It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog

It's one of those "the craziest things happen in Brooklyn" movies. Allyn Joslyn is a reporter who has fouled up so often he's been demoted to science editor, picking up information from children's books. He thinks he has a lead on a real story, so he heads over to Margo Woods' rooming house. No dice, so he tries a local bar with her picture. There, Carole Landis walks in with a trained Doberman Pinscher for some bones. Some money goes missing, and he phones in the story. It soon turns out it was a gag by one of the barflies. Soon enough, crook Harry Morgan, Miss Landis and the dog are involved in the story.

It's one of those brittle post-war comedies which smacks of some subtextual meaning, but mostly it's a decent, if dry little comedy in which everyone acts in an over-the-top manner. There are some good comedy situations directed at a good clip by B director Herbert Leeds.

Leeds started in the movie business illustrating title cards. By the early 1930s he was an editor, and he became a director in 1938. Over the next twelve years he headed a couple of movies each year, then into television. He killed himself in 1954, age 54.

Allyn Joslyn (Henry) has returned from WW2 to the newspaper he worked for. This time, however, he is the Science Editor instead of a Crime Reporter and he really doesn't care for this role. He wants to be a Crime Reporter again. Whilst having a drink at Ralph Sandford's bar – "Nick's Bar" – with a drunken local policeman John Alexander (Joe), Carole Landis (Julia) enters the scene with her dog. What follows is a sequence of misunderstandings and a bit of slapstick, comedy policemen and an unbelievable storyline which is meant to be funny.

No brain required for this but the cast are OK apart from the comedy policemen – we get two! The dog is pretty unspectacular and not at all cute or convincing – we even get a male voice dubbing over sneeze noises and yawns and woofs on its behalf. More of that comedy stuff. I watched it as I like Carole Landis but the film is not up to much.

The big bonus here is that we also get a film with Whit Bissell. After watching the whole series of "The Time Tunnel" from the mid 1960s, my wife and I were staggered at the poor quality acting of the General as played by Whit Bissell. We found it rather amusing and even suggested getting hold of every film he's ever done. Well, we didn't go down that route but what a pleasant surprise to find him in this offering. They make you wait for him, though, and I'm afraid to say it's a let-down as he does alright in his small role.

In a good way, I mean. Somebody at Fox had an understated sense of humor, and put it on the screen in "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog", a 70 minute comedy which gets funnier as it goes along, with tongue firmly implanted in cheek. It almost plays like a British comedy as it eschews slapstick for subtlety. Modern audiences have little or no frame of reference for subtle humor.

Allan Joslyn, who was a supporting actor in lots of forgettable movies, is better here than in most of the others. Maybe finally getting the lead in a film energized him and he puts everything he's got into his role as a reporter back from WWII who finds his old job occupied - by a woman. Determined to get it back he fabricates a story about a robbery in a bar - accidentally - and things go from bad to funnier.

Guys, I have to tell you this picture gets a huge shot in the arm from Carole Landis... need I say more? Not only an eyeful, she's very good as the owner of a dog who's the prime suspect in the robbery. If it sounds like a wacky plot, you're right. See it if you get a chance. There are lots of familiar faces you'll recognize in this shaggy dog tale.

"It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog" is a silly film...not exactly genius but enjoyable as well as one of Carole Landis' last pictures.

When the film begins, Henry Barton (Allyn Joslyn) is upset because he's been demoted at the newspaper where he works. He no longer is covering the police beat and desperately wants to. So, when he mistakenly think that a pretty lady (Landis) with a Doberman robbed a bar, he calls in the story to the paper...only to soon learn it was a hoax. However, the dog COULD help him earn his way back...if only he can catch up with this missing Dobie and his pretty owner.

This film is inconsequential fun. Plus, I liked seeing some familiar character actors as the hoods (Reed Hadley, John Ireland and, oddly, Harry Morgan). It's definitely in the 'turn off your brain and just enjoy' category!

By the way, Joslyn is RARELY a leading man and almost always plays supporting roles. It's nice to see him in the lead for once.

Watching It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog I had to wonder whether 20th Century Fox had purchased this story from Paramount. It seems so much like a Bob Hope vehicle.

If it had been a Hope vehicle Hope as the main character would have received top billing instead of Carole Landis. Clearly the action centers around the main male character played by character actor Allyn Joslyn. Fresh back from the army Joslyn can't get his old job back as the crime reporter. He's now the science reporter and is busy trying to figure out atomic energy while Jean Wallace is learning the nuances of crime reporting.

But when there's a story about a missing witness Whit Bissell who was ready to testify against racketeer Reed Hadley, Joslyn goes right to work. The problem is that he's running up against undercover policewoman Carole Landis and her partner, a large former military Doberman pincher answering to the name Rodney.

Rodney for a trained dog is quite an independent sort. Still he's the real hero as he's the one really responsible for seeing justice done.

Joslyn was funny, but I could never see him getting the girl. This is an amusing film, but it should have had Bob Hope in the lead.