Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

The first time I saw “To Dance with the White Dog” was in 1993 in the Hallmark Hall of Fame. That was when it was broadcast on CBS on Sunday nights. Since then, I have viewed it many times. If you want to see it, I watched it recently on Hallmark Movies Now.

The story of a married couple celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 1966 is powerful for many reasons. First was the love story between an elderly couple. In 1993 my wife and I had only been married for seventeen years. It was difficult to imagine that we might make it to our fiftieth. We are only four years away from that landmark date.

An African American friend of this couple is shown as being treated as one of the family. At first, you may think that she was hired as a cook, housekeeper, or nanny. That does not appear to be the case as the story unfolds. This is significantly different from another movie, “The Help,” set at the same time. Both films are set in the southern US.

The families are shown to be what I would call Christian or religious. They are not shown in any church. The male lead character points out the discrepancies between the Bible and horticultural science. His wife points out that the scripture is not a science text. While many scientific facts appear in different chapters and verses, I believe this is a true statement.

When his wife dies, he has difficulty adjusting to being alone. A white dog appears, and his children and grandchildren do not see it when they come around. Most days the waking hours are occupied with the changing of the guard as the families alternate staying around his house and orchard.

The old man decides to take a trip to a reunion for the college where he and his wife met. The dog travels with him. He does not bother to tell anyone in the family where he is going. One grandson knows. He is asked not to tell anyone unless there is an emergency. Of course, one comes up.

I’ll stop with my explanation of the plot and sequence of events. If you decide to watch this film, I hope I have not spoiled any of the drama and mystery. The lesson of the movie is to cherish those that we love. At any moment they may no longer be with us.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tFRNPRjtNAs

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger