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Dogs have had a cinematic presence that dates back to the 1900s, when a Scotch Collie by the name of Jean — who belonged to filmmaker Laurence Trimble — became the first major canine movie star, starting out in short films before graduating to features. Very quickly, the species became ubiquitous in the film landscape, adventuring alongside Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939), guzzling beer in Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959), and going so far as to save the day in Teri Meherbaniyan (K.C. Bokadiya, 1985).
Over a hundred years since their first film appearance, dogs have taken to bringing together humans and kindling a romance between them — as happens to be the case in Puppy Love (2023) which just arrived on Lionsgate Play— and you would be pleasantly surprised at how many times the trope is deployed to fluttery and amorous effect.
Billy Wilder’s sixth feature film came on the back of the multi-Oscar-winning alcoholism drama The Lost Weekend (1945), and was a complete turn from what the director had made earlier. It was shot in Technicolor (Wilder’s first time making a colour film) and was a musical romantic comedy set in early 20th century Austria-Hungary. The film’s central romance is between the American gramophone salesman Virgil Smith (Bing Crosby) who is hopeful of getting Emperor Franz Joseph’s endorsement for his product, and Austrian Countess Johanna Augusta Franziska von Stoltzenberg-Stolzenberg (Joan Fontaine). But amidst their romance is also the romance between their dogs — Buttons, Virgil’s Fox Terrier; and Johanna’s Scheherazade, a black Poodle who has been selected as the mate for the Emperor’s own Poodle. Wilder directs the secondary romance with the same verve as the primary one, using the two love stories to drive home a point about class distinctions that are the norm in monarchical states like Austria-Hungary. Both couples eventually challenge social barriers and their union has a trickle-down effect.
Starring Tom Hanks and Mare Winningham, the Roger Spottiswoode film was about Turner (Hanks), a police officer who is about to leave for greener pastures. When his partner is murdered, he is left with a case to solve, and a Dogue de Bordeaux — Hooch — to look after. The film follows through on the investigative front, but Turner and Hooch’s contrasting personalities cause immediate problems, and Turner turns to the local vet Emily (Winningham), and suggests she take Hooch in. She rejects the idea, and circumstances lead to Hooch bonding with her collie Camille, which draws her and Turner close to one another in turn. We are beginning to see a pattern here.
Based on the memoir by journalist John Grogan, and starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston in the leading roles, the David Frankel film followed the evolving relationship of John and Jenny Grogan from the time they were newlyweds to them being parents to three growing children. Early on in their marriage, to be ready for the eventuality of children, they bring home a Labrador Retriever whom they christen Marley, a tornado in canine form who is in equal parts disruptive and lovable. The film is about the many trials and tribulations of having a dog, especially one as boisterous as Marley, but also about the unquantifiable joy his presence brings to a couple, and to their growing family.
Steve Martino’s animated feature was the first theatrical representation of Charles Schultz’s beloved characters — Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and company — in thirty-five years. The narrative delved into a year in Charlie Brown’s (Noah Schnapp) life, and how the arrival of the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Angelucci Capaldi) brings about feelings within him he didn’t know existed. And because this is Peanuts, Snoopy (voiced by Bill Melendez through archival material) is a constant presence, either urging Charlie Brown on to prove himself by helping him prep for the school dance or being aghast at how Charlie constantly winds up in trouble on many an occasion. Snoopy was often caught day-dreaming about his own love, the poodle Fifi (Kristin Chenoweth), who he is constantly rescuing from his nemesis the Red Baron.
The directorial debut of the duo Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid stars Lucy Hale (Nicole) and Grant Gustin (Max) as polar opposites who match on a dating app and decide not to see each other again after their date goes badly.
As it happens, their dogs Channing Tatum and Chloe took a liking to one another on the date, leading to Chloe getting pregnant — a situation that forces Nicole and Max to interact with one another regularly as they co-parent the dogs. Over time, they the defenses come down and they become friendly when Nicole is evicted, which forces her to seek accommodation in Max’s house. Open disputes follow once she moves in, until they eventually reunite for the sake of the dogs, and form a romance of their own.