Charlie B. Barkin

Charlie B. Barkin is the protagonist of the All Dogs Go to Heaven franchise.

Fictional Biography

Background

Charlie was a dog of mixed heritage who was born in Louisiana, in his latter years he met up with the English Bulldog 'Carface' and the two established a gambling venture with profits split fifty-fifty. This enterprise was going well for Charlie until he was framed for a crime and sent to the local pound to await death. What Charlie was framed for is never stated in the film.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

The Old Life

Charlie and his caged buddy Itchy dug a tunnel to freedom out of the pound and amid gunshots by the pound guards managed to escape. He returned to his old business, finding it a little rundown and the folks there surprised to see him at all. One even commenting on how he's suppose to be on death row. Charlie lightens the general mood his presence has caused and then goes to speak to his business partner Carface about getting back in the business.

In the executive lounge of the Casino Carface tells Charlie that things have changed, since Charlie has a record now and authorities will likely search the area the casino is in to find him, he's a liability. Charlie takes a while for Carface to get through to him on the matter but the two eventually agree that as half the business belongs to him Charlie should take half and start up his own venture elsewhere.

Carface and Charlie announce the decision at the Casino before Carface takes Charlie out to the Mardi Gras festival as a big final farewell. In the midst of celebration Charlie becomes deeply intoxicated before being taken out to the docks for a big surprise. Blindfolded and numb Charlie doesn't even register a car impacting him.

Heaven

Charlie finds himself in a pink tunnel before crashing through two golden gates and being met by a pink canine, a Whippet, who welcomes him to the hall of Judgement. He starts to panic but is soothed by her reassurance. She tells him of all the things he can expect where he's going and he finds it all rather delightful as he marvels at a lion sleeping with sheep on a cloud nearby. When he comments that he hopes he'll be able to stay she tells him not to worry, all dogs go to heaven as unlike Humans dogs are innately good and loyal. Charlie's bliss is broken at being informed that he's dead. He gets even more concerned as she opens up his file in the book of life and tells him that she's having trouble finding goodness and loyalty, the first page even noting him to be a bad dog though eventually she does find what she was looking for (loyalty presumably) and begins preparing him for Heaven.

Charlie begins to contest that his time was actually up because he was murdered, to which she tells him that they know everything, his death is in the book of Records- she even shows him an illustration of the car coming towards him of course he never registered it's impact. He tries contesting the idea that she knows everything that will happen by spontaneously asking her to dance, she's not surprised and accepting the offer proves to be a rather talented dancer. Charlie comments on how Whippets are usually not good dancers to which she giggles and states that she's getting a little dizzy.

Failing to prove that she can't expect everything he tries expressing a dislike for the ordered nature of Heaven, reminding her that he's use to chance and thrill- there isn't any there. All the while attempting to obtain a golden watch which had been ticking down to the time of his death in a bid to just wind the watch back and return to Earth. She anticipates his various attempts to obtain the watch but as they sing about life on Earth she starts to loose focus and he replaces the watch with his own collar which she places on a pile of dead time pieces believing it to be the watch. It's at this time that their singing exchange has come to focus more on the hardships of life on Earth, her adding her own impressions about how it's full of singles bars and unreachable stars giving some hint to how her own life was before reminding him that was back on Earth and not here. Caught up in the song Charlie can't help but sing the fact that he's trying to do something and she'll figure it out in about three seconds as he too starts to experience the foresight of those in Heaven.

The Whippet tries to figure out what he's doing, realizes he has something behind his back as he winds the piece backwards. She tells him not to but it's too late and as he gets pulled back through the pink tunnel he hears her words echoing down after him, 'You can never come back.'

Back to the World

Charlie coughs up water as he pulls himself out of the gulf near the New Orleans docks. He dies again but because the watch states that it isn't his time he is revived. Thrilled to be alive he looks at the watch and hears those words again, 'You can never come back.' and closes it in frustration.

