The White Cavalier – The History of the Bull Terrier
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58 – August, 2020
By Lee Connor
When it comes to Christmas, I am the Grinch personified. But one thing that always helps me through the tedium of the holidays is the inevitable re-runs of classic movies. My favorites are those from the British film-making heyday of the ‘50s, ‘60’s and early ‘70s. And one of those festive stalwarts is, of course, the 1968 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens classic tale, Oliver!
I never grow tired of watching this masterpiece of the orphan boy, Oliver Twist, who seeks his fortune in London. But, the standout performance in the film isn’t Mark Lester’s heartrending portrayal of Oliver, or even Ron Moody’s avaricious Fagin; no, for me that honour goes to Oliver Reed who plays one of the greatest screen villains, Bill Sykes, and he is ably assisted in this dastardly role by his devoted dog, Bullseye.
Bullseye was, of course, a Bull Terrier and Dickens certainly chose the perfect breed of dog to shadow his malicious criminal. Back in the 1850s the Bull Terrier was a somewhat disreputable character. He was the associate of rogues and vagabonds, skulking at the heels of characters exactly like Mr Sykes. The burglar and the bruiser usually kept one or two of these dogs and the companionship was appropriate.
Landseer (the artist) took the Bull Terrier as the typical representation of ‘low life’, and portrayed him as the complete antithesis of the noble Deerhound.
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58 – August, 2020
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