It was an emotional shock for celebrity dentist Dr. Theodore “Ted” Brookes to learn he was adopted and that his biological mother was dead. Her passing paved a road to Alaska where he ventured to claim his inheritance, hilariously build a relationship with a team of sled dogs, and he discovered the truth about his past.
Walt Disney Pictures’ Snow Dogs was released January 18, 2002. Inspired by the book Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, the film is written by Jim Kouf, Tommy Swerdlow, Michael Goldberg, Mark Gibson, and Philip Halprin, directed by Brian Levant, and stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as Ted.
While funny and zany, Snow Dogs has far more social resonance than audiences might remember or even know. Ted uncovered that grizzled, conniving mountain trekker Thunder Jack Johnson, portrayed by the late great James Coburn, was his father.
The son of a Black woman and White man, Ted was quite the unique and progressive character, a rarity in film and society 20 years ago. Gooding brought him to life with slapstick excellence and relatable heart. As the story unfolded, the obnoxious, egotistical dentist eventually connected with a self-centered and somewhat conniving, hardcase parent he didn’t know existed.
Where the flaws turned to sincerity was how Ted found the truth, and it was far more rewarding than surviving an excursion through snowy mountains and ravines.
Ted’s antics throughout Snow Dogs have aged well. Two decades later his out-of-his-element behavior remains good for a laugh, especially the scenes where he is trying his best to connect with the dog team.
Yet after further elevation, diving deeper into the character, it becomes clearer that Ted Brooks has a lasting, and groundbreaking, impression that should be watched, enjoyed, and discussed. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
