Shiloh (1996)

best movie i've ever seen.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

(There are some Spoilers) Very moving family movie having to do with the this little sweet sad sack looking beagle named Shiloh, after the bride where he found the puppy, by 12 year old Marty Preston,Blake Heron.Little Shiloh is taken home by Marty who's parents Ray & Dana Lynn Preston, Michael Moriarty & Shira Roth, are anything but thrilled with him. The poor dog is suffering from a number of injuries including a vicious gash over his left eye and the veterinary cost to bring him back to good health are just too much from the Prestons. Having re-financed his home to pay the family's bills another mouth to feed is the last thing that the hard working and money strapped Ray Preston needs.As Marty tries to convince his parents to keep Shiloh as the family pet the matter of keeping or not keeping the cute little beagle is suddenly cleared up with local hunter Judd Travers, Scott Wilson, showing up in the film. It turns out that Shiloh, or dog # 5 as Judd calls him, ran away from Judd's kennel where he keeps his pack dogs that he uses to hunt game; raccoons possum and rabbits.Marty is forced by his dad to give Shiloh, who's since become very attached to him, back to the hard driving and abusive Judd Travers where Shiloh ends up being again brutally beaten and kicked around this time within an inch of his life. Shiloh escaping for the second time from the Judd house has Marty, whom Shiloh came limping back to, now more determined then ever to keep the dog no matter what it takes! Even if he has to work himself to death to make enough money to buy Shiloh off of Judd Travers' hands.The film "Shiloh" is far better then your average "Boy and his Dog" Walt Disney-like flick in its depiction of the grown ups as well as young people in it. Everyone in the movie including the at first despicable Judd Travers have their good as well, especially with Judd, as bad points in how they deal with the realities of life. In this case the treatment of the star of the film sweet little Shiloh. Marty as kind and as loving as he is toward Shiloh really has no answer to what he'll do if he ever gets the dog as a pet!It's when Marty is given the chance, by Judd Travers, to work off Shiloh's price, $40.00, that he's willing to sell him for that the 12 year-old Marty Preston soon realizes that not all is right in the adult world of business and finance. That's especially true if you, or in this case Marty Preston, don't have the legal papers to back your business transaction up.In the end even the cold hearted and all business-like Judd Travers gives into both Marty and his parents, who have since fallen in love with the sweet little pooch, in keeping Shiloh as the Prestons family pet. I found Judd who at first was by far the most unlikable person in the film the most, after Shiloh of course, sympathetic person in the movie.It didn't take that much to get you to like little Shiloh, you fell in love with the cute and sad-eyed little beagle as soon as you saw him, but it took a lot, a hell of a lot, to change Judd Travers around. Travers not only let Shiloh, who legally belonged to him, go back to the Prestons but completely change his attitude about man's best friend as well. It also took the hard work and sacrifice by Marty, in working his butt off for Judd, to get Judd to appreciate what a powerful bond Marty and Shiloh had between themselves. Trying to stiff Marty out of the bargain, or verbal agreement, that he made with him in getting Shiloh back Judd tried to pull a fast one in nullifying the contract, that had no sighed witnesses, he had with Marty. It was when Judd saw how Shiloh acted as he was driving him back to his dog kennel and, with the badly injured Shiloh really no use to him as a hunting dog, curtain death Judd finally saw the light and let his heart, not his business mind, take over.

This movie was a cute movie about a boy and a dog that absolutely love eachother but the dog's owner is very, very protective of all of his dogs and doesnt want Marty(the boy) to have Shiloh, its a touching story and movie, i personally thought the book was better but dont take my word for it, go out and watch it for yourself!!!

Good film about a love starved man who heartlessly uses dogs as his means of earning a living. When one of his dogs runs off and adopts a neighbor's son, trouble begins over who will take possession of the animal. Anyone who goes for cutesy canine films will like this picture.

Heartwarming story with real values for family viewing. Well written script is faithful to the Phyllis Reynolds Naylor bestseller which won the Newbery Award. Scott Wilson excels as Jud Travers bringing a palpable menace to the character while at the same time making him a fully believable human being with his own back story. Blake Heron shines as the boy who falls in love with the dog and fights to keep him. An engaging performance from a young man with promise. Rod Steiger adds distinction to the film and emotional weight in his portrayal of the kindly store owner. Anne Dowd is the perfect Mom, gently chiding and always loving. Michael Moriarty lays down the law as the father with a sense of humor and engagement with his children. Dale Rosenbloom wrote the screenplay and directed the film with a finely tuned sense of the heartbeat of the story. A film that will be evergreen for the generations.