1hr 35min
The year is 1942. As the Allies unite overseas to keep the world safe for democracy, there are voices at home that are barely heard. One of them belongs to Willie Morris, a shy and gawk 8-year-old whose childhod is even more quiet and isolated than his hometowe of Yazoo, Mississippi. An only child ignored at school and uncomfortable with girls, Willie looks up to and confides in his next door neighbor Dink Jenkins, the towns star athlete, whose preparing to ship out in service of Uncle Sam. Willie's father, Jack Morris, a stern but good hearted veteran who lost his leg in the Spanish Civil War, is cheifly responsiblefor Willie's overprotective upbringing. Pushing in the other direction is his mother, Ellen Morris, a capable woman who knows that what Willie needs most is some freedom and a friend. Willies 9th birthday gives her an opportunity to offer him both, in th form of a Jack Russel terrier puppy that the delighted Willie name SkipSkips outgoing personality helps Willie to build a friendship with Rivers Applewhite, the prettiest girl in school. Skip then further srves as a matchmaker for Willie and Rivers at the movie theater, and further lends a paw after Willie is challenged by Big Boy Wilkinson, Henjie Henick, and Spit McGee to prove his worth in a football game. With Skips canine help, Willie begins to become "one of the boys." Then unexpectedly, Dink returns to Yazoo. But the dark truth soon emerges: Dink, when confronted by the realities of war, went AWOL. In trying to reconcile his hero worship of the Dink he once knew, with his dissapointments in the disgraced soldier, Willie begins to contend with the complexities of warand human conduct. He reaches a new perspective of these matters through his father's eyes and his own. Dink fails to show up at Willies first baseball game, and the dissapointed Willie takes it out on Skip, who runs away. The dogs dissappearance and subsequent recovery tech Willie the strength of forgivness, and give Dink a chance to embrace the power of some life long lessons of the human spirit.
Release Date: March 3, 2000 Nationwide; Janurary 12, 2000 LA/NY.
MPAA Rating: PG for some violent content and mild language.
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Frankie Muniz Diane Lane
Kevin Bacon Luke Wilson
Caitlin Wachs Bradley Coryell
Daylan Honeycutt Cody Linley
Peter Crombie Clint Howard
Bill Butler
Director: Jay Russell
Producer: Mark Johnson
John Lee Hancock
Broderick Johnson
Andrew A. Kosove
Screen Writer: Gail Gilchriest
Willie Morris
Cinematographer: James L. Carter
Composer: William Ross
Costume Designer: Edi Giquere
Editor: Harvey Rosenstock
Gary Winter
Narrator: Harry Connick Jr.
Production Designer: David Bomba
Source Writer: Willie Morris