The Doberman Gang

Last updated

The Doberman Gang
The Doberman Gang Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byByron Ross Chudnow
Written byLouis Garfinkle
Frank Ray Perilli
Produced byDavid Chudnow
Irving Temaner
StarringByron Mabe
Hal Reed
Julie Parrish
Simmy Bow
JoJo D'Amore
John Tull
Jay Paxton
CinematographyRobert Caramico
Edited byHerman Freedman
Music by Alan Silvestri
Bradford Craig
Production
company
Rosamond Productions
Distributed by Dimension Pictures
Columbia Broadcasting System
International Film Distributors
Lorimar Productions
Sofradis
Warner Bros. (2010, DVD)
Release date
  • May 26, 1972 (1972-05-26)(Atlanta) [1]
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language English
Budget$100,000 (estimated)
Box office$5 million [2]

The Doberman Gang is a 1972 film about a talented animal trainer who prepares a pack of six Doberman Pinschers to commit a bank robbery at the behest of a ruthless heist planner. The six dogs were all named after famous bank robbers. Their names were Dillinger (John Dillinger), Bonnie (Bonnie Parker), Clyde (Clyde Barrow), Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, and Ma Barker.

Contents

The film's score was the first to be composed by Alan Silvestri, who found later success with the soundtracks for more notable films such as the Back to the Future trilogy and Forrest Gump .

The film was shot completely on location in Simi Valley, California.

Plot

Three bank robbers – Eddie, Jojo and Sammy - plan what they think is a perfect bank heist. As they exit the bank one of them throws the money in the trunk of what looks like their car but is just identical. Dejected, the leader of the crew, Eddie, muses that the human factor is what goes wrong with his plans and that what he needs is robots – something that he can control and that will follow orders exactly. The three part ways, and Eddie is left to come up with his next plan. Eddie finds his inspiration as he watches some Doberman Pinschers chase off a couple of boys who were chasing some boys who were trying to rob a junkyard. He poses as a journalist doing a story about trained military dogs, and he convinces an Air Force dog handler named Barney to work with him in a dog training business. At the same time, Eddie reconnects with Jojo and Sammy to come up with a plan to rob a payroll from a bank, including building a replica of the bank.

When Barney is discharged from the Air Force, he comes to work with Eddie and is surprised when Eddie has Dobermans for Barney to train instead of German Shepherds, which is what Barney is accustomed to training. Barney, unaware that Eddie is planning to use the dogs in his heist, reluctantly agrees to train the six Dobermans, to which Eddie bestows the names of famous bank robbers (Dillinger, Bonnie, Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson and Ma Barker). They are accompanied by a bulldog that Eddie names J. Edgar, after J. Edgar Hoover. As Barney trains the dogs, he becomes suspicious and figures out the bank robbery plot on his own. Barney confronts Eddie, who tells Barney that he is free to leave and not to worry about the dogs. Eddie reveals that if Barney leaves, he’ll kill the dogs. Barney has also become close with Eddie’s girlfriend, June, and she convinces Barney to stay and finish the job. Eddie outlines the specifics of the plan to Barney, which, if successful, will net the crew $600,000 if all of the dogs come back successfully. For his part Barney wants half of the take, but he agrees to a one-fourth share after some convincing by Sammy. June is left out of the arrangement but gets a promise from Eddie to receive $15,000 out of his share. June realizes that Eddie sees her as disposable, and she and Barney get even closer behind Eddie’s back.

On the day of the bank robbery, all six dogs do exactly what they are trained to do and enter the bank one at a time, lying down and waiting for the command to start the robbery. Dillinger is the last to enter and carries the note giving the instructions to the tellers. Just before he’s supposed to blow the dog whistles corresponding to each dog, Barney has second thoughts (because June, looking for a bigger share, tells him the dogs will be killed afterwards to get rid of evidence) and leaves the command post across the street. Eddie and June are left to finish the operation and blow the whistles. While Sammy and Jojo head back to the training ranch, sprinkling dirt from the ranch along the way as a sort of trail of breadcrumbs, June picks up where Barney left off. The operation goes off exactly as planned, and the dogs collect the money and head home. One of the Dobermans is hit by a car, and another dog collects that dog’s saddlebag and continues on its way. Another dog is distracted by a standard poodle in a backyard and stops to make friends with it. Eddie connect with Sammy and Jojo at the ranch, but June goes to a different spot and blows the whistles again, giving the command to the dogs to attack the bank robbers. She blows the whistles again, and the dogs collect the bags of money and run to June’s location, where she hopes to get the money, but the dogs will not let her have it. They're not robots—only Barney had any feeling for them, so they feel no connection to anyone else. She tries to get the whistles to signal to the dogs one more time, but J. Edgar takes the whistles and runs off as the Dobermans follow him. June runs after the dogs but can’t catch them. As June watches, J. Edgar and the five remaining Dobermans run into a valley carrying the bags of money.

