White Dog

This story was fascinating, from beginning to end.This was a true story, and I am always looking for a good true story.And I love Kristy McNichol.S P O I L E R S ……..Some things did not make sense to me…..First…. Did anyone notice that the dog did not have a name?Kristy McNichol's character never named him, she just kept calling him "the dog."At the point when she decided that she wanted to keep him, one of the very first things that she should have done was give him a name.When the original owner showed up with his two granddaughters, they never said a name either.One of the granddaughters just called him "my dog."When the black trainer spent so many weeks training the dog, wouldn't it be natural and necessary to call the dog by his name?Whenever I meet someone's dog, the first thing that I ask is, "What is his name?"I wondered how the original owner of the dog kept him in a trailer park without the dog killing people constantly.A german shepherd is a big dog that needs space, he cannot be kept cooped up.So, the old man would have to walk the dog, on a leash, and keep the dog from killing any black person who is walking down the street.Obviously, the dog could not be outside without a leash because he is a killer….which makes me wonder how the dog was free to run away.I wondered why the original owner would create a white dog.Obviously, he hated black people, and so, he trained the dog to kill them.But, he had to know that he couldn't just allow the dog to kill as many black people as he sees.If just a handful of people ended up dead, obviously attacked by a dog, it would not take long for the police to trace the murders to that dog.Then, the dog would be taken away and killed.This doesn't make sense.The owner created a white dog, but he could never actually let the dog kill, which would be his goal.I wondered how that old man could allow a killer dog to be around his small granddaughters.Even if he believed that the dog would never hurt the granddaughters, why would he want the granddaughters to ever possibly see the dog kill?That would be a horrible trauma for a child, to see her cherished dog attack and kill a stranger.It doesn't make sense why Kristy McNichol's character couldn't figure out that she had an attack dog - - she needed her boyfriend to tell her.The dog ran off, and he came back to her covered in blood.She simply said to the dog, "Did you get into a fight?" as if it was a cute thing that the dog drew blood, whether it was from a person or another animal.She was not at all upset that the dog was covered in blood.She bathed him, washed away the blood, and was almost praising the dog.How could she not wonder or care about what the dog had done?Why wouldn't she worry about her own safety - - she saw how angry the dog got around her boyfriend - - and she didn't care about her boyfriend's safety either.And yet, as soon as she heard that the dog killed a man, she was shocked, and she suddenly wanted the dog killed.It was surprising when she changed her mind and wanted to get the dog help instead of having him killed.After the dog attacked the black actress, Kristy McNichol was allowed to just go home with her dog.Didn't anyone try to take the dog away or tell her to get rid of him, warning her that the dog was dangerous?There are fines if you don't clean up your dog's poop….so, how can it be okay for a dog to attack?Wouldn't Kristy McNichol get a fine, at least?Wouldn't the police take the dog away, and even have the dog killed?Why would Kristy McNichol even want to take the dog home after seeing him attack - - why wasn't she suddenly afraid for her own safety - - why wasn't she afraid that he could attack again, at any moment, after seeing him attack so suddenly?I was surprised that the black actress didn't press charges of some kind, and I was also surprised that it didn't bother her that Kristy McNichol still had that dog at home with her.I wondered how much money those five weeks of training were costing Kristy McNichol's character.She didn't seem too happy about paying the vet bill at the beginning of the movie, so why did she suddenly not mind the trainer's fees?She was an out-of-work actress, living alone in a huge house, and she dressed really nicely and had a nice car, and I wondered how she afforded it all.I wondered why the characters of Burl Ives and the black trainer would train the dog.They both clearly said that they didn't think it was possible.Even at the end, the 99% was not enough to convince the trainer because he didn't really believe that it the dog could be changed.So, if the movie had ended differently (with the dog appearing to be changed), it still would have been irresponsible of them to let Kristy McNichol go home with the dog, knowing that he may always be dangerous.Burl Ives told the story of his friend who had been killed by his beloved dog who suddenly turned on him, so he knew better.So, at the end, the dog obviously went insane.He learned not to attack black people, so instead, he figured that he should attack white people next.Kristy McNichol's character was lucky that the dog remembered how good she had been to him, so he didn't attack her.And the dog's original owner got away with what he did.The ending was very sad.

