For the Love of Benji (1977)

G | 87 mins | Adventure | 22 June 1977

Director:

Joe Camp

Producer:

Ben Vaughn

Cinematographer:

Don Reddy

Editor:

Leon Seith

Production Designer:

Harland Wright

Production Company:

Mulberry Square Productions
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HISTORY

       In a 5 Jul 1976 Box brief, Joe Camp stated that the original dog from Benji (1974, see entry) might not perform in the film’s sequel because he was sixteen year’s old at that time and had “an eight-month-old son” who “can do everything his dad can.” According to a 27 Jul 1976 Box report, the original “Benji,” a dog named Higgins, was “deemed too old for the rigorous activity,” and was replaced by his six-month-old daughter, Benjean. An 8 Sep 1976 Var news item announced that Benjean had arrived in Greece for production to begin. The picture was budgeted at $2 million and scheduled for three months shooting on location in and around Athens, and on an island, either Rhodes or Corfu. A 30 Oct 1976 LAT brief confirmed that the picture was filming in Greece at that time. Principal photography was still under way in Nov 1976, as a 3 Nov 1976 Var news item reported that actor Art Vasil, who played “Stelios,” was headed for Greece, before going on to London. The 13 Apr 1977 DV reported that the film was completed in February 1977, “a month behind schedule.”
       The film received generally positive reviews with the 27 Jul 1977 LAT calling it “practically perfect late summer family fare.”
       For more information about the series and its dog actors, please see the AFI Catalog record for Benji.
      The opening credits acknowledge, “Mr. and Mrs. Frank Inn for making it all happen again,” referring to the animal trainer and his wife, Juanita. The end credits include these ...

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       In a 5 Jul 1976 Box brief, Joe Camp stated that the original dog from Benji (1974, see entry) might not perform in the film’s sequel because he was sixteen year’s old at that time and had “an eight-month-old son” who “can do everything his dad can.” According to a 27 Jul 1976 Box report, the original “Benji,” a dog named Higgins, was “deemed too old for the rigorous activity,” and was replaced by his six-month-old daughter, Benjean. An 8 Sep 1976 Var news item announced that Benjean had arrived in Greece for production to begin. The picture was budgeted at $2 million and scheduled for three months shooting on location in and around Athens, and on an island, either Rhodes or Corfu. A 30 Oct 1976 LAT brief confirmed that the picture was filming in Greece at that time. Principal photography was still under way in Nov 1976, as a 3 Nov 1976 Var news item reported that actor Art Vasil, who played “Stelios,” was headed for Greece, before going on to London. The 13 Apr 1977 DV reported that the film was completed in February 1977, “a month behind schedule.”
       The film received generally positive reviews with the 27 Jul 1977 LAT calling it “practically perfect late summer family fare.”
       For more information about the series and its dog actors, please see the AFI Catalog record for Benji.
      The opening credits acknowledge, “Mr. and Mrs. Frank Inn for making it all happen again,” referring to the animal trainer and his wife, Juanita. The end credits include these acknowledgements: “We wish to express our sincere thanks to all the flight and ground personnel at Olympic Airways for the facilities and assistance provided during the making of this film;” “Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce furnished by Motors Helles SA, Athens, Greece;” and “The producers also wish to thank the following for their cooperation: The Caravel Hotel, Athens; The Greek National Tourist Organization; The Greek Civil Aviation Authority; The Athens Traffic Police.” The following word appears onscreen after the acknowledgements: “Woof.”

