This is one of my all-time favorite family films. It doesn't remind me of "Old Yeller" or "Lassie," but something different. It centers around an elderly backwoods hillbilly (Walter Brennan)who is raising his young grand(?)nephew (a very young Brandon DeWilde). The boy finds a strange dog in the woods and, after much reluctance, adopts the dog, only to find that it is one of the strangest breeds (Basenji) in captivity. (Being a Basenji owner, they are indeed very strange but lovable). The film is very moving in parts, especially when you first note the gradual bond between the boy, the dog and the old man and how the little dog seems to bring out a lonely side of the little boy that you don't pick up until that part of the film. Yes, the dog does "sing" ( Basenjis do not bark, they "yodel") and it runs very fast (they are fast runners). The boy's fascination with figuring out just what this dog is all about really manages to capture and hold your attention throughout the entire film. Even you will want to figure out what this dog is all about.
Walter Brennan is hilarious, although it appears as though this role was intended to be on the light side, not hysterically funny side. I found myself laughing so hard in the scenes where he is running to catch up to the dog or running to get the wood chopped when he is suddenly awakened from a long nap. His character is "Grandpa McCoy" from "The Real McCoys" but a little more gritty (at least Grandpa McCoy had dentures). Brandon DeWilde is absolutely marvelous. And "Lady" is both magnificent and fascinating to watch.
Check this one out. It's well worth a family get-together for a few good laughs and for bringing folks together. And if you get the chance to watch a Basenji's antics, even you'll be asking, "Is this really a dog?"
