Gone to the Dogs (1939 film)

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Gone to the Dogs is a 1939 Australian musical comedy starring George Wallace. It was the second film Wallace made with director Ken G. Hall.

Plot
Wallace plays a Disaster-prone zoo attendant who accidentally discovers a substance that speeds up motion. Because of it, his greyhound can run incredibly fast. A gang of criminals led by a foreign-born Doctor Sundermann hides in a “haunted house” near the zoo. They kidnap Wallace’s dog and plan to swap it for their own in a big dog race. Wallace and his friends outsmart the crooks, and his dog wins the race. There’s a light romance subplot: Wallace’s housekeeper’s daughter Jean is courted by vet Jimmy Alderson, but another man, Ted Inchape, also pursues her. A tense moment comes when Ted kisses Jean after the title song, prompting Jimmy to punch Ted and Jean to call Jimmy a “beast.”

Production
- Wallace signed with Cinesound in 1937. Gone to the Dogs followed Let George Do It (1938).
- The film was developed with Hall and writers Frank Harvey, Jim Bancks, and Bill Maloney contributing to the script; Frank Coffey was Cinesound’s story editor.
- Filming ran from January to May 1939. Lois Green, a stage actress, co-starred with Wallace; John Fleeting played the romantic lead; John Dobbie and Howard Craven were among the supporting cast. Lou Vernon played the foreign-sounding villain.
- A standout feature was Hughie the dog, chosen from over 100 applicants to play the greyhound. Extras came from Cinesound’s Talent School. The production built a set promoted as the largest Australian movie set of the time.
- Some scenes were shot at Taronga Zoo. There was a stunt where Wallace was run over during on-location shooting in Campbelltown.
- The film included a memorable “greyhound ballet” as part of the title song, with dogs trained to work with dancers. Gorilla costumes were initially problematic; a professional wrestler, Fred Atkins, wore the final costumes in scenes with gorillas. The theme song was composed by Henry Krips, a Viennese composer living in Sydney.

Release and reception
- Gone to the Dogs had its world premiere in Launceston in 1939.
- Hall later said the two Wallace films were very successful hits.
- The film was released in England in a shorter version, about 55 minutes, because it was trimmed to fit a second-feature time slot.
- Reviews at the time were generally positive.
- Film magazine Filmink praised the film’s energy, noting Hall directed with enthusiasm and that Lois Green was a standout, adding that Green was charming, attractive, and talented.

Overall, Gone to the Dogs is remembered as a lively, entertaining Australian comedy featuring Wallace’s comic antics, a fast-running dog, and early Australian showbiz collaboration.