Cast

Reception

Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 3 stars out of 4, likening it to "sort of a canine 'Bonnie and Clyde' in quality as well as content," and wrote that although "the film runs out of creative gas after the robbery and settles for a stupid ending, the robbery and its planning provide generous portions of laughs and tension." [3] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Low in budget but high in imaginativeness, it's an amusing, well-crafted diversion." [4] John Raisbeck of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote that the film "hovers uncertainly between straight thriller and comedy, and although some sequences are played quite overtly for laughs ... the comic element elsewhere seems to be trickling in unintentionally." [5]

Sequels and remakes

The Doberman Gang was followed by three sequels: The Daring Dobermans (1973), The Amazing Dobermans (1976) and Alex and the Doberman Gang (1980). The first two films were released on manufacture-on-demand DVD-R discs as part of the Warner Archive Collection from 35mm optical sound release prints in 2010, while the original's out-of-print 1986 videocassette release from CBS/Fox's Key Video label used superior quality magnetic soundtrack elements from Lorimar Productions, whose film library they were issuing on video at the time.

In 2003 it was reported that producers Dean Devlin and Charles Segars obtained the film rights in hopes of creating a remake, with Byron Chudnow acting as executive producer. In October 2010 it was announced that producer Darren Reagan of 11eleven Entertainment, along with Cesar Millan, was developing the remake. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dillinger</span> American bank robber (1903–1934)

John Herbert Dillinger was an American gangster during the Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dillinger was imprisoned several times and escaped twice. He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana, police officer, who shot Dillinger in his bullet-proof vest during a shootout; it was the only time Dillinger was charged with homicide.

<i>Gun Crazy</i> 1950 film by Joseph H. Lewis

Gun Crazy is a 1950 American crime film noir starring Peggy Cummins and John Dall in a story about the crime-spree of a gun-toting husband and wife. It was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, and produced by Frank and Maurice King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bank robbery</span> Crime of stealing from a bank using violence

Bank robbery is the criminal act of stealing from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. This refers to robbery of a bank branch or teller, as opposed to other bank-owned property, such as a train, armored car, or (historically) stagecoach. It is a federal crime in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Face Nelson</span> American bank robber

Lester Joseph Gillis, also known as George Nelson and Baby Face Nelson, was an American bank robber who became a criminal partner of John Dillinger, when he helped Dillinger escape from prison, in Crown Point, Indiana. Later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Nelson and the remaining gang of bank robbers were collectively "Public Enemy Number One."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dobermann</span> Black and tan dog breed from Germany

The Dobermann, or Doberman Pinscher in the U.S. and Canada, is a medium-large breed of domestic dog that was originally developed around 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector from Germany. The Dobermann has a long muzzle. It stands on its pads and is not usually heavy-footed. Ideally, they have an even and graceful gait. Traditionally, the ears are cropped and posted and the tail is docked. However, in some countries, these procedures are now illegal and it is often considered cruel and unnecessary. Dobermanns have markings on the chest, paws/legs, muzzle, above the eyes, and underneath the tail.

<i>Dillinger</i> (1973 film) 1973 film by John Milius

Dillinger is a 1973 American gangster film about the life and criminal exploits of notorious bank robber John Dillinger. It stars Warren Oates as Dillinger, Ben Johnson as his pursuer, FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, and Cloris Leachman as the "Lady in Red" who made it possible for Purvis to kill Dillinger. It also features the first film performance by the singer Michelle Phillips as Dillinger's moll Billie Frechette. The film, narrated by Purvis, chronicles the last few years of Dillinger's life as the FBI and law enforcement closed in. The setting is Depression era America, from 1933 to 1934, with largely unromanticized depictions of the principal characters. It was written and directed by John Milius for Samuel Z. Arkoff's American International Pictures.

