Directed by Christopher Guest
Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene

Christopher Guest .... Harlan Pepper
Parker Posey .... Meg Swan
Michael Hitchcock .... Hamilton Swan
Eugene Levy .... Gerry Fleck
Catherine O'Hara .... Cookie Fleck
John Michael Higgins .... Scott Donlan
Michael McKean .... Stefan Vanderhoof
Patrick Cranshaw .... Leslie Cabot
Jennifer Coolidge .... Sheri Ann Ward Cabot
Jane Lynch .... Christy Cummings
Bob Balaban .... Dr. Theodore W. Millbank III
Don Lake .... Graham Chissolm
Jim Piddock .... Trevor Beckwith
Fred Willard .... Buck Laughlin

Produced by Gordon Mark (executive producer), Karen Murphy (producer),
Original music by Jeffrey C.J. Vanston
Cinematography by Roberto Schaefer
Film Editing by Robert Leighton

Rated PG-13 for language and sex-related material.

Video Clips from Best In Show!
Best In Show Trailer lo res | hi res
"You couldn't find a better dog" lo res | hi res
"I am the one having to push him away" lo res | hi res
"Seen a lot of dogs today" lo res | hi res
"You must be very proud Mary" lo res | hi res

STUDIO SYNOPSIS:
The tension is palpable, the excitement is mounting and the heady scent of competition is in the air as hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives -- the Mayflower Dog Show.

The canine contestants and their owners are as wondrously diverse as the great country that has bred them. There is Harlan Pepper (CHRISTOPHER GUEST), a fly-fishing shop owner from Pine Nut, North Carolina, who hopes that his Bloodhound, Hubert, may be the first of his kind to win top prize at the show.

In their upscale Illinois home, yuppie lawyers Meg (PARKER POSEY) and Hamilton Swan (MICHAEL HITCHCOCK) anxiously ready themselves and their somewhat neurotic Weimaraner, Beatrice, for the big event.

Meanwhile, in Fern City, Florida, mild-mannered menswear salesman Gerry Fleck (EUGENE LEVY) and his vivacious wife, Cookie (CATHERINE O'HARA), happily prepare their Norwich Terrier, Winky, for the most important show of his competitive career.

In New York, professional handler Scott Donlan (JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS) and his longtime partner, hair salon owner Stefan Vanderhoof (MICHAEL McKEAN), happily anticipate the event as they feel that one of their Shih Tzus, Miss Agnes, stands a very good chance of winning the cup.

Although the fabulously wealthy and elderly Leslie Ward Cabot (PATRICK CRANSHAW) and his voluptuous young wife, Sherri Ann Cabot (JENNIFER COOLIDGE), are confident that their two-time champion Standard Poodle, Rhapsody In White, will keep the crown, they aren't taking any chances and have hired ace handler Christy Cummings (JANE LYNCH) to assure their win.

At the Mayflower Dog Show, everything is being organized with the utmost precision under the watchful eye of Mayflower Kennel Club President Dr. Theodore W. Millbank III (BOB BALABAN) and the show's chairman, Graham Chissolm (DON LAKE). Trevor Beckwith (JIM PIDDOCK) and Buck Laughlin (FRED WILLARD) are the Mayflower dog show commentators.

Finally, the hundreds of contestants come together under one giant roof, the audience throngs the massive arena and the competition begins in earnest as television cameras bring the wonderful world of dogs to millions.

God gave us dominion over the animals

REVIEW BY BETTY HAMM
bhamm@efcn.org
Arts Director
Evangelical Free Church,
Naperville Il (630)983-3232
http://www.efcn.org

Christopher Guest appears to specialize in the off beat comedy style of the mockumentary. ?Best in Show? is certainly in that category. I enjoy the creativity and variety Guest is able to bring to a character. ?Best in Show,? reuniting the ensemble from ?Waiting for Guffman? and ?Spinal Tap,? portrays the world of the show dogs and their owners with tongue definitely inserted in cheek.

These people have difficulty relating to the human world. Therefore they are bound up in their dog?s world. We do see healthy competition as well as good sportsmanship.When one of the handlers injures her knee, the other handlers rally around her husband and encourage him to take his dog into the last competition.

Guest is able to take characters that are basically over-the-top and give them a normal edge that the audience can relate to. He shows us that these people have value even though they are a bit on the nutty side.

Considering we all have our own quirks, this is a good reminder. If you enjoy this type of humor, I recommend seeing ?This is Spinal Tap,? ?The Princess Bride?, and ?Waiting for Guffman.? All portray Guest at his best.

?Of how much more value then is a person than a sheep!? Matthew 12:12

?And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Then God said, ?Let Us make humans in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And God created humans in His own image, in the image of God He created humanity; male and female He created them.? Genesis 1:25-27