, but she declines his invitation to go with him, in order to find her father. The logging operation does not list Sol Gann among their workers, and Natty searches fruitlessly for him, showing other loggers his photo in a pendant he has given her which is her last trace of her parents. Wolf is entranced by wolf calls from the woods and she urges him to go; it is a painful parting. Her search is thwarted by the company clerk who catches her in one of the backwoods camps, and she is waiting to be sent back down the mountain for her own safety when the clerk unexpectedly shows up with the returned letter her father had sent enclosing her train ticket to rejoin him. The clerk has located him and Natty is on her way on foot to the high camp where he is working when the camp bus whirls past her going down carrying injured loggers including her father. Glimpsing him, she calls to him but sees no sign he has heard her. They are, however, reunited in a heartwarming embrace further down on the mountain road.

• Meredith Salenger as Natty Gann
• John Cusack as Harry
• Ray Wise as Sol Gann
• Jed the Wolfdog as Wolf
• Lainie Kazan as Connie
• Scatman Crothers as Sherman
• Verna Bloom as Farm Woman
• John P. Finnegan as Logging Boss
• Garry Chalk as Chicago Worker
• Frank C. Turner as Farmer
• Clint Rowe as Bullwhip
• Gabrielle Rose as Exercise Matron
• Don S. Davis as Railroad Brakeman
• Alek Diakun as Station Master
• Grant Heslov as member of Parker's Gang
• Bruce M. Fischer as Charlie Linfield
• Jack Rader as Employment Agent
• Matthew Faison as Buzz
• Jordan Pratt as Frankie
• Zachary Ansley as Louie
• Campbell Lane as Chicago Moderator
• Max Trumpower as Chicago Worker

Location [ ]

One of the filmings on the BC Rail, known as the British Columbia Railway formerly the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE) before 1972, between Pemberton & Lillooet is ranked as one of the top 10 most-scenic rail journeys in the world. [4]

Home media [ ]

The film has been released in the United States on VHS in 1986 and on DVD in 2002. The DVD version was released using the pan and scan format. [5] [6] The title was also made available for streaming and download in SD and HD versions (with the original widescreen intact). [7] [8] The film was released on Blu-ray on July 17, 2018 for the first time in it original widescreen format as a Disney Movie Club exclusive. [9]

Reception [ ]

The movie has gained universally positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 100%, based on 14 reviews, with a rating average of 7/10. [10] Critics praised the actors' performances and the film's portrayal of Depression-era life, while lamenting its pace and level of sentimentality. [11] [12] [13]

Accolades [ ]

At the Young Artist Awards, Salenger won for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film, and the film itself was nominated for Best Family Motion Picture (Drama). [14] Albert Wolsky's costume design received an Academy Award nomination. [15]

Elmer Bernstein originally scored the picture, having to rewrite much of his material in the process; ultimately most of his music was replaced with a new score by James Horner . [16] Both scores were released on compact disc – Bernstein's in 2008 as part of a four-disc set of rejected scores by Varese Sarabande (also including Gangs Of New York and The Scarlet Letter ) and Horner's in 2009 by Intrada Records .

• This is one of the few Disney films to have rough adult expressions. For example, when Solomon is told of Natty's apparent death due after her wallet was found on the train tracks in Colorado , his reaction is, "What the hell was she doing in Colorado?"
• Meredith Salenger appeared in the 2009 remake of Escape to Witch Mountain as a character named "Natalie Gann." This character cannot be the same as the one in this movie, since the age of the character would be significantly older. The name must simply be an in-joke.
• The Mickey Mouse cartoon, Mickey Plays Papa , is shown playing at a movie theater where Natty and her friends are snooping around.
• Many fans considered Natty's Wolf companion the symbol of her journey as she meets him before her adventure begins and once she gets to where her dad is, they part ways.

