The Shaggy Dog (1959)

A teenage nerd (Tommy Kirk) is shape shifted into a shaggy dog by a cursed ring that once belonged to the notorious Borgia family. That his mailman father (Fred MacMurray) hates dogs is the least of his problems. Based on the novel THE HOUND OF FLORENCE by Felix Salten and directed by Charles Barton (BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME). A massive hit when it opened, the film spawned a mini franchise of TV sequels and remakes as well as a 2006 remake. Its charms are rather thin today, its a one joke comedy that feels like a TV sitcom. The film turned MacMurray's career around and in the 1960s, he became Disney's "dad" of choice in most of their movies. Very young children may still find it amusing and there's the nostalgia factor of those of us who saw the movie when we were kids but I suspect most everyone else would find it on the tedious side. With Jean Hagen, Annette Funicello, Roberta Shore, Tim Considine, Kevin Corcoran, Jack Albertson and Alexander Scourby.