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
5 Jul 1976
---
Box Office
27 Jul 1976
---
Box Office
20 Jun 1977
---
Daily Variety
13 Apr 1977
---
Daily Variety
14 Jun 1977
---
Hollywood Reporter
18 Jul 1977
p. 3
LAHExam
29 Jul 1977
---
Los Angeles Times
30 Oct 1976
---
Los Angeles Times
27 Jul 1977
p. 1
McCall's
Oct 1977
---
New York Times
23 Jun 1977
---
Variety
3 Nov 1976
---
Variety
15 Jun 1977
p. 21
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
PRODUCTION TEXTS
Mulberry Square Productions Presents
A Family Film by Joe Camp
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Dir
Prod mgr/1st asst dir
Greek prod mgr
2d asst dir
2d asst dir
2d asst dir
PRODUCERS
Prod
Exec prod
Assoc prod
Assoc prod
WRITERS
Scr
Orig story
Orig story
Story consultant
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
1st asst cam
2d asst cam
Still photog
Gaffer
Key grip
ART DIRECTORS
Prod des
Art dir
FILM EDITORS
Assoc ed
Asst ed
Post prod
SET DECORATORS
Prop master
Const supv
Scenic artist
MUSIC
Mus
Mus
VISUAL EFFECTS
MAKEUP
Makeup
PRODUCTION MISC
U.S. coord
Continuity
Prod secy
Prod secy
Prod asst
Asst trainer
Asst trainer
Asst trainer
Loc auditor
Animal trainer
SOURCES
SONGS
"Sunshine Smiles," music by Euel Box, lyrics by Betty Box and Joe Camp, performed by Charlie Rich, courtesy EPIC Records; "I Feel Love," music by Euel Box, lyrics by Betty Box, performed by Charlie Rich, courtesy EPIC Records.
SONGWRITER/COMPOSER
DETAILS
Release Date:
22 June 1977
Premiere Information:
New York opening: 22 Jun 1977; Los Angeles opening: 27 Jul 1977
Production Date:
Sep 1976--Feb 1977
Physical Properties:
Sound
Color
Lenses
Lenses and Panaflex camera by Panavision®
Prints
Prints by CFI
Duration(in mins):
87
MPAA Rating:
G
Country:
United States
Language:
English
SYNOPSIS

In Athens, Greece, a man named Stelios goes to an outdoor café where the waiter gives him newspapers and a package. The newspapers reveal that a German scientist is missing in Greece and the package contains a photo of the dog Benji with his family. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Benji’s family arrives at an airport, on their way to the island of Crete in Greece. The children, Paul and Cindy, worry about their dogs, Benji and Tiffany, as they are placed in travel carriers. Cindy tells the airline representative that Tiffany has a “condition.” While waiting to check-in, Mary, the children’s nanny, learns that the man behind her in line, Chandler Dietrich, is also headed to Crete. Dietrich then sneaks into the employee-only luggage area, snatches Benji’s carrier off a conveyor belt, drugs the dog, and imprints a code in his paw. Upon arrival in Crete, Dietrich befriends Mary, while the family learns that Benji and Tiffany missed the connecting flight from Athens. Stelios lurks in the background, watching. At the Athens airport, Benji and Tiffany are in their carriers, stored in a luggage room. When a worker inadvertently lets Benji escape, he and a British couple, Ronald and Elizabeth, chase the dog through the airport and across a runway, but Benji flees into the city. As he wanders the streets of Athens, Benji mistakes another family for his own. After several near collisions with cars, Benji retreats into ancient ruins. There, he sees a stray dog gnawing a bone. The other dog will not share his food, so Benji returns to the city streets. In a marketplace, Benji steals a string of sausages, and returns to the ruins ...