Gallery [ ]

References [ ]

• ↑ Box Office Mojo: The Journey of Natty Gann
• ↑ LA Times: A Test Case For The Family Film October 19, 1985
• ↑ Team Disney--flying High In Burbank July 28, 1985
• ↑ " The Pacific Great Eastern Railway ". Retrieved on 29 September 2014.
• ↑ Amazon: The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
• ↑ The Journey of Natty Gann DVD Review
• ↑ Can I Stream it?: The Journey of Natty Gann
• ↑ Disney Movies Anywhere: The Journey of Natty Gann
• ↑ The Journey of Natty Gann Blu-ray
• ↑ " The Journey of Natty Gann ". Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster. Retrieved on August 30, 2014.
• ↑ LA Times: Movie Review : Grimness Of Heart In 'Natty Gann' Saga October 11, 1985
• ↑ New York Times: FILM: TALE OF RUNAWAY, 'JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN January 17, 1986
• ↑ Variety-Review: “The Journey of Natty Gann” December 31, 1984
• ↑ [1] "Seventh Annual Youth in Film Awards 1984-1985"
• ↑ "The 58th Academy Awards (1986) Nominees and Winners." Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• ↑ Christian Clemmensen. " Filmtracks: The Journey of Natty Gann ". Filmtracks. Retrieved on February 11, 2015.
• 2 Inside Out 2

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the journey.

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In 2004, two years before the St. Andrews Agreement, I visited a friend in Belfast. Changes were already apparent, if you knew what to look for. A Starbucks had opened, an encouraging sign that corporations were no longer shying away from a war zone. There were still echoes everywhere of the decades-long strife that had shattered the community. I took a "black cab tour," and the guide pointed out a pub where a bomb had gone off in the past, adding, almost casually, "My girlfriend's Da got his leg blown off there." It was such a clear example of the multi-generational aspect to The Troubles, to any civil war really, how grief and loss are passed down.

When Martin McGuinness died this past March, the tone of the obituaries spoke to the complexity of his legacy. The headlines were mostly variations of: "From IRA Terrorist/Commander to Peacemaker." Or "From Sinn Féin Leader to First Deputy Minister." The comments sections seethed with arguments. This was a man who started out as a kid throwing rocks at British soldiers, who ended up shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth, a surreal moment if ever there was one, as well as sharing political power with long-time rabblerouser Reverend Ian Paisley (the man who heckled Pope John Paul II in 1988 with the immortal words: “I denounce you, Anti-Christ!"). Paisley and McGuinness actually did become if not friends then allies in their roles as First Minister and deputy First Minister of the new power-sharing government, post the 2006 St. Andrews Agreement.

"The Journey," directed by Nick Hamm , written by Colin Bateman , announces at the outset, "This story imagines that journey" ("that journey" being how Paisley and McGuinness decided to bury the hatchet). It's a weird sentence and I got tripped up on it initially. Since the film is filled with real-life people (Gerry Adams, Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern, etc.), and since it takes place at a real-life event (the St. Andrews peace talks), veering off into a pretend-universe where Paisley and McGuinness are trapped together via circumstances beyond their control and HAVE to get along ... is a simplified grade-school version of political realities. It's " The Odd Couple " with Irish accents. There's a naivete at work in the concept: If only these men could bond about football, their wives, their kids ... if only these staunch enemies could see one another as people, then maybe the Catholics and Protestants will join hands in love and harmony!

Did Ian Paisley ( Timothy Spall ) and Martin McGuinness ( Colm Meaney ), as the film shows, go on a bizarre little road trip where they were forced to listen, grow, change? Of course not. Unfortunately for the film, the real-life version of how these two mortal enemies became so close that they were referred to in the press as "The Chuckle Brothers" is way more interesting than the "imagined" version presented in the film.

