There are still some people who view animals as inferior beings put on earth to serve humans. Others recognize that animals are much more than what humans might do with them. Both of these points of view are showcased in Shiloh, a drama set in rural West Virginia.
When 11-year-old Marty (Blake Heron) comes upon a bloodied beagle, he names him Shiloh after the bridge he found him on. However, his father (Michael Moriarty), a mail carrier, insists they return the pup to its owner, Judd Travers (Scott Wilson), a small game hunter. Marty fears for Shiloh's safety when he learns of his abusive owner's view that animals have no rights or feelings. When the dog runs away again, Marty hides him in a shack on his family's property. The grandfather (Rod Steiger) of his best friend Samantha (J. Madison Wright) tells the boy, "Sometimes the greatest test of love is how much you are willing to fight for it." Marty comes up with a plan to adopt Shiloh but Travers proves to be a stubborn adversary.
Written and directed by Dale Rosenbloom, this excellent family drama is based on a bestselling Newbery Medal-winning novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Shiloh celebrates not only a young boy's deep love for a dog but the need to stand up for what you believe in no matter what.