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In Athens, Greece, a man named Stelios goes to an outdoor café where the waiter gives him newspapers and a package. The newspapers reveal that a German scientist is missing in Greece and the package contains a photo of the dog Benji with his family. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Benji’s family arrives at an airport, on their way to the island of Crete in Greece. The children, Paul and Cindy, worry about their dogs, Benji and Tiffany, as they are placed in travel carriers. Cindy tells the airline representative that Tiffany has a “condition.” While waiting to check-in, Mary, the children’s nanny, learns that the man behind her in line, Chandler Dietrich, is also headed to Crete. Dietrich then sneaks into the employee-only luggage area, snatches Benji’s carrier off a conveyor belt, drugs the dog, and imprints a code in his paw. Upon arrival in Crete, Dietrich befriends Mary, while the family learns that Benji and Tiffany missed the connecting flight from Athens. Stelios lurks in the background, watching. At the Athens airport, Benji and Tiffany are in their carriers, stored in a luggage room. When a worker inadvertently lets Benji escape, he and a British couple, Ronald and Elizabeth, chase the dog through the airport and across a runway, but Benji flees into the city. As he wanders the streets of Athens, Benji mistakes another family for his own. After several near collisions with cars, Benji retreats into ancient ruins. There, he sees a stray dog gnawing a bone. The other dog will not share his food, so Benji returns to the city streets. In a marketplace, Benji steals a string of sausages, and returns to the ruins to share them with the stray dog, thus making a new friend. The next day, Benji returns to the marketplace, but the police capture him. Ronald and Elizabeth, claim the dog and take him to their home. Hearing a knock at the door and Ronald takes Benji upstairs as Elizabeth stalls their visitor, Stelios, who poses as a representative of Olympic Airways, and sends Stelios away. Soon, Mary comes to the house in search of Benji and the dog hears her voice from upstairs. As she leaves, Benji barks at Mary from the window, but a passing truck drowns out the sound. So Benji climbs outside, slides down an awning and chases her taxi. Meanwhile, Dietrich pursues Benji in a sports car, but loses him. Alone again, Benji wanders to a hotel, where he spots Mary, Paul, and Cindy, but runs away when he sees Dietrich. Procuring a Doberman, Dietrich tracks Benji to the ruins. Sometime later, in the city, a butcher feeds Benji in his shop. Benji takes a nap, but is awakened by the Doberman barking. When Dietrich enters the shop, Benji springs from a cupboard and escapes. After spending the night in the ruins, Benji stakes out his family’s hotel, but he is chased away by the doorman. Returning to the butcher’s shop, Benji sees his friend talking to Stelios, but before Benji can get their attention, Dietrich grabs the dog at gunpoint. However, Stelios and the butcher release the Doberman, whom Dietrich tied up outside the shop, and Stelios follows the Doberman to find Dietrich and Benji. As the Doberman leaps at Dietrich, Benji escapes once more. The Doberman chases Benji to the ruins, but the stray dog chases him away. Benji then returns to the hotel, sneaks inside on a luggage cart, and reunites with his family. However, Stelios arrives to announce that he has to take Benji away for a few days. Before Stelios can explain, Dietrich hits the man over the head with a gun, knocking him out. Dietrich then tells the family that he is a U.S. agent who must take Benji because the dog holds the key to important information. Instructing Mary to call the police and hold Stelios at gunpoint, Dietrich leaves with Benji. Stelios awakens and tells Mary that Dietrich is an impostor. The real Dietrich was found murdered in New Jersey and that this man is impersonating him for his own gain. Stelios explains he is a real secret agent, not Dietrich, and he has orders to save the life of a top scientist and to preserve a project of worldwide significance. Mary is reluctant to believe him, though. Meanwhile, the man pretending to be Dietrich takes Benji to a yacht, where Ronald and Elizabeth are waiting. When the couple accuses the impostor of trying to double-cross them, he knocks them unconscious. As Benji escapes, the impostor Dietrich pursues the dog back to the hotel, which is now surrounded by police. Seeing that the impostor is holding Cindy at gunpoint in the car, Benji rushes at the man, knocks the gun to the ground, and rescues Cindy, as the police close in. Sometime later, Paul and Cindy play with Benji on a beach. Stelios explains to Mary that the impostor Dietrich used Benji to smuggle the coordinates for a meeting with a German scientist, who had created a formula for turning one barrel of oil into ten or twelve. The charlatan aimed to steal the formula and sell it to highest bidder. Benji proudly looks upon a basket of puppies, the result of Tiffany’s “condition.”

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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