Charlie makes his way to Itchy's home and his old pal at first thinks he's a ghost, having witnessed Carface kill him. Once Charlie convinces Itchy that he isn't a ghost he asserts that it just wasn't his time to die. He relays to Itchy his plan to make Carface pay, to have revenge. Itchy tries to talk him down from that. Charlie isn't getting talked down from that, he expresses that Carface should have taken the business underground but instead Carface expanded it - let it grow- and now isn't willing to share half of that with him. Itchy tries again telling Charlie that Carface has a monster under the casino that he feeds in a final plea but this information just gives Charlie an idea of how he wants to get his revenge on Carface.

Itchy guides him through the vents of the Casino to where the monster is only for it be revealed that the monster is a little Human girl, who can talk to Animals that Carface has been using to help ensure the house always wins the Rat Race bets since Dogs can't talk to Rats but she can talk to them just as she can talk to Dogs. It's obvious she's there against her will but all Charlie can see is a chance for profit himself- by kidnapping her. Itchy doesn't like the use of that term and Charlie tells him to stuff it. Taking away Carface's 'golden goose' would be one form of payback. Charlie introduces himself to the girl and suggests that as it's obvious she's there against her will they get her out of there. He asks about her parents and she tells him she's an Orphan, which in his mind means no one is gonna be looking for her. She tells him her name is Ann Marie as the three leave the Casino.

Since Carface thinks Charlie is dead they take Ann Marie to the old cab Charlie lives in. In a bid to get her to sleep he pretends to read the story of Robin Hood while relaying it to her by recollection. Itchy doesn't understand what he's trying to do and voices his agitation at how Robin Hood doesn't seem like a real hood type. In order to talk to Itchy about what they do next he wraps up the story quickly and sends Ann Marie to bed in the front seat while they stay in the back. Since Ann Marie can hear Itchy talk from there, Charlie takes him outside. Itchy suggest they ditch her at the local church and Charlie reminds Itchy of why he took her from Carface and relays that they'll go to the Horse Tracks tomorrow to make a fortune. Ann Marie gets exciting hearing that she'll get to see Horses and Charlie blames Itchy's loud mouth for her being able to hear them out there. He goes back into the cab and settles her into bed before going to sleep himself. He's woken up by her because the front seat hurts her so he changes places with her. Just as he's about to go back to sleep Ann Marie begins to pray to God thanking him for sending Charlie to help her, and Itchy. Charlie having escaped Heaven and feeling bothered by the whole afterlife affair asks Ann Marie to stop praying. He gets a little frightened as Ann Marie asks God to bless Charlie but is relieved of such fear when Ann Marie finishes her prayer and nothing seems to happen to him. Ann Marie asks if Charlie will help her find parents and Charlies agrees to do so.

The next day Charlie and Itchy bring Ann Marie to the stables at the tracks. Charlie asks Ann Marie to talk to the horses to find out whose gonna win the race but she doesn't want to, finally understanding that Charlie is trying to use her the way Carface was. Being compared to Carface hurts Charlie because of how nice he was being with her last night. He tells her they'll be like Robin Hood and give it to the poor, Itchy is not thrilled by that as it would mean no profit for them, so Charlie revises it to some of it to the poor and reminds Ann Marie about what she had said about finding parents. He says they'll use some of the winnings to get her some new clothes assuring her that such will help in that by making her more appealing to take in. She agrees to help and is told by one of the horses that as it's the Great Chawhee's birthday the other horses have decided to let him win the race. Charlie is a little unsure about trusting the horse, given how old the Great Chawhee is the likelihood of him winning seems slim but he goes along with it.

In order to place a bet they need some money, just a little bit so Charlie and Itchy begin looking for a target to steal from. Ann Marie thinks they are looking for a couple to adopt her and suggests a couple she thinks would be perfect for her. Charlie thinks they'll be perfect to rob but doesn't tell her that. He and Itchy try to pull off an old bit they've done before only for Ann Marie's misunderstanding to complicate things though they still manage to rob the man of his wallet. Charlie and Itchy make a break for it with the man unaware of any theft only for the man's wife to be concerned about Ann Marie. Charlie notices that Ann Marie hasn't followed them as the woman asks about Ann Marie's parents and where they could be only for Charlie to usher Ann Marie away from her since it's only a matter of time before the man realizes he's been robbed and without Ann Marie Charlie can't continue to make a profit off betting. After using Ann Marie in a disguise to place a bet the three watch as the Great Chawhee wins.