According to the film's imagined universe, in the middle of the peace talks, Ian Paisley had to fly back to Belfast for his Golden Anniversary wedding celebration. Martin McGuinness insists on accompanying Paisley. Tony Blair ( Toby Stephens ) and M15 chief Harry Patterson (the late John Hurt ) are thrown into a panic. McGuinness and Paisley MUST have their emotional "breakthrough" during their hour-long car ride to the airport, otherwise there will never be peace in Northern Ireland. Their solution to this is to deck the car with hidden cameras, and provide the fake chauffeur with a Bluetooth (through which they whisper suggestions to get the two scowling adversaries talking). Patterson, Blair, and a taciturn Gerry Adams ( Ian Beattie ) watch the entire thing unfold over video monitors from a command post at St. Andrews, as though it's Mission Control in Houston.

Paisley sits in outraged silence for the first portion of the drive, while McGuinness tries to make conversation. Then a series of phony events—a detour through a forest, a run-in with a deer, a confrontation at a gas station—transforms the two men, and they finally start talking. McGuinness and Paisley argue over familiar territory: Bloody  Sunday , the Enniskillen bombing, the hunger strike. Their views are so diametrically opposed that they basically live in alternate realities. They have fights, which include cliched lines like: "You are so defensive!" "Alright, walk away, walk away, that's what you do!" The moments where McGuinness gets the icily reserved Paisley to crack a smile are sitcom-phony, at best, and it's made even more egregious by Tony Blair and Gerry Adams gasping with excitement from afar that the Emotional Healing has begun.

In 2016, Spall played, back-to-back, two inflammatory and despised real-life men, Holocaust denier David Irving in " Denial " and now Paisley. Spall did so, in both cases, without pleading for any sympathy for the characters, suggesting the striations of fragility, narrowness, and rigidity in these men's emotional makeup. In "Denial," he is vigorous, staunchly upright. In "The Journey" he is believably decrepit and frail. His hatred of the man in the car with him—and all that that man represents—is so believable that it makes his rock-hard refusal to open up to McGuinness' joking comments understandable. His voice is a dead ringer for Paisley's booming religious-harangue tones. (After the doomed Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985, Paisley addressed a crowd of protesters in Belfast, screaming, famously, "Margaret Thatcher tells us that that [the Irish] Republic should have some say in our province. We say NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER." Paisley's gigantic voice thunders "Never" over and over again in a kind of incantatory rhetoric, and Spall does not shy away from the intimidating size of Paisley's voice.) Meaney has a thankless role, the McGuinness of "The Journey" being the guy who has to persist in warming up Paisley, almost like a Life Coach, using his charm and humor.

The final exchange between Paisley and McGuinness, when they shake hands, is the best, but by then it's far too late. The plot-manipulations and artificial events stage-managed by Mission Control back in St. Andrews all serve to diminish the peace talks, the importance of tough compromise, and the reality of what is actually required of politicians when they decide to sit down at a table such as that one.

Sheila O'Malley

Sheila O'Malley received a BFA in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island and a Master's in Acting from the Actors Studio MFA Program. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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The Journey (2017)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including violent images and language.

Timothy Spall as Ian Paisley

Colm Meaney as Martin McGuinness

Freddie Highmore as Jack

Toby Stephens as Tony Blair

John Hurt as Harry Patterson

Catherine McCormack as Kate Elgar

Ian McElhinney as Rory O'Suaird

Ian Beattie as Gerry Adams

Barry Ward as Ian Paisley, Jr.

Mark Lambert as Bertie Ahern

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The Incredible Journey

• Actor: Émile Genest , John Drainie , Sandra Scott , Tommy Tweed
• Director: Fletcher Markle
• Release: November 20, 1963
• Language: English
• IMDB Rating: 7.1

The story of three pets, a cat and two dogs, who lose their owners when they are all on vacation. Can they find their way home?

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12 Hero’s Journey Examples in Disney Movies

Looking for the hero’s journey examples in Disney movies? Discover our guide with our top picks!

The hero’s journey is a narrative structure that’s been used in literature for thousands of years. This structure and its inherent stages are discussed in the seminal work by Joseph Cambell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces . Checking out the best Disney movies can be helpful when writing essays about movies .

