Film “Hachiko: The Most Loyal Friend” directed by Lasse Hallström is a touching story of sincere love between man and animal. The story of a strong friendship between university professor Parker Wilson and his dog named Hachiko, which the hero accidentally found at the train station. These films always attract my attention because they tell about the most important things in our life – kindness, compassion, affection.The host Hachiko is played by Richard Gere in the film, and it seems to me that this actor was the best possible person to embody the image of a kind professor on the screen. We see how the protagonist’s affection for his pet is gradually born. Despite the tricks of young Hachiko, Parker hesitates to kick the puppy out of the house. He sincerely loves him and cares about him, and the grown dog responds in kind to the owner.Hachiko goes every day to meet his professor from work at the station. Even when Parker suddenly has a stroke and the hero dies right at the university, the dog continues to expect him. Every day at the same time, Hachiko comes and lays down at his place at the station. And so on until the end of his days.Every time I watch these scenes, tears come to my eyes. Is the animal really capable of such strong affection? And the answer to this question, of course, is “Yes!”The story of Hachiko is not at all a beautiful invention of the director and scriptwriters of a Hollywood film. In Japan, at the beginning of the 20th century, there really was such a dog who, eight years after the death of the owner, came to meet him at the railway station until he died himself. Today, there is even a monument to Hachiko at this station, which is a symbol of selfless love and loyalty for local residents and tourists.
