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Parents' Guide to

The Shaggy D.A.

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Dad turns into a dog in this vintage Disney movie.

Movie G 1976 91 minutes
The Shaggy D.A. Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Hendo H. U.
Hendo H. U. Parent of 10, 12 and 15-year-old
December 27, 2017
age 6+

Awesome!!

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?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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