The hero’s journey structure can be identified in movies, too, and those from the Disney studio are no exception. Below you’ll find our selection of the top twelve Disney films that follow this distinctive pattern. And once you recognize the structure, you might start to spot it everywhere!

Here Are The Best Hero’s Journey Examples in Disney Movies

1. the lion king, 3. hercules, 5. toy story, 7. finding nemo, 9. pocahontas, 12. the jungle book.

The Lion King is a much-loved Disney movie released in 1994. It follows a clear hero’s journey narrative structure. Simba’s Ordinary World is the Pride Lands, where he was born and lives with his family. We learn how important it is to him to grow to be as strong and competent as his father, Mufasa, who he will one day succeed as king.

Simba’s story progresses through all the stages of the hero’s journey. From the Call to Adventure, where Simba is encouraged to visit the elephant graveyard by his uncle Scar, to The Reward, which sees the young protagonist lose his self-doubt, the one thing holding him back from becoming a hero. Finally, the Return with the Elixir. Simba, taking up his father’s crown, restores his kingdom. His journey has healed both himself and the Pride Lands. You might also be interested in these hero’s journey examples in real life .

Mulan is another Disney movie in which the hero’s journey is clearly evident. A couple of stages are particularly clear. Encountering Mushu the dragon is a comedic rendering of The Meeting of the Mentor part of the hero’s journey. At the same time, The Road Back is Mulan’s physical race against time as she dashes home to warn Shang of the Huns’ plan to storm the palace. You might also be interested in these personal narrative examples .

• Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong (Actors)
• Barry Cook (Director) - Alan Ormsby (Writer)
• English (Subtitle)
• Audience Rating: G (General Audience)

Pretty much the epitome of the hero’s journey, Hercules is a Disney classic from 1997 that literally follows a hero’s journey! While it departs a fair way from the twelve labors tale of the original legend, it still sticks to Joseph Campbell ’s monomyth structure. Even the Crossing the First Threshold stage is clearly delineated, with Hercules engaging in a little warm-up roundhousing with a centaur to save Meg.

• Tate Donovan, Susan Egan, James Woods (Actors)
• John Musker (Director) - Bob Shaw (Writer)
• English, English (Subtitles)

The hero’s journey can be simplified into three key stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return. The title character of Aladdin begins life in Agrabah as a ‘street rat’ – but we see him leave his ordinary world when he’s lured into entering the Cave of Wonders, sent on a mission by the villainous Jafar (Departure). 

Our hero meets the genie and sets off on a spectacular adventure, dealing with enemies and difficult matters of the heart (Initiation)! He triumphs in the end, though, defeating Jafar, winning over his true love, and finally becoming comfortable in his skin (Return). For more, check out these hero’s journey short stories examples .

It’s not just the narrative structure that can have an archetypal structure: the heroes themselves can often be categorized into archetypes, too, such as The Warrior (Hercules) or The Orphan (Aladdin). One of the lesser-seen hero archetypes is The Caregiver, represented in Toy Story by the character of Woody the cowboy, who oversees and generally looks after all of Andy’s other toys.

The arrival of Buzz Lightyear causes Woody’s consternation. Still, after many trials and challenges Woody has to face in rescuing the toy astronaut, the pair must team up to escape the cruel boy next door, Sid, and save his ill-treated toys. You might also be interested in these tragic hero examples .

In Moana , when a mysterious, dark force threatens her island, Moana is called to adventure to discover how to save her community. During her quest, the heroine faces multiple challenges, meets her mentor, the mighty Maui , and Returns with the Elixir, saving her island and coming home triumphantly, recognized as the firm leader she is. 

It’s worth mentioning that Moana actually has two mentors. As well as Maui, her grandmother, also embodies the role of mentor, demonstrating how the hero’s journey structure has a little give in it and can flex to the story’s needs. Check out these essays about films .

