Benji (1974 film)
| Benji | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Joe Camp |
| Produced by | Joe Camp |
| Written by | Joe Camp |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Euel Box |
| Cinematography | Don Reddy |
| Edited by | Leon Seith |
| Distributed by | Mulberry Square Releasing |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $500,000 |
| Box office | $45 million |
Benji is the first film in a series of five theatrical features about the golden mixed breed dog named Benji. It was written, produced, and directed by Joe Camp and filmed in and around Denton, Texas. Released in 1974, it was a critical and box office success, grossing $45 million on a budget of $500,000. The film also received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Original Song for the theme song "I Feel Love," written by Euel Box and performed by country singer Charlie Rich. The film was turned down for distribution by every studio in Hollywood and Camp had to form a distribution company to distribute the film worldwide, without the help of Hollywood. Despite the challenges, Variety reported that Benji ranked #3 among the top Box Office films of 1974.
Benji is a lovable stray dog living in a small Texas town where he befriended many of the locals, each of who calls him by a different name; but the people he likes best is a local family, the Chapmans: local physician Dr. Chapman (Peter Breck), a widowed father of two school-age children, Paul and Cindy (Allen Fiuzat and Cynthia Smith, respectively); and their housekeeper Mary (Patsy Garrett). Benji visits the Chapman residence daily and Mary and the kids keep him well fed; although they must keep this activity concealed from Dr. Chapman, who is wary of feeding stray animals due to the possibility of germ issues and doesn't want a stray dog hanging around. One day Benji befriends another stray dog--a Maltese that Mary names Tiffany. Eventually, Dr. Chapman finds out that Mary and the kids had been feeding stray dogs; and despite the kids' (especially Cindy's) tearful pleas, Dr. Chapman refuses to let them keep the dogs. Meanwhile, Benji escorts Tiffany to his hideout--an old, abandoned house believed to be haunted. Three criminals and an accomplice named Linda (Deborah Walley) later break in and bring a kidnapped Paul and Cindy into the house. Benji rushes home to "tell" Dr. Chapman and Mary of the kids' whereabouts but is shooed out by Mary, naturally not understanding the message Benji is trying to get across. Determined, Benji then grabs the ransom note that Dr. Chapman had been showing to the police; but it gets taken from him, leaving Benji is a loss at what to do next. Benji then follows two policemen into the station but gets locked in and seems doomed until he accidentally turns on a drive-through intercom with his paw, getting the attention of the janitor who works there who comes back in to let him out. Benji then returns to the old house and spots a failed attempt at writing the ransom note and an idea strikes him. He grabs the crumpled note and tries to flee, but is grabbed by one of the kidnappers. Tiffany then rushes out and bites the kidnapper on the shin, but gets a vicious kick in return that severely injures her. Benji then races back to the Chapmans; but Linda, whom Benji knows has another copy of the ransom note in her purse, beats him there. As Dr. Chapman makes small talk with Linda (who seems to be friends with the Chapmans); Benji notices the purse which Linda dangles close to the floor and attempts to grab it from her, but Mary starts to take him outside; but Benji bites her, freeing himself, and snatches the purse from Linda, spilling its contents and they find the ransom note. Dr. Chapman then confronts Linda about it and she bursts into tears, knowing she's about to be defeated. The police then follow Benji on foot to the kidnappers, who are arrested just as they leave the house with Paul and Cindy in tow. Because of the dogs' heroics, Dr. Chapman decides to let both Benji and Tiffany stay at their house for as long as they want, which Paul and Cindy are of course happy about.
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