In the time to follow they branch out of horse races into various other animal related bets eventually purchasing several dresses for Ann Marie and having enough funds for Charlie to establish a new Casino of his own; Charlie's Place. It's while attending to this business that Ann Marie confronts Charlie with her intention to leave because Charlie said they'd help the poor but hasn't and Charlie said he'd help her find parents and hasn't even tried. Charlie knows he can't loose her and tells her she's right, he'll give to the poor which makes Itchy a little upset because they have a business to keep afloat but Charlie assures him that they have to keep Ann Marie happy. He uses some money to buy a number of pizzas to deliver to the poorest folks he knows; a single mother dog and her various mixed pups who live in an old church. After getting the pups who know him as Uncle Charlie to stop fighting over the pizza and share it he feels pretty good about himself. The pups and their mother are happy to see him but this feeling fads when Ann Marie looks into the wallet they used to pay for the pizza and sees the couple in a photo inside, the couple Charlie and Itchy had robbed at the races. Seeing the image she realizes what they did and why Charlie had gotten her away from the couple. It hurts her and she goes up the old steeple tower with that pain. Seeing such Charlie's good feeling about himself fades. He doesn't follow up after her but several of the pups do. Down below the steeple with the mother dog and pups that didn't go up to Ann Marie he moves over to a blanket in a corner, feeling heavy of heart he goes to sleep. He experiences a nightmarish vision of hell with a feline draconic devil, and the subconscious realization that he's living on stolen time. He awakens in the late morning to the pups trying to wake him up from the nightmare. Once aware it was just a nightmare he goes up the steeple to speak to Ann Marie with a desire to make things right. She's not there, and the pups inform him that she went to a specific address to meet the Wallop family.

Charlie quickly departs to catch up with her. He finds the address and gets her attention from the kitchen window. Ann Marie tells him that Harold (Mr. Wallop) wasn't even mad about the wallet and she's been given fresh waffles. He tells her that's great he's just come over to say goodbye. She suggests he stays with the Wallops too and he tells her they wouldn't want a dirty old mutt like him. He coughs a lot during this exchange and when he leaves she follows. The two talk while walking down the fresh produce market when their moment is broken by gunfire with Charlie getting shot. Ann Marie thinks he's dead but unknown to her the watch, the watch is keeping him alive. He flees with Ann Marie as Carface handles a runaway gun until the danger has passed. Charlie seeing that Ann Marie made it out unharmed decides that as he has this power to avoid death he'll use it to deal with Carface. Leaving their hiding spot the floor becomes unstable, Charlie tells Ann Marie to walk carefully as the floor caves in and Charlie looses his watch. He tries to find it by the ticking sound but can't- it's lost. He can't add more time and has no idea how much he has left. The cough comes back to him and then he finds he can no longer hear the watch ticking. Certain he's about to die he tells Ann Marie goodbye, that he has to go now. She doesn't understand as he surrenders himself to the end only to spot the watch again and perk up as he tries to get it only for him and Ann Marie to be abducted by tribal mice.

Ann Marie can't talk to the mice, saying they talk funny. The mice bring the two up as an offering to a massive gator. The gator tries to eat Charlie only for Charlie's scream to hit a musical note. The gator rejects the sacrificial offering- opting to take Charlie into the tribe due to his wonderful voice. In captive safety Charlie checks on Ann Marie who tells him she's not feeling well and gives her an embrace as they are taken by the gator deeper into the underground towards New Orleans.