• New Store Stock
• Japanese, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic (Subtitles)

Finding Nemo is a classic hero’s quest tale – even if it features the most unlikely protagonists! The stages of the hero’s journey are nice and clear: Nemo is swept from his Ordinary World when he’s captured by a scuba diver and taken far from his home. His mission is to return to his dad, Marlin, who finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime as he seeks his lost son. 

Marlin finds his mentor, Dory. Together they navigate many dangers until they eventually find Nemo and return to their home in the reef. And the Elixir? Marlin is a way more chilled-out dad and enjoys a closer relationship with his son due to the quest.

• Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton (Actors)
• English, Dutch (Subtitles)
• English (Publication Language)

In Up , another unlikely hero, Carl, lives alone following the death of his beloved wife. The Call to Adventure takes the form of a construction company trying to force Carl out of his home to redevelop the land. And Carl’s having none of it. Faced with the prospect of a move to the Shady Oaks retirement home, Carl takes extreme action, attaching thousands of helium balloons to his house. There’s no going back once his adventure has literally taken flight!

• Running time 96 minutes
• Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger (Actors)
• Bob Peterson (Director) - Bob Peterson (Writer) - Andrew Stanton (Producer)

Released in 1995, Disney’s Pocahontas may have raised eyebrows with its re-writing of history. Still, in terms of its adherence to the hero’s journey structure, it’s authentic. It features Captain Smith, the stereotypical brave explorer-type hero, and Pocahontas, the heroine of this tale.

The story focuses on the importance of remaining open-minded, accepting of differences, and knowing oneself – deeply – this is a hero’s journey story with a difference – but a hero’s journey story all the same.

• Polish Release, cover may contain Polish text/markings. The disk has English audio and subtitles.
• English, Spanish, Dutch (Subtitles)

A beautifully vibrant movie, Coco ’s plot follows Miguel, who loves music but has the misfortune of growing up in a family where music is banned. The young hero literally crosses the threshold when he enters the Land of the Dead in search of the truth about his family history and why music is such a taboo.

The Return with the Elixir stage is particularly magical in Coco : upon returning to the world of the living, there is reconciliation within Hector’s family, and music flows through the house once more – for good.

• Lee Unkrich (Director) - Adrian Molina (Writer) - Darla K. Anderson (Producer)

Step into the land of Brave , where a Scottish medieval Princess named Merida is frustrated at the fate being imposed upon her. She has no wish to marry and, to defy her family’s wishes, runs away to escape the betrothal. 

In the forest, Merida meets a witch and makes a life-changing (literally) bargain with her. Returning to the castle, she presents her mother, Queen Elinor, with the cake the witch has given her, promising that it will alter the situation. But this ‘alteration’ is not what Merida imagined.

• English, French (Subtitles)

Released in 1967, the original The Jungle Book movie remains much loved by audiences and features many unforgettable characters. In many ways, the movie reverses the traditional hero’s journey. Young Mowgli’s Ordinary World – the jungle – is anything but ordinary. And the narrative arc is driven by his journey (physically and spiritually) to a destination entirely alien to him: the human world. Looking for more? Check out our guide with movies that follow the hero’s journey !

• UK Import Exclusive Disney Villains Gloss Slipcover
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portugese
• Audio: English, Spanish, Portugese
• Phil Harris, Bruce Reitherman, George Sanders (Actors)

Melanie Smith is a freelance content and creative writer from Gloucestershire, UK, where she lives with her daughter, long-suffering partner, and cat, The Magical Mr. Bobo. Her blog posts and articles feature regularly in magazines and websites around the world.

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How to Watch Andrea Bocelli's Musical Special, ‘The Journey’

Plus, where you can buy tickets!

This time, he’s delivering a curation of mind-blowing performances and conversations in the new film The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli , which is set to premiere starting April 2, Palm Sunday, through Easter Sunday on April 9.

Naturally, after the preview for the movie, which included this moving duet of "Hallelujah” with Tori Kelly, first made waves around the internet in March, fans are eager to find out how they can watch the film. Luckily, we have just what you’re looking for.

