SGT.STUBBY: AN AMERICAN HERO

Ireland/US/UK, 2018, 84 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu, Jordan Beck, Jim Pharr.

Directed by Richard Lanni.

This is based on a true story, Stubby being the most on a dog in action in World War I. In fact, he died in 1926, had an obituary in the newspapers, and was awarded, posthumously, the Purple Heart (which was instituted in 1932).

This is a brightly animated film, engagingly drawn, the human characters, principally American soldiers and officers with some women from a French village. Stubby is more realistic, marks rather than speaking, works his tail but is trying to do a salute!

The film has won quite a number of awards. It also has a very strong international voice cast led by American Logan Lerman, French Gerard Depardieu, British Helena Bonham Carter.

This is a film which brings World War I to life, its realities, but in such a way that a younger audience can watch it, not underestimating the harshness but understanding it, especially by their identification with Stubby and his war heroism.

There are sequences of the training of the American soldiers in 1917, quite some detail, with life in the camp, tents, huts, and mess hall in the cook. The war sequences are also done in quite some detail, especially the visualising of the trenches, hardships, no man’s land, the bombardments, the injured soldiers with Stubby identifying them so that they could be dug out when they were covered with mud. There is also a rather vivid sequence with a teargas cloud over a village.

There are some sparring between the French and the Americans but with the character of the large Gaston, a former chef, with a wife and three daughters, befriending Robert, Stubby’s master, calling themselves the Three Musketeers, there is a good feeling of friendship.

Younger audiences will find it interesting, will identify with Stubby. And, for adult audiences, it is a chance to have a different perspective on World War I.

1. Based on a true story? US and World War I? Stubby and his story?
2. A film written and designed for younger audiences, for children to appreciate something of World War I, but also a dog story? A film for adults?
3. The animation, the depiction of human characters, of Stubby, of the US, the soldiers marching, the details of training, life at camp, on the boat, in the war, the trenches, the teargas, the French village, hospitals, the war zones? The musical score? Over Their and Back on the farm…?
4. Stubby as a character, as drawn, realistic, cute and not cute, the value of his not speaking, but the human touches, wagging his tail, and especially the salute?
5. Stubby, wanting to eat, the crowds watching the soldiers, Robert Conroy throwing him the biscuit, his following, into the camp, the bond with Robert? With Olsen and Schroeder? The cooks bad reaction – but later liking Stubby and to care for him during the war? The worry about the senior officers, stubby and his presence, salute, everybody liking him? Even when he got onto the boat?
6. The story as told by Margaret, her perspective on Robert, on Stubby, the letters, the cards, her anxiety during the war? A very masculine film but using the female storytelling?
7. The details of the training, arduous, Stubby participating? The end of the course, the congratulations of the officers? Appointed to France, Robert giving Stubby to the cook, Stubby getting free, following the soldiers, onto the boat?
8. The trenches, the visuals of the trenches, the French soldiers in blue, the Americans, tensions between them, discussions about food, the Americans not drinking wine? Stubby, in the trench, chasing the rat? Clearing the vermin from the trenches? The issue of the gas mask, for the soldiers, the people in the village, for Stubby, his awareness of the teargas, hurrying to the village, urging people inside, the visuals of the cloud of gas, passing, people coming out, congratulations to Stubby?
9. Stubby and his role of alerting authorities to soldiers covered in sand in the trenches, saving their lives?
10. Olsen, red hair, cheeky, playing cards with the French? Schroeder, originally German, American? His concerns, wanting to fight? His being injured and taken to hospital? Stubby, in the no man’s land, his being injured, hospital?
11. Stubby, out in no man’s land, racing to the rescue, the Americans putting up the smoke, the rescue?
12. Gaston, the burly Frenchman, the cook, his photos, wife and daughters, working with Robert, writing the horses, Stubby accompanying, the lookout, binoculars, seeing the Germans? The firing of the teargas?
13. The bond between Gaston and, Robert and stubby, the Three Musketeers? Gaston having to go back to work for the French?
14. The flu, the epidemic, Robert in hospital, Margaret’s concern? Stubby finding him, his getting better?
15. Margaret and the description of the war, the maps of France, the towns, the sieges? 1917-1918? The final months? The talk of peace?
16. November 1918, the cells in the trench, the American authorities, one more advance before the signing of the armistice? The death of Olsen? Gas Tom’s arrival? In the trenches? Peace?
17. Stubby, getting the Iron Cross from the German prisoner, the awards?
18. The return home, America’s contribution to the war in Europe?
19. The fact that Stubby died in 1926, posthumous Purple Heart (instituted in 1932)?