Cinema's most famous German shepherd, Rin Tin Tin, would probably have been proud of the alsatian taking the title role in this TV movie. The Vietnam War-set drama tells the tale of a quick-witted canine whose selfless heroics make it the toast of an army unit, and the stunts are every bit as perilous as those undertaken by his famous Warner Bros forebear. Sadly, the human cast, led by Susan Dey, acquits itself with less distinction.

Janey is on vacation with her family at their beach house on the Mahurangi Peninsula in New Zealand. Her parents, Ed and Kate, are on the verge of divorce and sit around drinking whiskey all day, while Janey and Jim are left to their own devices. Cady, a local boaty who is having an affair with Kate, catches Janey's pubescent eye.