Old Yeller
Everyone knows Old Yeller gets rabies and is shot at the end, what I did not know is that the dog is actually called Old Yellow, and is written that way because that's how things be pronounced in good ole reconstruction Texas, where the confederate money ain't worth the paper it's printed on. This film is so full of things I can't stand I should have hated it right from the start, but it's so ridiculously sincere that it instead became a constant source of amusement. The cheesy intro song, the terrible child actors, the stereotypes bursting out of every hole, the early bambi allusion before the kid turns around and shoots a deer, the terrible "comedy" introduction of the lead character, the list goes on and on. Whatever else one can criticize, and there's a lot, the pacing is not one of those things. It's brisk and energetic, scenes flow nicely and, whatever the quality of the content, there's always something keeping your interest. Somewhere towards the end it stopped being amusing and the sincerity began to take hold, however tenuously, and I'm still unsure if that made it better. On the one hand it increased my respect for the film quality a little bit and I can understand better why some people consider it a classic, on the other hand my enjoyment diminished and the trite messages that replaced it weren't all that worthwhile. I wouldn't call it good, but I'd hesitate to call it bad and I didn't mind watching it. The dog killing scene is certainly well set up and well executed, and that seems to be the film's most memorable trait.
Given Martin's dislike of child actors I expect a similar reaction from him, or perhaps more negative if he can't find it in him to laugh at at the silliness.