Rusty Lead the Way 1948

     Danny Mitchell is a 13 year-old boy and he meets their new neighbor Penny Waters.  She has just moved into their neighborhood with her mother.  Penny is blind and it was due to an accident.  She is very shy and lonely.  The Board of Education believes Penny should go to the State Institution for the Blind.  The Board wants to do what they believe is right for Penny.  First, she goes to receive a guide dog and attend the training school for handling a dog.  Penny has already had some practice with Danny’s dog Rusty, he is a German Shepherd.  Penny really likes Rusty and she’s hoping to find a guide dog like him.  Penny is doing well until she goes out on her own with her new dog.  She becomes disoriented and frightened by all the city sounds.

     Penny believes her guide dog likes the trainer better than he likes her?  She leaves the school and she doesn’t take her dog.  She doesn’t trust him and she was worried that this would happen.  Things turn out differently than she expects a short time later.  This film reminded me of the Lassie series. 3 ½* (I liked this movie)

59 min, Drama directed by Will Jason with Ted Donaldson, Sharyn Moffett, John Litel, Ann Doran, Paula Raymond, Peggy Converse, Flame.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, Letterboxd average rating 2.33, TVGuide 1* out of 4*, AllMovie 1 ½* out of 5*.

Special Note:  There are 7 other films about Rusty produced by Columbia Pictures.  Adventures of Rusty 1945, The Return of Rusty 1946, For the Love of Rusty 1947, The Son of Rusty 1947, My Dog Rusty 1948, Rusty Saves a Life 1949, Rusty’s Birthday 1949.  The series started with Ace the Wonder Dog, then police dog Rip and continued with Flame.