Hills of Home

While I have seen more classic Hollywood movies than most anyone alive, I have only come to watch any of the Lassie films recently. I had assumed they'd be schmaltzy messes...and, apparently, I was wrong. After thoroughly enjoying the first film, "Lassie Come Home", I decided to try another Lassie film, "Hills of Home"...the fourth Lassie film. With seven in all, I still have five more MGM Lassie pictures to go.

This story has nothing to do with the previous Lassie stories. Oddly, this one finds Lassie as a damaged doggy, as his new master abuses the dog because it is a lousy sheepdog and won't go in the water if needed. Soon the kindly local doctor (Edmund Gwen) buys the dog and the rest of the film is mostly about his life in rural 19th century Scotland tending to the sick and dying...with Lassie as his constant companion and helper.

Like the first Lassie film, this one has a lot of polish and was made in Technicolor. It also features fine supporting actors in many of the leading roles--giving these wonderful actors a chance to shine. In fact, several were from the first Lassie film as well-- Gwen, Donald Crisp and Rhys Williams. Additional actors rounding out the main cast were Janet Leigh and Tom Drake. All in all, a fine and entertaining film...and one that might be best seen with some Kleenex nearby just in case! If I have any complaints about the picture it's that just about everyone seems inexplicably angry all the time...which is kinda weird!

If you love a dog story then this is for you. If you love a story of love in a small village then this is for you. If you love a story of courage then this is for you. Hills of Home features Lassie, that collie that shows the true meaning of friendship between Master and dog. Lass (Lassie) is afraid of the water in rivers or lakes so she will not cross any form of water. A sheepdog protects the sheep from drowning in water so her first owner decides to kill Lass because she is useless as a sheepdog. Dr. William MacLure (Edmund Gwenn) is the only doctor in the village and a rather old one. Dr. MacLure is not the brightest or most up-to-date doctor but he will fight the spectre of death with hand-to-hand combat to save those villagers that he loves. He decides that a dog will help a lonely man in meeting the needs of the village so he barters for the ownership of Lass. Drumsheugh (Donald Crisp) is Dr. MacLure's best human friend. Drumsheugh encourages his friend and offers wise advice to the head strong old doctor. This film features the growing love of this familiar trio (Lassie, Gwenn & Crisp) as they battle death, nature and time. A heartwarming story that ends with you wanting to just grab hold of your own dog as Dr. MacLures holds on to Lass.

They don't make'em like this any more, they can't. A picture postcard of a time long lost is captured in this beautiful film. The characters are not perfect, they have flaws like real people. Edmund Gwenn turns in a performance as Dr.McClure that lets the viewer in and identify with him as he relates to difficult people and takes anger in stride from the distraught and scared citizens of his village. Lassie is presented as frightened and imperfect also, something new to me since I had seen only the television features showing this dog as brave, smart, and resourceful. The relationship that develops between the doctor and his dog is fulfilling on every level and the responsibility he feels towards those who depend on him is inspirational. Catch this if you can, you'll find it worthy of your attention.

Very heartwarming and quaint representation of the era. A Classic! Needs to be seen over and over again, to appreciate the sentiments portrayed. A story about the generous, faithful, over-worked and under-paid country doctor, and his grateful patients throughout the glen. Enjoyed listening to the Scottish accents, and the stereo-typical cultural stubbornness in accepting or giving compliments. Enjoyed the scenery too.

Perhaps the first time I saw it, I may have thought it to be slow-moving, too. But for those of us who enjoy watching "classic movies", it's wonderful.

However, for a Lassie movie, the dog has a relatively small part to play, in comparison to what you see in the Lassie series over a decade later.

In an idyllic Scottish village, poor collie dog Lassie fails at sheepherding because she's afraid of crossing through water; a crusty old doc inherits Lassie, but he doesn't much want her either, even after she warns him of a collapsed bridge down the road. Despite a handsome MGM production, this non-adventure is unrelievedly depressing and infuriating (if the simple-minded plot doesn't gnaw at you, the ridiculous Scottish accents and muttonchops on the men certainly will). The collie dog used for the film is a beautiful animal but, let's face it, not particularly gifted for the camera (most of the time, she hovers about on the edge of the frame, constantly looking to one side for directions). Lassie takes a real beating in this one (including harsh owners, icy, raging rivers and bad weather of all sorts), yet, oddly, much of the focus is on doctor Edmund Gwenn and the wet-eyed, hand-wringing families of his patients. This downer is truly one of the dreariest family films of all time, not helped by a colorless supporting cast which includes a wooden Janet Leigh in an early role. *1/2 from ****