Favorite Flicks: Shiloh

© 1997 Warner Bros.
Running time: 93 min. Rated PG
Michael Moriarty, Blake Heron

Based on the novel Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

PLOT

While out for a walk in his rural hometown, eleven-year-old Marty Preston befriends a beagle who has run away from his abusive owner, hunter Judd Travers. Marty names the dog Shiloh and promises to protect him from further harm, but his father insists that the family cannot afford to keep the dog. Lying to his family and Judd, Marty struggles to keep Shiloh hidden. When tragedy strikes, he’s forced to come clean with his secret and works out an honest deal to buy Shiloh. Along the way, he changes his father’s heart about Shiloh and begins to understand Judd a little better.

HUMANE MESSAGES & OTHER GOOD POINTS

• Emphasizes compassion for all animals, from squirrels to foxes to dogs. For example, in one scene, Marty springs one of Judd’s traps. In another, he stops Judd from shooting a fox. When Shiloh is injured, Doc Wallace administers loving care without thought of payment.

• Portrays the issue of animal abuse in a sensitive manner unlikely to upset children. With the exception of one relatively mild scene in which Judd strikes Shiloh with his gun, Judd’s abuse of animals is implied, not shown.

• Raises the issue of animal neglect. Judd keeps his hunting dogs on short chains and Shiloh in a small cage, and he shows his dogs no affection. Marty’s belief that dogs should be cherished companions compels him to rescue Shiloh from such poor conditions.

• Teaches children that they should speak up when they see animal abuse; although his father discourages him, Marty is eager to report Judd’s mistreatment of Shiloh.

• Shows the value of keeping promises and encourages children to stand up for what they believe in. Marty not only promises Shiloh that he’ll keep him safe, but he also makes sacrifices and works hard to keep his word. As Doc Wallace tells Marty, "The greatest test of love is how much you’re willing to fight for it."

• Offers the possibility of redemption for Judd Travers at the end, suggesting that people are complex beings with the potential for both good and evil.

• Encourages children to think about honesty, loyalty, and morality through a captivating story that illustrates these values.

POINTS TO PONDER

From a humane perspective, few movies are perfect. Following are potential problems with the film that you may wish to address with your children or students.

• Judd and Marty allow Shiloh to roam. Dogs allowed to roam face many dangers, including traffic, wildlife, leghold traps, and disease. Remind students that dogs should run and play within a fenced area and be walked on a leash for their own safety.

• Sam mentions that her cat was killed by a car. Remind students that cats should be safely confined, ideally indoors, where they are protected from traffic, wildlife, diseases, traps, and other dangers.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

Three's company. Tell students that author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor won the Newbery Medal, one of the highest awards in children’s literature, for her book Shiloh. Organize a teaching unit on Naylor by having students read and write book reports on the Shiloh trilogy: Shiloh, Shiloh Season, and Saving Shiloh. For more information on Naylor, visit Teacher Resource File at http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/naylor.htm.

What's your opinion? Judd Travers says, "Animals were put here for us. They don’t have any other purpose or feelings." In a written assignment, have students explain why they agree or disagree with Judd’s opinion.

Get published. Ask students to read and write a review of another dog story with a humane emphasis, the 1893 classic Beautiful Joe, by Marshall Saunders—or have them review an animal book of their own choosing. (For more recommended reading, click here.) Their essays should include a brief plot summary and a description of what they liked or disliked about the book and why. Send reviews to KIND News, 67 Norwich Essex Turnpike, East Haddam, CT 06423-0362, for possible publication.

Make the connection. With more advanced students, Shiloh is a good springboard for discussing the connection between animal abuse and human violence. Humane educators, social workers, law enforcement officials, and others have long recognized that animal abuse, child abuse, and domestic violence are all related. In fact, studies have shown that in most abusive homes, child abuse and animal abuse exist simultaneously. That theme is visited in Shiloh, when viewers see Judd struggling to understand Marty’s compassion for his beagle. Later, Judd reveals that he had been beaten by his father since he was four years old, suggesting that Judd is treating his animals the way he was treated as a child. Indeed, his abusive childhood seems to taint his relationships with all living beings.

Learn more about this important connection with The Humane Society of the United States’ educational "First Strike" packet. For more information, write to The HSUS, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20037, or visit www.hsus.org.

To read Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's KIND News interview,
click here.