Tag: Charles Ruggles

Children's · Comedies

The Ugly Dachshund

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image credit: The Ugly Dachshund, 1966

Childless Cat Ladies, meet Childless Dog Lady. Defying cinematic norms of the 1960s, as well as conservative politicians of today, the Disney live-action classic The Ugly Dachshund (Disc/Download) bravely exposes the reality that not all families look alike, and motherhood comes in a lot of different forms. It’s a story that was just as contemporary then as it is now, and I’m thrilled to be watching it again with a cocktail!

Starring Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette as the happily married, child-free owners of purebred show dogs, The Ugly Dachshund has essentially become my blueprint for adulthood. Sure, the movie is a fun romp about an adopted Great Dane who grows up with a litter of tiny dachshunds, but from my viewpoint, it’s also about female agency. Pleshette’s Fran doesn’t need to have kids in order to create a home. She’s allowed to marry a handsome artist and spend her days pursuing her passions, taking photos of her dogs, and setting out drinks and snacks on handmade pottery. As someone who spends most of her days doing exactly this, I can confirm—it’s a wonderful life. I’ve never for one second felt that I’m missing out on something. Also, as a firm “adopt don’t shop” girl, I appreciate that while the movie talks about champion dogs and purebred lines, it also makes space for a pup in desperate need of a family. I think Brutus the Great Dane lucked out when he landed a spot with two loving parents and a bunch of mischievous dachshund sisters, and they lucked out when they got the sweetest, most protective big brother.

It wouldn’t be a classic Disney movie without scene-stealer Charles Ruggles, who you might also remember from The Parent Trap. This wonderful character actor had a huge career spanning from the silent era all the way up to the 1960s. The Ugly Dachshund was one of his last films, and I love that he goes out on a high note as kindhearted veterinarian Doc Pruitt. If you want to drink like Ruggles, then I suggest following his own recipe for an Old-Time Martini, which has just been reprinted in Jenny Hammerton’s 1933 Celebrity Cocktail Book, featuring a collection of recipes from a cocktail contest at the Del Mar Hotel. The book is available for purchase on Etsy, but as a special treat to Cinema Sips readers, I’m sharing the Charles Ruggles Old-Time Martini recipe here.

Old-Time Martini

1 dash Angostura Bitters

2 dashes Maraschino Liqueur

1 pony (1 oz) Old Tom Gin

1 wine glass (2 oz) Dry Vermouth

Two small lumps of ice

¼ lemon (wedge)

Shake and strain into a large cocktail glass into which has been placed one-fourth slice of lemon, and serve.

This book would be a great addition to any home bar, and I know I’ll be using it to mix up some drinks for my favorite classic films. In the case of The Ugly Dachshund, it’s pretty fabulous to sit down after a long day, make myself a strong cocktail, cuddle up with my dog, and watch a fun, lighthearted movie where females make the difference.  Cheers!

Holiday Films

It Happened on 5th Avenue

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image credit: It Happened on 5th Avenue, 1947

It’s funny how some movies find you at exactly the moment you need them most. As I drive around my city in this cursed year of 2020, looking at all the boarded up businesses and tent colonies that have sprung up under bridges and highways, it feels almost wrong to participate in a month-long holiday of cookie and cocktail excess when so many have so little. At times, the helplessness I feel about income inequality and the slow death of the small business becomes a consuming buzz of anxiety, getting louder and louder with each sad announcement of another shop closing, another person leaving. I didn’t expect to find solace in an obscure 1947 Christmas movie, but that’s just what happened when I watched It Happened on 5th Avenue (Disc/Download).

Set in post-WWII New York City, this holiday romp about a group of homeless people who set up camp in a deserted mansion is the perfect mix of funny and poignant. The film opens with hobo Aloysius McKeever and his dog strolling down 5th Avenue. They’re about to sneak into the storm drains to gain access to mogul Michael O’Connor’s property, who has left New York to winter at his Virginia estate. After making himself at home in O’Connor’s tuxedoes and bathrobes, Aloysius eventually stumbles on a homeless G.I. (Jim) in the park and extends an invitation to spend Christmas in the mansion. Soon after, Jim fills those empty bedrooms with more homeless veterans and their families, and the cold house is quickly transformed into a shelter full of life and laughter. When O’Connor’s daughter discovers the squatters, she ends up playing along with their ruse while falling for Jim, and then the elusive millionaire O’Connor himself pretends to be a hobo so he can see what kind of people his daughter has gotten mixed up with. The movie is a delightful game of mistaken identities and witty dialogue, but it’s also a heartwarming tale of friendship and compassion. Sometimes, the only thing that separates the wealthy from the rest of us is one lucky or unlucky break—we’d do well to remember that.

Because these squatters have limited food supplies, I think a simple cocktail with a few easy ingredients works best for this movie. My favorite part of the holidays is the canned jellied cranberry sauce I pack my cupboards with, so why not try it in a cocktail? While watching It Happened on 5th Avenue, I recommend drinking this Community Cup cocktail.

Community Cup

2 oz Bourbon

1 Tbsp canned jellied cranberry sauce

.5 oz Lime Juice

Ginger Beer

Fresh cranberries or lime wheel for garnish

Combine bourbon, cranberry sauce, and lime juice in a shaker, and muddle cranberry sauce to break up and dissolve. Add ice.  Shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with cranberries or lime wheel.

If you enjoy movies like It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, I think you’ll really love It Happened on 5th Avenue as much as I do. Although watching it didn’t cure my anxiety about the financial crisis ravaging this country, it gave me hope that if we could get through it in 1947, we can get through it again. The key, as with most things, is community. Cheers!