Every dog has its day and in Toa Fraser’s gently paced tale of fractious father-son bonding in Edwardian England, it’s certainly a day to remember.

Adapted by Alan Sharp from Baron Dunsany’s 1936 novella My Talks With Dean Spanley, this quixotic shaggy dog story will warm the cockles of your heart.

Setting the mood perfectly with its eye-catching animated opening titles, Dean Spanley turns back the clock to early 20th century London – a microcosm of etiquette.

Henslowe Fisk (Jeremy Northam) makes his regular Thursday visit to his cantankerous father, Horatio (Peter O’Toole), and desperately searches for a way to amuse the old man. So he drags his father to an advertised lecture on the transmigration of souls, delivered by Swami Nala Prash (Art Malik).

Sitting in the audience, the two men spy Dean Spanley (Sam Neill), who later reveals a connection to Fisk Senior’s dog, Wag.

Determined to learn more, Henslowe enlists help of conveyancer Wrather (Bryan Brown) to procure a bottle of the rare 1889 Imperial Tokay wine, which should lure the Dean to dinner.

With the nectar flowing almost as freely as the conversation, the holy man makes a shocking disclosure over the lamb stew cooked by Mrs Brimley (Judy Parfitt), which brings tears to the eyes of the host.

For all its charm and quirkiness, Dean Spanley will struggle to find an audience.

Unquestionably, Fraser’s film is blessed with strong performances, from Northam’s laconic narrator who unexpectedly rebuilds bridges with his old man to O’Toole’s sharp-tongued rogue.

Neill ensures his reincarnated pillar of the community remains sympathetic and never becomes a figure of fun while Brown brings Antipodean charm to his money-oriented entrepreneur.

Expectations are subverted over a series of Toky-soaked conversations, building to a big emotional release reflected in O’Toole’s twinkling eyes, that sweeps us up in the moment.