Trying to find the title of a dog movie; perhaps Wilford Brimley
November 24, 2013 10:45 AM Subscribe
I'm vaguely remembering a movie, maybe a made-for-tv movie. The plot involved a kid, I think a boy, coming to live with relatives (?) Maybe he was a foster kid, or maybe the adults he was to live with were his grandparents. The kid wants a dog. Wilford Brimley, I believe, was the irascible grandfather with a heart of gold.
I can't imagine a more trivial question, but it's been in me for years, and so am trying to finally resolve it, as I have netflix now, and small kids.
I'm vaguely remembering a movie, maybe a made-for-tv movie. The plot involved a kid, I think a boy, coming to live with relatives (?) Maybe he was a foster kid, or maybe the adults he was to live with were his grandparents. The kid wants a dog. Wilford Brimley, I believe, was the irascible grandfather with a heart of gold.
There was a kind of wacky neighbor lady who rode around on a tractor, quoting poems or song lyrics while she rode; "On to Venus, On to Mars! On to something something the stars!" There might have been a young girl as well(?)
The movie climaxed with the kid offering to put a couple bucks in a jar every week, for the dog's keep, and a couple more for his own keep. And the grandfather figure responded "No one's going to pay me to keep a boy I like." Or something like that.
I know this sounds cheesy beyond belief. Somehow I saw it at the right age, and it became poignant for me. I would like to show it to my own kids, and have done a pretty thorough search of imDB but to no avail. Any suggestions or even hints would be well appreciated.
I can't imagine a more trivial question, but it's been in me for years, and so am trying to finally resolve it, as I have netflix now, and small kids.
I'm vaguely remembering a movie, maybe a made-for-tv movie. The plot involved a kid, I think a boy, coming to live with relatives (?) Maybe he was a foster kid, or maybe the adults he was to live with were his grandparents. The kid wants a dog. Wilford Brimley, I believe, was the irascible grandfather with a heart of gold.
There was a kind of wacky neighbor lady who rode around on a tractor, quoting poems or song lyrics while she rode; "On to Venus, On to Mars! On to something something the stars!" There might have been a young girl as well(?)
The movie climaxed with the kid offering to put a couple bucks in a jar every week, for the dog's keep, and a couple more for his own keep. And the grandfather figure responded "No one's going to pay me to keep a boy I like." Or something like that.
I know this sounds cheesy beyond belief. Somehow I saw it at the right age, and it became poignant for me. I would like to show it to my own kids, and have done a pretty thorough search of imDB but to no avail. Any suggestions or even hints would be well appreciated.
Response by poster: I don't think WTRFG II is it. I'm looking for a movie about a kid, not an embittered vet.
I'm starting to think it wasn't Wilford Brimley at all, but rather some other rotundish, irascible actor of the same generation. Any suggestions there?
posted by newdaddy at 11:37 AM on November 24, 2013
I'm starting to think it wasn't Wilford Brimley at all, but rather some other rotundish, irascible actor of the same generation. Any suggestions there?
posted by newdaddy at 11:37 AM on November 24, 2013
Do you have an idea of when you would've seen it?
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:46 AM on November 24, 2013
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:46 AM on November 24, 2013
Response by poster: Early eighties? That's just a guess.
posted by newdaddy at 12:22 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by newdaddy at 12:22 PM on November 24, 2013
Ummm... there was a 1998 British movie with a boy and a dog called Owd Bob that had Irish actor Colm Meany in it... he maybe looks a tad like Wilford Brimley. It didn't have exactly the plot you describe, though. And Colm Meany's speaking voice is definitely nothing like Wilford Brimley's.
posted by RRgal at 12:44 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by RRgal at 12:44 PM on November 24, 2013
Response by poster: Ned Beatty, I'm thinking now. But his filmography is huge.
posted by newdaddy at 12:46 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by newdaddy at 12:46 PM on November 24, 2013
Oh never mind, I see you were talking about a made-for-TV movie, American I assume. And anyway Colm Meany did not play the grandfather in "Owd Bob"; that was James Cromwell, who looks absolutely nothing like Wilford Brimley. Meany was the neighbor.
posted by RRgal at 12:58 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by RRgal at 12:58 PM on November 24, 2013
Something with Ed Asner?
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 1:03 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 1:03 PM on November 24, 2013
Response by poster: The more I think about it, the more inclined I am to go with Ned Beatty, though nothing is showing up in imDB that seems like a very good fit. I'll check out Ed Asner as well though.
posted by newdaddy at 1:10 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by newdaddy at 1:10 PM on November 24, 2013
Best answer: Plot Summary
Young orphan tries to save the life of a blind old dog.
Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid, NBC After-School Special
posted by newdaddy at 1:12 PM on November 24, 2013
Young orphan tries to save the life of a blind old dog.
Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid, NBC After-School Special
posted by newdaddy at 1:12 PM on November 24, 2013
Response by poster: Though I despair of ever finding a copy now.
posted by newdaddy at 1:55 PM on November 24, 2013
posted by newdaddy at 1:55 PM on November 24, 2013
If you have something that will play 16mm film, there's a copy on Ebay.
posted by humph at 7:01 AM on November 25, 2013
posted by humph at 7:01 AM on November 25, 2013
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posted by humph at 11:14 AM on November 24, 2013