SMOKE and DICK

"We have a school report on turquoise jewellery in two days and we can't find any books on it, and the government is following us.  We're under a lot of pressure--leave us alone!"--Dick

Thursday I was going to stream Dick but I couldn't remember my Apple password and they sent me an email with a link for changing it just when my email app was acting up and wouldn't take it!  Instead I went on Youtube and watched the Wonderful World of Disney film Smoke.

Smoke is a 1969 production with Ron Howard as Chris, a boy of 15 who saw his father die in a fiery car crash and now lives on a sheep ranch where he has a testy relationship with his new stepfather, who won't let him get a dog because he's afraid a dog will bother the sheep.  But then Chris finds a wounded feral dog in the woods--the opening scene with the fight where he got his wound has an Ernest Thompson Seton feel.  He treats the wound and starts feeding the dog, but keeps him secret from the parents. In the end they do learn of the dog, whom Chris names Smoke, and let him bring the dog home but insist on publishing a newspaper ad to see if Smoke's old master claims him.  Eventually the old master does turn up, so Chris runs away with Smoke...  It's a remarkably good story:  I'd forgotten how good some of those Disney films were!

The following day the password problem got solved and I did get to see Dick.  Directed by Andrew Fleming, it's a hilarious goofy comedy about two ditzy teenage girls who get involved in the Watergate scandal!  It has a nice period feel and some offbeat casting. (Dave Foley as H.R. Haldeman?)