To the Rescue (1952)

Young "George" (Fella Edmonds) takes to a young pedigree poodle but the owner wants 20 Guineas for it. Way too expensive, says his dad, but they do manage to get "Candy" instead. When doing the shopping one day, the local grocer "Mr. Polly" (Richard Massingham) hits on the idea that this ball of fur might be a potential champion and so they decide to enter her in the local show. They must, however, be careful that the dastardly, Terry-Thomas-esque, "Mr. Black" (Jacques Brunius) - doesn't get wind of it, so they must keep it all hush hush! Using a gently building score and some enjoyable silent film stalking techniques what ensues features a bit of dog-napping, before they give chase by car and horse around some English country lanes then the inevitable conclusion. This is standard Children's Film Foundation fayre that is aimed at children and pet lovers. There's not much dialogue, indeed the last five minutes is really about music, barking, the mutts turning the tables and a good dunking! You'll never remember it, but it's an interesting illustration of cinema made for kids right at the start of the second Elizabeth reign.