, 1h25 Directed byDon Bluth, Gary Goldman, Gary Goldman OriginUnited-kingdom GenresDrama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation ThemesFilms about animals, Films about children, Films about religion, Films about dogs, Films about angels, Musical films, Buddy films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère ActorsBurt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Judith Barsi, Vic Tayback, Melba Moore, Charles Nelson Reilly Roles Vera, a female gambling dog. Rating66% In 1939 New Orleans, a roguish German Shepherd named Charlie B. Barkin escapes from a dog pound with the help of his friend, a dachshund named Itchy Itchiford. They return to a casino riverboat on the bayou, which is formerly run by Charlie with his partner, a bulldog named Carface Caruthers. Not wanting to share the profits with Charlie, Carface persuades him to leave town with 50% of the casino's earnings. Charlie agrees, but is later intoxicated and murdered by Carface. He is sent to Heaven where a whippet angel named Annabelle (who was named in the sequel) tells him that a gold watch representing his life has stopped. He steals and winds it, sending Charlie back to Earth, but is told that if he dies again, he will go to Hell. After reuniting with Itchy, they discover that Carface is holding an orphan girl named Anne-Marie (presumably kidnapped from the orphanage by Carface), who has the ability to talk to animals and gain knowledge of a race's results beforehand, allowing Carface to rig the odds on the rat races and become rich. They rescue her, intending to use her abilities to get revenge on Carface, though Charlie tells her that they plan to give their winnings to the poor and help her find parents.