The last American film of Samuel Fuller, White Dog, stands as an analogy of the American culture in what, since the election of President Obama, has been deemed as a post-racial world. And while one would argue the election of a black president is a turning point in our country's and culture’s history, the racial hatred that has risen exponentially since President Obama's election - a good portion of it directed at him - would suggest that our culture has a long, long, long, way to go before we can even hint at it being a post-racial world.That said, White Dog, based on a true story, is one film in a long line of Fuller's work throughout his career that have dealt with the issues of racism. The title dog is a white German Shepherd that is accidentally struck while on a dark road by a car driven by a young actress played by Krtisty McNichol (Eight is Enough). She takes the dog to a local vet then brings it home to heal while she posts signs in the neighborhood looking for its owner. The next night, an intruder, a white man, breaks into McNichol’s home and the dog rushes to her rescue, dramatically breaking through a glass window in slow motion - when it actually meant something back then - to subdue the perp, holding him until the police arrive. After the incident, the dog and McNichol lovingly bond and she brings the dog to the studio for an acting gig she has. While the dog rests peacefully on the studio floor, McNichol's acting partner, a young black woman, begins to speak her lines which wakes the dog from its slumber. The dog jumps up and viciously attacks the black actress. McNichol soon discovers that this dog is a white dog, a dog purposely trained to attack black people. Enter Paul Winfield, a black man who is an animal trainer for films. McNichol brings the dog to him in the hopes he can reprogram it - himself determined by the challenge to the break the dog of it’s racial attacks. In the meantime the dog escapes its steel kennel and kills an elderly black man in a church. But still Winfield wants to wipe the programmed hate out of the dog this time by making himself the bait. While he succeeds in one aspect the dog’s rage is refocused but it turns on another character forcing Winfield to shoot the dog dead.Fuller’s subject matter has always been somewhat controversial; and so much so for White Dog, which came out in 1982, that the NAACP at the time thought this film incited racism, which is exactly the opposite of what Fuller was aiming for. According to wikipedia, “Fuller was a staunch integrationist for his hiring of black actors for non-stereotypical roles.” After a limited release the film was shelved by Paramount until 2008 when the Criterion Collection released it on DVD. While somewhat dated in its look, the script by Fuller and Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential), raises legitimate questions on the subject of racism in our county. There is no doubt that race relations have come a long way but have the seeds of racial equality been planted deep enough to grow through a foundation of renewed hate of people of color in our society today? In light of the recent and unprecedented amount of white police officers shooting black people I would say not. And for these police officers, like the dog in the film, the question remains, is racism a curable learned behavior or mental illness that is treatable, or are we hardwired to be racist and maybe there is no cure?

damn fine movie

I watched this movie as soon as I received it. I kept hearing and reading reviews about this movie and had to see it for myself. Well, where shall I begin. Although this movie is old and more than likely looked upon as a "B" movie...I loved it. The message was more than clear and racism, like the people who teach it, learn it and live by it, is an abomination. I was truly touched and because I am an animal lover there was a moment in the movie (towards the end) that actually bought me to tears. After that, the tears just kept on flowing. I went from one emotion to the next. The ending absolutely floored me. I can't wait to pass this movie on to my friends, as I'm sure they will enjoy it just as much as I did.

I remember when this movie first came out and there was some sort of negative reception because it dealt with a dog who had been trained to attack black people. It wasn't racist, it was simply a dog trained by racists which in fact, occurred and most likely still occurs. I think it is wrong to censor movies or stories which are based on actual events. Society needs to own this, not sweep it under the carpet as if it never existed!

This movie shows how a dog is trained to attack people by the color of their skin even if they do not provoke the dog. The dog is taken to a place to be retrained not to attack black people and is able to accomplish it but the end has a surprise that is unbelievable.