How can I watch The Journey?

It’s been nearly three years since the legendary singer graced his fans and the world with a 25-minute live performance on Easter Sunday , and now another performance will be available in theaters for a limited time, from Palm Sunday through Easter. Supporters can decide whether they would like to purchase individual or group tickets (which are for parties of 25 or more) by following the link on the film’s website.

How much do tickets cost?

Ticket prices for most locations start at around $12 per person. However, due to the limited number of show dates and show times, we recommend snagging them as soon as possible before they sell out.

Can I stream The Journey?

It is not yet clear if the film will be available on streaming services anytime soon, but Bocelli has released recorded performances onto YouTube in the past, so fingers crossed!

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} The Best Movies to Watch

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The most memorable dogs from movies

Posted: May 10, 2023 | Last updated: July 29, 2023

Dog is man’s best friend, or so the old adage goes. Dogs are often costars of their human counterparts as well. Canines pop up in films with frequency. Sometimes, they even star in movies. Dogs can’t talk, at least without the help of movie magic, but they can make memorable turns in films. These are the pooches that still stick with us.

“Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993)

A remake of a 1963 movie, “Homeward Bound” was a classic family film in the ‘90s. It tells the story of two dogs, Shadow and Chance, and a cat, Sassy, who are lost far from home. Having Michael J. Fox provide the voice of one of the dogs probably helped.

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“Beethoven” (1992)

There are no talking dogs in “Beethoven.” Just a gigantic St. Bernard making Charles Grodin miserable. Grodin was perfect casting for a film like this. He plays put-upon dad with gusto against his large, hirsute costar.

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“Turner & Hooch” (1989)

Grodin did great work with a dog, and so did Tom Hanks. Early in his career, before he was an Oscars darling, Hanks played a cop who is paired with a dog on a case. It’s a mismatched buddy cop film at its core, but one of them is a canine. Hanks has to shoulder the load, but he has no problem with it, of course. He even nails the dramatic moments.

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“The Shaggy Dog” (1959)

“The Shaggy Dog” has been remade a few times, but we are going with the original. The story is simple. Tommy Kirk, a Disney movie staple, plays a teenage boy who periodically turns into, well, a shaggy dog. Fred MacMurray, also a Disney staple, is around as well. Amazingly, this movie got a sequel called “The Shaggy D.A.” Yes, it’s about an attorney who turns into a dog.

“Marley & Me” (2008)

Dog lovers put themselves through the wringer with “Marley & Me.” At this point, it’s not a spoiler to say the dog at the center of the film doesn’t make it until the end. You may shed some tears like so much dog fur, but the movie has a ton of fans regardless.

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“One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961)

Hey, animated dogs still count. Plus, there are a ton of dogs in this movie. At least, like, 50 if we had to guess. Of course, in addition to all the dogs there is one of the iconic Disney villains, Cruella de Vil, who eventually got her own live-action movie where she’s played by Emma Stone.

“Scooby-Doo” (2002)

Scooby-Doo has been on our TV screens for decades. He also has popped up in film a couple of times. The “Scooby-Doo” movies are a who’s who of 2000s actors like Sarah Michelle Gellar and Matthew Lillard, and the CGI hasn’t aged great, but the first movie still has its fun moments.

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“Bolt” (2008)

The highest-grossing dog movie not adjusted for inflation? You can probably guess, given that we’re talking about it right now. Yes, it’s “Bolt.” Is it a “classic” dog movie in the traditional sense? Maybe not, but obviously ton of people have seen it, and we bet kids in 2008 enjoyed it quite a bit.

“A Dog’s Purpose” (2017)

Well, “A Dog’s Purpose” is certainly memorable. Is it good? We wouldn’t go that far, but this film about a dog that keeps getting effectively reincarnated definitely made a mark. It’s the dog movie that dares to kill the dog not just once, but multiple times!

