35 Years Later, The Tragedy Behind 'All Dogs Go To Heaven' Is Still Haunting

When All Dogs Go to Heaven hit theaters on Nov. 17, 1989, it had the potential to be a huge hit. After all, Don Bluth directed the film, still riding high on a wave of profitable animated movies (The Secret of NIMH! An American Tail! The Land Before Time!). And this new film featured an all-star cast, Broadway names creating the music, and, of course, a lot of adorable animated dogs.

Surprisingly, the movie didn’t skyrocket to success right away. The problem was it came out on the same day as Disney’s The Little Mermaid. With its back against the wall versus a behemoth that ushered in the Disney renaissance, the Bluth film simply couldn’t compete against the mouse-eared juggernaut. However, it found a second life on home video that kept it close to the hearts of many fans who still love it today.

If there’s one thing viewers can rely on with a Bluth animated film, though, it’s that it will be equal parts cute and traumatic. All Dogs Go to Heaven hits that mark with gusto — but it isn’t just the film itself that’ll break your heart. After learning the tragic story of what happened before the movie was released, you’ll look at it in a completely different way.

A quick refresher

The movie opens with Charlie, a German shepherd (voiced by Burt Reynolds), and his dachshund pal Itchy (Dom DeLuise) escaping from a 1930s New Orleans dog pound before being euthanized and fleeing to their betting parlor home. Previously co-owned by Charlie and a bulldog named Carface (Vic Tayback), the latter — who set Charlie up to be caught — wants to ensure he is the only casino kingpin in town.

After a drunken Mardi Gras night, Carface has Charlie crushed by a runaway car, sending the mutt to heaven. As nice as it seems, Charlie has unfinished business. He returns to Earth using a stolen pocket watch representing his soul, later discovering that this act means he can never return to The Good Place.

With Itchy’s help, they rescue/ kidnap the source of Carface’s financial success: an orphan girl named Anna Belle (Judith Barsi), who talks to animals and determines the winner of gambling races. Charlie uses her unexplained power to cash in and start his own casino, promising to help the little girl find a family in exchange for this information.

Things are great for the trio until Anna Belle catches wind of the sinful acts that Charlie has committed and runs away. Meanwhile, Carface makes a dangerous move to reclaim the girl and destroy Charlie once and for all. In the end, Charlie sacrifices his life to save Anna Belle, with his last-minute good deed securing his return to heaven… at least, until the sequels.

Say “halo” to my little friend

Fresh from back-to-back successes with An American Tail and The Land Before Time, Bluth never shied away from exploring mature themes in cartoons in his signature whimsical way. Bluth’s philosophy was cited as believing kids can handle anything as long as there is a happy ending.

The validity of that hypothesis lacks any conclusive scientific evidence, but when All Dogs was test-screened, viewers were concerned about the intensity of several scenes. The MPAA was of a similar mindset, and initially rated the movie PG instead of G like most kids’ movies. So, Bluth made edits to achieve that important all-ages label.

Even with the cuts, watchdogs were quick to complain about alcohol use, violence, gambling, and the themes of death and the afterlife. While it may have been a weighty story compared to the average kids’ flick, a far worse situation unfolded before the movie’s release.

Soon, you’ll come home

At 10 years old, Judith Barsi was a star in the making. Her resume would make any adult actor jealous, with appearances in Cheers, Cagney & Lacey, and Growing Pains, among other top sitcoms and films. Between her time on major sets, Barsi’s adorable face, bubbly personality, and excellent line delivery graced dozens of commercials. The sky was the limit for this budding performer’s career, but her home life wasn’t as golden.

Barsi was born to Maria and Jozsef Barsi, Hungarian immigrants who separately fled their homeland during the country’s political upheaval in the 50s and found each other years later in California. Thanks to their talented daughter, the family should have been living the American dream. Instead, it was a nightmare, as Jozsef was an abusive alcoholic with a penchant for taking out his frustrations on his wife and child.

Before leaving to work on Jaws: The Revenge, Jozsef reportedly threatened to kill his daughter if she didn’t return home. When this was reported to local Child Services, the case was investigated and dropped due to lack of evidence, something the Commission later admitted they mismanaged. Neighbors knew of Jozsef’s volatile temper, including one who claimed Barsi told him “500 times he was going to kill his wife,” yet no action against him was ever taken.

Her mother had plans to divorce their tormentor, telling neighbors she was renting an apartment in Panorama City. Each time Maria contemplated her freedom, she hesitated and stayed put. Sadly, their escape never came to be.

When authorities arrived at the Barsi home on July 25, 1988, they discovered the bodies of all three family members within their burning West Hills home, set ablaze by Jozsef. Forensic evidence would reveal that Judith and Marie had died at Jozsef’s hands before the fire.

All Dogs Go To Heaven arrived in theaters over a year after Judith passed, yet rumors persist that Burt Reynolds recorded the final scene of the movie over 60 times to find the perfect take to say goodbye.

While there is nothing to substantiate that story, the fact that Judith left this planet too soon makes Charlie’s farewell to Anna Belle infinitely more emotional, adding so much more weight to that poignant scene.

You can’t keep a good dog down

While its time in theaters was anything but heavenly, All Dogs grew in popularity thanks to its home-release offerings. It became one of the most-bought VHS tapes of its era, selling over 3 million copies in its first month on shelves. A sequel and a syndicated series followed, although Bluth and his team were not involved in any of the content beyond the original film.

Nostalgia has kept this movie in high regard for many who grew up with it, but even realizing this isn’t as great of a masterpiece as some of us remember, it’s still a solid entry in Bluth’s filmography.

It’s a movie where it’s best to shut off your critical thinking. Just enjoy some mindless family fun about dogs and an orphan who reminds us not to take life for granted… because you never know when that gift will be taken away.

All Dogs Go To Heaven is streaming on Tubi, Pluto, Roku, and Amazon Prime, where you can also find it on DVD and Blu-Ray.