This movie misfires in its attempt to combine a children's dog story and "adult" comedy by pairing Benji and Chevy Chase. In a reversal of the 1951 Dick Powell comedy YOU NEVER CAN TELL (wherein a murdered dog returns to earth as a human to find his killer), Chase is cast as a detective who
is killed while investigating a political scandal in London. Chase is reincarnated as cute pooch Benji and continues his investigation in four-pawed form. Most of the humor centers around his pursuit of sexy magazine reporter Jane Seymour--he's able to jump into her bath, lie in her lap, etc.,
once he becomes her faithful mutt. Silly and slow-moving.
Released:
1980
Rated:
PG
Length:
103 mins