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“K-9” (1989)

Apparently 1989 was big for dogs and cops joining forces. This time, it’s Jim Belushi in the role of the cop, and his dog partner is a German shepherd, a more-traditional choice than Hooch. The movie isn’t quite on par with the Tom Hanks vehicle of the same year, but it found success anyway.

“Beverly Hills Chihuahua” (2008)

What a ludicrous film. Even among movies about talking dogs this one is bonkers, and also bad. And yet, the trailers made us admittedly fascinated, and the movies (yes, they made more than one) do have that “so bad, it’s good” quality.

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“Lady and the Tramp” (1955)

The quintessential animated dog movie. “Lady and the Tramp” tells a classic tale of star-crossed lovers. They just happen to be dogs. At least they got to share a famous plate of pasta.

“A Dog of the Regiment” (1927)

Rin Tin Tin was, no joke, once one of the biggest movie stars in the world. People loved to watch the German shepherd rescued from a battlefield during  World War I. He would literally headline movies, and it was even an urban legend he was voted the original winner of Best Actor at the first Oscars, but the Academy wouldn’t have it. He mostly starred in silent movies and we chose “A Dog of the Regiment” as our Rin Tin Tin entry because, well, just look at the poster.

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“Benji” (1974)

“Benji” is a true American success story. Director Joe Camp couldn’t get any studio to make his movie about a mutt on an adventure. He made it for $500,000. It made $45 million, and then spawned four sequels, including the ominously named “Benji the Hunted.”

“Cujo” (1983)

Benji is a friendly dog. Cujo? Not so much. Admittedly, he was nice enough at first. Then, the massive St. Bernard contracted rabies. Suddenly, he was rabid, violent, and trapped a mother and her son in their car in this adaptation of a Stephen King story.

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“The Adventures of Milo and Otis” (1989)

Originally a Japanese movie, “The Adventures of Milo and Otis” tells the tale of a tabby cat and a pug. Apparently it was shot over four years, presumably just to get enough footage of the animals doing interesting things. It was adapted for American audiences by cutting out 15 minutes and adding narration by Dudley Moore. This worked, as it was a hit.

“Lassie” (1994)

Obviously, originally Lassie became an iconic character thanks to television. Many years later, and with a different dog of course, we got a “Lassie” movie. It’s exactly what you would expect. A collie helps some people out. There are no surprises to a movie about Lassie, but people went to it to get exactly what they were promised.

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“Air Bud” (1997)

One of the more-inexplicable movie series ever, “Air Bud” has made an impact on pop culture we cannot deny. This film about a dog that plays basketball basically revitalized the “animal plays sports” genre. It introduced a whole new generation to the “There’s nothing in the rulebook!” trope. Thanks, “Air Bud.”

“The Mask” (1994)

We end this list with two movies not explicitly about dogs, but prominently featuring a dog. “The Mask” centers on Jim Carrey as a guy who puts on a mask and turns into a living cartoon. It was also Cameron Diaz’s first movie. Of course, we also of course remember when Stanley Ipkiss’ dog Milo puts the mask on as well. Truly, he was smokin’.

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“There’s Something About Mary” (1998)

The dog in “There’s Something About Mary” didn’t have the best time. It goes through some rough stuff. Hey, this is a shock-value, gross-out comedy. Putting the little pup through the wringer was part of that. Maybe the dog in “There’s Something About Mary” isn’t as famous as Mary and the “hair gel,” but the dog is definitely a standout.

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Lifts the veil on our planet's most revered and charismatic animal, inviting viewers to journey alongside Ambar, a young tigress raising her cubs in the fabled forests of India. Lifts the veil on our planet's most revered and charismatic animal, inviting viewers to journey alongside Ambar, a young tigress raising her cubs in the fabled forests of India. Lifts the veil on our planet's most revered and charismatic animal, inviting viewers to journey alongside Ambar, a young tigress raising her cubs in the fabled forests of India.

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