Chips, the War Dog (1990)

 

            “Chips, the War Dog” is an old school Disney movie that premiered on tv in 1990.  It was directed by Ed Kaplan.  It is the true story of the most decorated American war dog of WWII.  The film is dedicated to all the dogs who served in the armed services in WWII.

            The film opens in Bloomington, Indiana in 1943.  Chips is the pet of a farm family.  He is sometimes a bad dog who chases the neighbors’ chickens.  The sheriff issues a warning.  One day the kids are at the theater and after a Donald Duck enlisting cartoon, there is a short with a Col. Charnley (William Devane) asking for patriot Americans to donate dogs to the armed services.  The kids talk dad into doing it.  So, it’s off to war for the pouch.  The chickens celebrate.

 Meanwhile, Danny (Brandon Douglas) is a soda jerk who ends up in the army.  He is chosen as a dog handler despite not being a dog person.  Chips gets off to a ruff start when he gets out of his cage and lets the other dogs out.  (A bit of Disney whimsy there.)  Naturally, when it comes to black or dog units, there will be an evil congressman trying to get the program shut down.  Thankfully, we get to see more of William Devane.  Meanwhile, Danny and Chip make a comical pair.  Danny is a Sad Sack and Chips is not taking to training very well.  Danny gets a cinematic enemy.  Danny and Chips both wash out, but they are given a second chance.  They get redemption and prove themselves before the congressional committee that is eying shutting down the program.  I know you won’t be surprised that the program survives.  So, it’s off to Sicily and glory.

“Chips, the War Dog” is second level Disney.  It is a low budget production.  This really shows in the invasion of Sicily, but you would not expect “Saving Private Ryan”.  The low budget applies to the cast.  They are all unknowns, except for Devane.  Unfortunately, he is not used much. Brandon Douglas is weak and is upstaged by a mutt.  The plot is full of cliches:  the Sad Sack man and dog, the evil Senator, the boot camp enemy.  It is very predictable, except when Chips gets into the war you know he’s going to be a hero, but you don’t know how.  The war scenes are competently done and should have kids on the edge of their seats.  Watching it with your kids or grandkids might bring back fond memories of Disney productions like it.  The feel of the movie is nostalgic, plus it throws in the Donald Duck cartoon, the 20 cent movie ticket, and some swing music. 

Disney did occasionally delve into history.  “The Great Locomotive Chase” is a good and accurate movie.  We also have “Johnny Tremain”, which brings the book to the screen well.  And, of course, Disney has a track record with dog movies.  Chips is not up to the standards of Old Yeller or Savage Sam, but he is a real dog and his story deserved to be told, even if it was in a old-fashioned way. 

How accurate is it?  Chips was a German shepherd/collie/malamute mix.  He was gifted by the Wren family in 1942.  I found no reference to his behavior, but I would bet that chasing the chickens was fiction.  We do know that Chips would go to school with Gail and lay under her desk.  At recess, Chips would break up fights.  The Wren family donated him to the War Dog Training Center in Front Royal, Virginia.  He made it through boot camp with no black marks and was assigned to the 3^rd Infantry Division.  His handler was Private John Rowell.  They served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany.  Chips met FDR and Churchill when he was a sentry dog at the Casablanca Conference.  His claim to fame was on July, 10, 1943.  His unit was pinned down by a pill box.  Chips broke away and ran into the pill box.  There was a lot of noise and then an Italian exited the pill box with Chips at his throat.  He surrendered, as did the other three Italians.  Chips suffered from a scalp wound and some powder burns, but he remained at the front line.  On the next day, he helped capture 10 more prisoners.  He was awarded the Silver Star and nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart.  Sadly, the Army took back the Silver Star and disallowed the nominations for the other medals.  It was official policy not to give medals to animals.  Boo!  Chips survived the war and was reunited with the Wrens.  Sadly, he died seven months later.  In 2018, Chips was awarded the United Kingdom’s Dicken Award.  This is the British equivalent of the Victoria Cross.  In 2019, he was awarded the Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery.  He was a good dog.

“Chips, the War Dog” is available on YouTube.  It’s worth the watch, but there are better dog movies, like "Sergeant Stubby", "Megan Leavey", and "Dog".  Or if you are a cat person…  Well, there are no war cat movies because cats are not patriotic. 

 

GRADE  =  C