Lassie

This wonderful adaptation of Eric Knight's "Lassie Come Home" is not only the best film version but also the best British Family film since the early seventies (Lionel Jefferies' wonderful duo of "The Railway Children" (1970) and "The Amazing Mr Blunden" (1972)). It is blessed with a great cast without a dud performance between them. Particularly worthy of mention are the two wonderful child actors Jonathan Mason and Hester Odgers as well as a charming performance from Peter O'Toole as the crusty Duke who thankfully does not turn out to be the cliché villain that he initially appears. Along with gorgeous photography by Howard Atherton and a script by director Charles Sturridge that mixes enough grit into the story to stop it from becoming too twee, this truly great family film should have become better known than it is. For those of us that have been lucky to discover it, it is an instant classic.

OK so am I the only one who never realized Lassie was set firstly in 1939 and secondly in Yorkshire? I grew up believing in gingham tablecloths, dusty gold mines, skunks in prairies and dangerous rattle snakes all of which our furry heroine, pined at, climbed from, lifted to safety and made friends with, yes and all without being stung, bitten

or even pooped on. Well move aside Nantucket because the real bitch is back and Charles Sturridge has done Eric Knight's beautiful story proud.

The film looks beautiful, set very convincingly in the 1930s English depression. The sets, camera work and locations provide us a time that makes much more sense of a dog returning home to his young master than 1960's America. Lassie's impossible journey deals with issues of loyalty, generosity, determination and good old Britishness all of which must have been useful propaganda tools for a country heading into war in 1939. So that's why it was written back then, so why remake it now? Because, those same basic issues and emotions are just as useful to remind ourselves of now as then but unfortunately for us modern family films have become lost in a sea of CGI and comuterized, sickly nothingness that has no relevance to anything but thrill. Truthfully? It's just plain nice to sit with your family in a cinema, cry your heart out and remember what's important in life. (And it doesn't have to be 40 feet tall and eat bananas!)

The boy is wonderful as indeed is the dog(s). The support from Morton, Lynch, O Toole, Drinkage is perfectly judged and I defy you not to blub a dub during the emotional Christmas homecoming. This is a beautiful film, a joy to watch and a credit to its makers.

Go Lass go.....

The worst thing that can be said about this excellent film is that it is a "family movie" as that term may turn off many cinema buffs from seeing a film that is first rate from practically all aspects. It is brilliantly directed by Charles Sturridge ("Brideshead Revisited") and features several cream of the crop actors starting with the marvelous Peter O'Toole. It is also a superb adaptation of Eric Knight's wartime novel, "Lassie Come Home." (Unfortunately, the viewer would not know this until the end of the credits.) The photography is absolutely breathtaking with scenes of the Scottish Highlands that I haven't seen equaled. There is also a grittiness and realism to the film that was impossible to capture in a 1943 version filmed on the back lots of MGM. Rather than a mere remake, this film is classic in its own right and deserves a wider audience than I suspect it has found thus far. High fives all the way.

Wonderous, wonderful, charming, excellent, sad and happy. I really enjoyed this movie. So will most people except for one moron on this review board. What a lovely movie--the direction, the acting--animal and human---the photography, all superb. A lovely story of a dog's courageous return to the family he loves. Set in the days before WWII, this version of Lassie, to me, is far superior than the 1994 version by a wide margin. Don't miss Lassie. The theater was packed where I went and that says a lot. Reviews for Lassie echo my sentiments. It is a truly heartwarming and tender story. Lovely film that tells a sad story with a happy ending. Great photography. I have nothing but praise.

I haven't seen the Liz Taylor version but I'm guessing that this one is a bit grittier. There are some nasty scenes of cruelty to dogs, although you never actually see one getting hit (they wouldn't be allowed to, would they!) so don't take a child if they're exceptionally sensitive. There are some great supporting roles from legendary actors such as Peter O'Toole and Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbitt), with cameos from the likes of Robert Hardy, Edward Fox and Angela Thorne (To The Manner Born, Maggie Thatcher impersonator) and the kids are cute but not too saccharine. But the scene is definitely stolen by the dog. Just as it should be, and a Christmassy ending to boot. Great family entertainment for kids over eight.