Digby - the Biggest Dog in the World (UK, 1973)


Figure 1.--This English boy wears a traditional school uniform for the Disney film, "Digby--The Biggest Dog in the World". Note the large peak on the cap. Most school caps had smaller peaks.

This film stars a very shaggy, slobbery main character. The exploits of this loveable pooch make for an entertaining family drama. After his already enormous sheepdog laps up a bowl filled with a secret growth formula, English school boy, Billy White, really has his hands full. The dog grows to mountainous dimensions. Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, usually film heros, understandably beloeve that the only way to stop this Canis humongous is to blow him to doggie heaven. Digby’s young master, Billy White, has quite another plan. Billy seeks to reverse the effects of Project X with an equally-potent shrinking serum. Can Billy accomplish his plan in time? Pray for our Digby. This U.K. production didn’t proveveerybpopular in England, but when it crossed the Atlantic, its zany comic skits and oddly-dubbed dialogue appears to have earned Digby a loyal litter of fans who anxiously await a chance to see the big dog in action again. HBC has few details on this film. It is clarrly set in England because the boy wears a traditional school uniform, complete with peaked cap, blazer, tie, short trousers, and kneesocks. The boy's peaked cap had an usually large peak. Also the long hair he wore rather dates the film to the 1970s. There was a time when prep schools would not have allowed such long hair.

Story

This film stars a very shaggy, slobbery main character. DFigby begins as a loverable and small little puppy. He won’t stop growing until he destroys us all. Of course, he is Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World, and he must be stopped. You can't blame Digby for this state of affairs. He is only an unfortunate British sheepdog. How was he to know the harmless-looking liquid he lapped up was actually the super-secret Project X, a vegetable-growing compound? But lap he did, and he begins getting getting and bigger, pounding shockwaves into the city streets and slurping up entire lakes with his gargantuan tongue. Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, usually film heros, understandably beloeve that the only way to stop this Canis humongous is to blow him to doggie heaven. Digby’s young master, Billy White, has quite another plan. Billy seeks to reverse the effects of Project X with an equally-potent shrinking serum. Can Billy accomplish his plan in time? Pray for our Digby. (Our British friends refere to a family member as "Our Bill" or "Our Jane".)

Popularity

This U.K. production didn’t prove very popular in England, but when it crossed the Atlantic, its zany comic skits and oddly-dubbed dialogue appears to have earned Digby a loyal litter of fans who anxiously await a chance to see the big dog in action again.

Setting

The film is clearly set in England during the early 1970s. Billy's long hair he wore rather dates the film to the 1970s. There was a time when prep schools would not have allowed such long hair.


Figure 2.--Notice the red piping on Billy's grey school blazer.

Costuming

Billy White clearly attend an English preparatory school, an elementary level private school. He wears the traditional school uniform, complete with peaked cap, blazer, stripped school tie, short trousers, and kneesocks. The boy's peaked cap had an usually large peak.

Cast

The Digby cast included: Jeff Eldon (Jim Dale), Dr. Harz (Spike Milligan), Janine (Angela Douglas), Jerry (John Bluthal), Tom (Norman Rossington), Dr. Jameson (Milo O'Shea), Billy White (Richard Beaumont), Colonel Masters (Dinsdale Landen), Rogerson (Garfield Morgan ), Professor Ribart (Victor Spinetti), Ringmaster (Harry Towb), General Frank (Kenneth J. Warren), The Great Manzini (Bob Todd), Assistant (Margaret Stuart), and Aunt Ina (Molly Urquhart).


Figure 3.--Billy finds himself and his beloved dog Digby in big trouble with the pooch laps up a experimental liquid. Digby here has his rather smartly outfit taking him for his daily walk. Most English boys would have changed out of their school uniform first.

Studio

Disney produced the film. It has strictly limited the release.

Filmography

Shot in Cinerama

Comments

Jim Dale's comic talents are ill-served in this corny kids' flick about a dog that gets real big.





Christopher Wagner




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Created: April 20, 2000
Last updated: April 20, 2000