Dog tale will make you cry
THE movie “Megan Leavey,” about good-looking blonde Megan
Leavey, is in theaters Thursday. Played by Kate
Mara, Cpl. Leavey, now working for Yankee Stadium, was a young Marine with 100 missions until an IED explosion in Iraq got her and her military combat dog Rex.
Edie Falco and Common play roles in this terrific one hour and 50 minutes of patriotism, heroism, training, the Marines’ K-9 Unit, deployment, and life and love between a canine and a human. So moving that Variety, People, the Hollywood Reporter and the Philadelphia Inquirer already gave it advance raves.
The true back story: I’ve long known New Yorker Megan, whom injuries took out of service in 2008. Her magnificent wounded warrior dog, who’d saved hundreds of lives including hers, was redeployed to the front. The pain of separation from a creature who has become your fam- ily and to whom you are family was crippling.
Bureaucratic red tape prevented adopting Sgt. Rex. Fox-TV’s “Good Day New York” anchor Rosa
nna Scotto aired Megan’s yearslong struggle. Enter animal advocate Mindy
Levine, who owns big dogs, little dogs, cows and horses. Helping with a bill to streamline the adoption process for retired military working dogs was Sen.
Chuck Schumer, who’s portrayed in the film.
Levine’s outline of this love story between a Marine and her bomb-sniffing German shepherd, both Purple Heart vets, was the beginning. It took years. Sunday night, Yankee Stadium, Memorial Sloan Kettering sponsored a lot of veterans to attend the premiere of “Megan Leavey.”
On film, Mara’s great. In person, less. I introduced myself. Unthrilled, she said, “I have no time.” I explained I’d only one question. Replying with the warmth of a cobra: “I know. You’re only going to ask if all this is exciting and I’m only going to say, ‘Yes, it’s very exciting.’ ”
My interest was her own dogs, who she’s said will attend her soon-due wedding. She then warmed to say: “I have two. I’m very involved with taking care of them. I feed them, walk them, watch over them. They’re getting old, and I love them. They’re very important to me.” Paula Segnatelli of Woodbury, Conn.’s Barnhill Kennels, former Marine who breeds and shows dogs, watched the movie and privately OK’d the machination of the filmed corps’ K-9 unit. Paula noted that Rex had more than one understudy. (Actually, there were three of them.) As for Leavey, she’s warm and loves everyone. As for Rex, his last retirement years were enjoyed in civilian comfort. Rockland County. Swimming in a pool. Barking at deer. Snacking on steak. Peace and harmony protected by the lady who loved him. See the film. Take a hanky.