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finding rin tin tin, biographical film, biography, review, biopic

Finding Rin Tin Tin (2007)

At the peak of his popularity, Rin Tin Tin was among Hollywood’s highest paid stars. He received thousands of letters from fans every week, launched the career of movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck and repeatedly saved Warner Brothers from bankruptcy. Yet when sound arrived, like so many other silent stars, Rinty was shown the door. According to his termination letter, the studio had “decided that since the talking pictures have come into their own... that the making of any animal pictures, such as we have in the past with Rin Tin Tin, is not in keeping with the policy that has been adopted by us … because dogs don’t talk”.

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Not that any of this is covered in this biopic, set as it is before the German Shepherd went Stateside. Validating its title within minutes, Finding Rin Tin Tin follows the pooch's WWI exploits after he is rescued from the ruins of a bombed French village. Enlisting the help of a German POW, American pilot Lee Duncan puts his charge through a training regime that would do Rocky Balboa proud. Soon Rinty is co-piloting Duncan’s bi-plane, saving a baby from a burning building and uncovering survivors of an avalanche. Yet this nothing compared to Rinty’s skills at waving flags, saluting officers and blowing reveille.

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Geared more towards juveniles than cinephiles, Finding Rin Tin Tin never lets the story get in the way of a cheap laugh. Accompanied by a dashing pilot, an orphan boy and an obtrusive musical score, Rinty farts, winks and whistles his way through one contrived episode after another. Laboured battles with pantomime villains ranging from crooks, cooks and army sooks may induce laughter from the younger set but likely provoke cringes from everybody else.

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As for Rin Tin Tin himself, after leaving Warner Brothers he went on to star in Mascot Pictures “all-talking, all-barking” film serial The Lone Defender. The success of this and the following years’ The Lightning Warrior prompted Mascot to prepare for a slate of Rin Tin Tin serials, but before filming began on Pride of the Legion Rinty passed away. His descendants continued to honour the legend in the years that followed via film, radio and television.​

Tyler Jensen, Lee Duncan, Rin Tin Tin
fact check, factcheck, fact vs fiction, inaccuracies, true story

Apart from the multitude of fictional elements that bring to mind the canine star’s cinematic adventures, the bare bones of Rin Tin Tin’s story can be found in this biopic.  

  • Lee Duncan and his sister were raised by a single mother.

  • Duncan did have a dog named Firefly

  • The 135th Aero squadron did adopt an orphan who lived on the base and helped out in the kitchen (however his relationship with the Mess Sergeant was more cordial than depicted in the film)

  • Duncan rescued Rin Tin Tin from the ruins of a bombed village during WWI (though the pup was found in a kennel rather than a demolished home)

  • Rin Tin Tin was named after a French good luck charm.

  • Duncan did enlist the help of a German POW to help train Rin Tin Tin.

  • Duncan was shot while piloting a plane (but this was one of the few times he was airborne as he primarily served as a gun mechanic servicing the artillery)

  • Duncan did get authorisation to allow Rin Tin Tin to accompany him back to the US at the last minute (but not because he saved the presiding officer from an avalanche!)

No scene recreations in this biopic, as the film takes place before the launch of Rin Tin Tin's movie career.

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