At some point the two where released by the gator back to the surface but Ann Marie was even more sick. Charlie takes her back to the old church and the mother dog tells Charlie that Ann Marie needs to see a doctor. Charlie only knows where veterinarians are, he's not sure what to do. Itchy shows up to the old church calling for Charlie and Charlie comes out to see him. Itchy is hurt and Charlie is concerned. Itchy tells him that Carface tried to kill him, Itchy starts explaining that because he's Charlie's best friend he stuck with him even though he thought it was stupid. Now Carface has burned Charlie's Place down, Itchy was against the revenge plan from the start and against taking Ann Marie away from Carface. But because of their friendship he stayed and now he almost got killed. Charlie suggest they need Ann Marie now more than ever, they can't start again without her. Itchy tells him that his love for Ann Marie is clouding his judgement. Charlie insists there isn't any love it's just business and Itchy refutes that saying he's gone soft to which Charlie asserts that such isn't true he's just using Ann Marie and will drop her off at an Orphanage once the business is re-established. Itchy's eyes look behind Charlie and Charlie turns to see Ann Marie in tears. He tries to assure her that he was just saying things but she runs off and he runs after her only for Carface to abduct her.

Charlie follows Carface back to the old Casino the two of them had started. He sneaks in and finds Ann Marie in a cage suspended over the water. He asks if she's ok and she tells him no. Taking hold of Ann Marie he tells her that he's gonna take her to the Wallop family only for Carface and several of his goons to spring their ambush. They figured Charlie would try to get Ann Marie back. Charlie lays Ann Marie back down and fights Carface's dogs until he's bound to an anchor and howls, signally to the gator that he needs help. Carface taunts Charlie, saying the story has a happy ending- he'll get to go to heaven, doesn't Charlie want to go to heaven? The gator bursts in and frees Charlie from the anchor. As Charlie battles with Carface Ann Marie is put into great danger when she falls into the water. The danger builds as oil catches fire on the water. Charlie prepares to dive in to save Ann Marie only for Carface to tackle him and in the struggle for Carface to be plunged into the water before Charlie leaps to save Ann Marie. Loosing his watch again he tries to retrieve it and Ann Marie but as he's unable to do both he prioritizes Ann Marie and gets her out of the Casino before going back for the watch but it stops before he can reach it- he dies before the old casino blows up in the oil fire.

In Death Again

For a time, the nightmarish vision he witnessed became a reality. But while taken to Hell, he was permitted by the devil to see that Ann Marie did make it out alive but is struggling with her illness. As he lays as a ghost upon her bed at the Wallop house his eyes water, even Itchy seems to have been changed by the ordeal- laying at Ann Marie's side soundly asleep. Then, the devil is dispelled and a bright orb enters the bedroom- the Whippet who had greeted him to heaven tells him it's time to go home. He tells her that she said he could never go back. She tells him that he saved Ann Marie's life. He gets to have a final conversation with Ann Marie as she goes in and out of a state of living, telling her to look after Itchy and when asked if she'll ever see him again he tells her that goodbyes are not forever. As Ann Marie falls back to sleep Charlie is taken back to heaven by the Whippet. As the two frolic in the clouds he comments that he's dead but the music doesn't have to be. The music pick ups with more soul genre upbeat music full of vibrant life and energy [Halleluiah].

In heaven Charlie gets to witness Carface's arrival. The gator killed him and he states he'll have revenge. He ends up pulling off the same timepiece move that Charlie had all while the Whippet tells him he can never come back. Charlie laughs as Carface returns to Earth. He tells himself that Carface will be back and settles into a cloud listening to the music.

All Dogs Go to Heaven 2

NOTE: Installments following the first film where produced without consulting Don Bluth and thus some facts established in the first film are altered primarily in the TV show. All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 was produced by MGM rather than Don Bluth with the TV show spinning of this film.

Trivia

• Charlie's sins as listed in the book of life include infidelity, something not out right stated, but such does make his relationship with the mother dog in the first film a bit more clear as to what it is and how he knows her.
• Don Bluth was in possession of an uncut version of the film that included a scene of Charlie in hell after saving Ann Marie. The scene would have provided some greater context regarding Charlie's visitation as a ghost but was cut from the picture.