Best in Show (film)
| Best in Show | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Christopher Guest |
| Produced by | Gordon Mark Karen Murphy |
| Written by | Christopher Guest Eugene Levy |
| Starring | Christopher Guest Eugene Levy Catherine O'Hara John Michael Higgins Michael McKean Michael Hitchcock Parker Posey Jennifer Coolidge Jane Lynch |
| Music by | Jeffrey CJ Vanston |
| Cinematography | Roberto Schaefer |
| Edited by | Robert Leighton |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release date
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September 29, 2000 |
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Running time
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90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $20.8 million |
Best in Show is a 2000 American mockumentary comedy film co-written (along with Eugene Levy) and directed by Christopher Guest. The film follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show and focuses on the slightly surreal interactions among the various owners and handlers as they travel to the show and then compete during the show. There are also short depictions of the characters six months after the show is over. Among the comedic aspects of the film are similarities between the personalities and characteristics of the owners and those of their dogs. Much of the dialogue was improvised. Many of the comic actors were also involved in Guest's other films, including This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots.
Best in Show is presented as a documentary of five dogs and their owners destined to show in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, held in Philadelphia. Segments of the documentary continuously cycle among owners and handlers as each prepares to leave for the show, arrives at the hotel, prepares backstage, handles their dog's performance, and appears in a post-show follow-up. The owners and their dogs include:
The owners and their dogs all arrive in time for the show, which is hosted by dog expert Trevor Beckwith (Jim Piddock), and oblivious "color" commentator Buck Laughlin (Fred Willard). During the first round, Beatrice is disqualified when Hamilton cannot control her, but the other four dogs advance to the final round. Just before the finals, Cookie dislocates her knee and insists that Gerry take over for her. Though the audience is initially awed by seeing Gerry's "two left feet" (the result of a birth defect), ultimately Winky takes Best in Show.
Afterwards, the film explores what each character is doing after the competition. Gerry and Cookie return home to Florida and are overcome with attention after the victory. They go on to record, in amusingly bad style, songs about terriers but discover to Gerry's frustration that the recording engineer is yet another of Cookie's ex-boyfriends (Steven Porter). Sherri Ann and Christy have entered into a partnership (It is unknown if either Leslie has died or if he has gotten divorced from Sherri Ann.) and publish a magazine for lesbian owners of purebred dogs, called American Bitch. Harlan fulfills his dreams and becomes a ventriloquist, entertaining sparse crowds with a honky tonk song and dance number. Stefan and Scott are in the process of designing a calendar featuring Shih Tzu dogs appearing in scenes, with appropriate costume, from famous classic films, such as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca (and McMillan and Wife, for some reason.) Hamilton and Meg Swan have given Beatrice away, allowing them to enjoy a calmer, more loving partnership as well as a new dog (a pug) named Kipper, that they claim enjoys watching them make love. The closing shot is of the Pug attempting to have sex with the therapist's leg.
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