George

Upon her engagement to a maharaja, New York socialite Regina Paulsen decides that her new home in Pakistan will be unsuitable for her beloved St. Bernard dog, George. Hoping to surprise her brother, airline pilot Jim Paulsen, Regina ships George to Jim's home in Switzerland. Arriving in Geneva on a flight from Montreal, Jim is met by friend and business associate Walter Clark, who relates the news from Regina. Annoyed, Jim goes to the cargo area and, expecting to find a dainty poodle, is overwhelmed by the massive but sweetly docile George, who takes an instant liking to the pilot. Although skeptical when he reads Regina's letter describing George's fears of cats and heights, Jim resignedly accepts the big dog and bundles him into the private plane he co-owns with Walter, setting off to his chalet in Grindelwald. Once the plane is airborne, however, George panics and tries to sit on Jim's lap, forcing the plane to land in a hay field. After reimbursing the farmer for the damage, Jim drives home in his red convertible with George taking up the entire small back seat. At the chalet, Jim greets his housekeeper, Frau Gerber, who is delighted with George but worries that they will not have enough food for such a big animal. The next day, George wanders down the mountain to Jim's farmer neighbor where he discovers the family cow, goose, pig and horse. Unused to the wide open spaces, George lopes about the mountainside ecstatically and rolls in the fields. While Jim meets Walter in the village for lunch, Frau Gerber realizes George is missing and goes in search of him. Meanwhile, Jim is pleasantly surprised to run into his former girl friend, flight attendant Erika Walters, who is on a short holiday. Later, George follows the farmer's daughter into the village but gets distracted by the smells and cheery sounds emanating from the tavern and goes inside. A relieved Frau Gerber finds George at the tavern later, then stays there for several tankards of beer. George sits contentedly at the bar throughout the afternoon until he is gradually overcome by the enticing dinner smells from the kitchen. The next morning, Frau Gerber tells Jim that he owes the tavern owner money for the damage George caused in the kitchen and also for the vast amount of food she has ordered for him. When Walter and Erika arrive to pick Jim up for lunch, he is startled by Erika's genuine interest and affection for the big dog and by her insistence that George accompany them into the village. After lunch, Erika suggests a mountain hike and Jim tricks Walter into staying with George so he can be alone with Erika. While trying to use the affable George to charm a couple of female tourists, Walter becomes so distracted that he does not realize the dog has wandered off after Jim and Erika. Darting onto a tram, George is unable to see out the windows and makes the trip up to the mountaintop without his fear of heights causing an incident. At the peak, George spots Jim and knocks over a waiter as he gallops toward him, forcing Jim once again to pay for damages. That evening an exasperated Jim tries reaching Regina by telephone but learns that she is traveling in Saudi Arabia. The next day, Walter stops by the chalet to meet Jim to test a modification for their plane but discovers he has already left for the village. Unaware that a despondent George has stowed away in his mini truck, Walter drives away. In the village, Walter leaves the truck momentarily and George goes in search of Jim. Spotting a cat in the open air market, George panics and destroys half of the vendors' carts in his attempt to escape. After Jim has a pleasant luncheon with Erika, the couple is surprised to find George waiting for them in his convertible. Although Jim is doubtful, Erika insists that George accompany them, but when they go sailing and leave him onshore, George leaps bravely into the lake to join them. When Jim pays for the sailboat later, the owner admires George but confides that he tried to keep a St. Bernard once, but when the animal grew too large he took the dog to the monks at the Eiger monastery. Pleased at the thought of ridding himself of the burdensome animal, Jim arranges to take George to the monastery the next morning. Although troubled by George's confused whines and barks, Jim leaves him at the isolated retreat and returns to Grindelwald to work on the plane's landing gear modifications with Walter. At dinner that evening, Erika tells Jim that she is cutting her vacation short to return to Paris. When a disappointed Jim inquires why, Erika admits she stopped by the chalet to visit George and learned from Frau Gerber about the monastery. Likening their earlier break-up to Jim's abandonment of George, Erika departs. That night, frustrated by his outdoor stone pen, George digs his way out and bounds down the glacier. By morning, the strong winds have blown snow over the dog's tracks and the monks cannot find him. Receiving word of George's disappearance, Jim immediately decides to take the plane to search for him. At the airport Walter runs into Erika, tells her of the predicament and convinces her that Jim would like her to stay. Erika and Walter then go to the control tower where they listen anxiously to Jim's radio reports. When Jim finally spots George near the base of the glacier, he radios their location and says he will try out the untested snow landing gear. Despite Walter's concern, Jim lands safely and is knocked over in an effusive greeting by George. Before Jim can load the dog onto the plane, however, an avalanche strikes. Jim falls down but manages to crawl under a ledge where George follows. Afterward, George searches diligently for Jim and digs him out of the snow. With one leg injured, Jim is unable to walk but sees portions of the wrecked plane. Anxious when Jim does not respond to their radio calls, Walter and Erika take a flight to look for him. After locating the remains of Jim's plane, Walter radios the location to ground rescue and after several hours they make their way up the glacier. Worried about the fast approaching dusk, Jim pleads with George to look for the rescuers. Overcoming his fear of heights, George climbs high out onto a ledge and, seeing the rescuers below, barks until they notice him. Walter and Erika fly a medical helicopter to retrieve Jim who happily embraces Erika, then calls to George to join them and return home.