<i>Public Enemies</i> (2009 film) 2009 American film directed by Michael Mann

Public Enemies is a 2009 American biographical crime drama film directed by Michael Mann, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman. It is an adaptation of Bryan Burrough's 2004 non-fiction book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34. Set during the Great Depression, the film chronicles the final years of the notorious bank robber John Dillinger as he is pursued by FBI agent Melvin Purvis, Dillinger's relationship with Billie Frechette, as well as Purvis' pursuit of Dillinger's associates and fellow criminals John "Red" Hamilton, Homer Van Meter, Harry Pierpont and Baby Face Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Makley</span>

Charles Omer Makley, also known as Charles McGray and Fat Charles, was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homer Van Meter</span> American criminal and bank robber

Homer Virgil Van Meter was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hamilton (gangster)</span> Canadian criminal and bank robber (1899–1934)

John "Red" Hamilton was a Canadian criminal and bank robber active in the 1920s–1930s, most notably as an associate of John Dillinger. He is best known for his lingering death and secret burial after being mortally wounded during a robbery.

Ralph Fults was a Depression-era outlaw and escape artist associated with Raymond Hamilton, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow of the Barrow Gang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Paul Chase</span>

John Paul Chase was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was a longtime criminal associate of the Karpis-Barker Gang and most notably Baby Face Nelson who later brought him into the John Dillinger gang. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover once referred to Chase as "a rat with a patriotic-sounding name". Chase and Nelson continued to rob banks with John Dillinger until Dillinger's death in July 1934. After the death of Nelson in November 1934, Chase fled back to California where he was arrested a month later on December 27, 1934. Chase was sent to Alcatraz where he became one of the longest-serving inmates;.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Bentz</span>

Edward Wilhelm Bentz was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was associated with several high-profile public enemies during his criminal career, including Harvey Bailey, Albert Bates, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Baby Face Nelson. He was eventually captured by the FBI and sentenced to Alcatraz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holden–Keating Gang</span> Former American bank robbing gang

The Holden-Keating Gang was a bank robbing team, led by Thomas James Holden (1896–1953) and Francis Keating, which was active in the Midwestern United States from 1926 to 1932. Holden was described by a spokesman for the FBI as "a menace to every man, woman and child in America" and was the first fugitive to be officially listed on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted List in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Green (criminal)</span>

Harold Eugene "Eddie" Green was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw during the 1930s, best known as a member of the John Dillinger gang. He was also associated with Frank "Jelly" Nash, Volney Davis and the Barker-Karpis Gang in his early career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Grant Dunn</span>

Frederick Grant Dunn (1905–1959) was an American criminal, burglar and bank robber whose career spanned over four decades from 1919 until his mysterious death in 1959. He led a small gang during the 1940s and 1950s, Dunn becoming referred to by the press as "the modern John Dillinger", and whose activities eventually resulted in his being listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Lamm</span> German-American bank robber

Herman Karl Lamm, known as Baron Lamm, was a German-American bank robber. A former Prussian Army soldier who immigrated to the United States, Lamm believed a heist required all the planning of a military operation. He pioneered the concepts of "casing" a bank and developing escape routes before conducting the robbery. Using a meticulous planning system called "The Lamm Technique", he conducted dozens of successful bank robberies from the end of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Methvin</span> Member of the Barrow Gang

Henry Methvin was an American criminal, a bank robber, and a Depression-era outlaw. He is best remembered as the final member of Bonnie and Clyde's gang. His role in the gang has often been misattributed to teenage gang member W.D. Jones as both men were portrayed as composite character "C.W. Moss" in the film Bonnie and Clyde (1967).

References

  1. "The Doberman Gang - Details". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  2. "The Doberman Gang". AFI Catalog. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. Siskel, Gene (June 20, 1972). "Doberman Gang". Chicago Tribune . Section 2, p. 5.
  4. Thomas, Kevin (September 1, 1972). "Dobermans in Bank Caper". Los Angeles Times . Part IV, p. 17.
  5. Raisbeck, John (August 1974). "The Doberman Gang". The Monthly Film Bulletin . 41 (487): 174.
  6. McNary, Dave (October 25, 2010). "'Dog Whisperer' digs up 'Doberman' films". Variety . Retrieved July 5, 2011.