The Shaggy D.A.

Movie review by Joly Herman, Common Sense Media
The Shaggy D.A. Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 5+

Dad turns into a dog in this vintage Disney movie.

G 1976 91 minutes
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Parents say

age 6+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that there's some 1970s-era smoking and beer drinking in a bar. There's also some mild peril. The bad guys are pretty crooked, stealing and cheating to keep control of the local government. Actually, more of this comedy is concerned with the adult world than a kid's world. In fact, there's only one kid in the whole movie! Kids will like the slapstick and dog moments, though.

Community Reviews

Hendo H. U.
Hendo H. U. Adult
December 27, 2017
age 6+

Awesome!!

This title has:

Great messages
Too much consumerism
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Wilby Daniels (Dean Jones) comes home one evening to find that his home has been completely cleaned out -- robbed, that is. And after realizing that crime is up in the town of Medford, he decides to take a stand against organized crime and run for District Attorney. But when the precious Borgeau ring is stolen from the local museum, he notices some funny changes taking place. For one thing, he turns into a dog whenever a phrase is uttered that activates the spell associated with the ring. When his political opponent figures out the spell, Wilby finds himself spending more time as a dog than as a man. It's rough-and-tumble antics until the gangsters are ousted and Wilby gets the ring back in a safe place.

Is It Any Good?

Tim Conway fans will enjoy watching the master comedian list a dubious array of ice cream flavors that he's selling out of his truck. There are some fun slapstick moments of the shaggy dog variety, but it's not quite as fun as the Herbie the Love Bug movies that made the actor Dean Jones famous. Nonetheless, there's a great food fight and a roller-derby scene that will make parents smile.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about all the choices kids have in the entertainment world these days. When today's parents were growing up, they didn't have as much programming geared to them. Here's an interview with a star from some classic 1970s films -- Jodie Foster -- who talks about how media has changed since she was starring in kid's movies.

  • Here's a movie where a kid is wearing headphones and riding a skateboard. But check out the size of those headphones and the skinny banana board! Can you imagine a life without MP3 players and cell phones? How about life before video games? (Ask your grandparents about that one.) Here are some guidelines for creating a good family media plan.

  • Is this a good example of how government works? Do politicians always have their constituents in mind? Who are good politicians in your opinion, and why? Will Wilby Daniels make a good D.A.? Why or why not?

Movie Details

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