Goodbye, My Lady is a 1956 American film adaptation of the novel Goodbye, My Lady 1954 by James H. Street. The book had been inspired by Streets original 1941 story which appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. Street was going to be the principal advisor on the film when he suddenly died of a heart attack. A boy learns what it means to be a man by befriending and training a stray Basenji dog and then is forced to surrender her to its rightful owner. Both readers of the story and filmgoers found the boys eventual loss of the dog unexpected.
Young orphan boy Skeeter Brandon deWilde is being raised in a Mississippi swamp cabin by his poor and toothless Uncle Jesse Jackson Walter Brennan. One night, a mysterious noise is heard. They later discover that the noise was caused by a strange breed of dog My Lady of the Congo they do not recognize. Rather than a bark, the dog has a yodel or laugh. The animal has keen senses, and they decide to train her for bird hunting.In time, Skeeter learns that an ad had been placed for a female Basenji which had been lost in their swamp months earlier. Skeeter arranges for a telegram to be sent, and a representative William Hopper of the dogs rightful owner appears to take it back. Skeeter is forced to come of age and surrender the animal. With the 100 reward money given, he is able to purchase Jesse the false teeth that he needs and put a down payment on agauge shotgun. ........
Source: Wikipedia