O Filho de Lassie

Laddie is the son of Lassie. He is recruited to be a war dog during WWII. His human Joe Carraclough (Peter Lawford) is training to be part of the bomber crew. He sneaks onto the plane on a mission to Norway. They are hit by enemy fire and crashes in occupied territory. Laddie has to use his smarts but he mistakes Nazi soldiers for help. He is wounded and found by local kids.

It's the second Lassie movie and the franchise is pitching in on the war effort. The Nazis have no shame. They go after a dog and little kids. The main problem is that Laddie keeps inadvertently helping the Nazis. Yet they cannot do anything but be defeated by a dog. That's the power of this family friendly fight against the Nazis.

I was surprised to discover how much I enjoyed this movie. Having traveled in beautiful Norway several years ago -- the land of my ancestors -- and visited the WWII Resistance Museum in Oslo, the movie was of particular interest to me. I suspected the location shots were in Canada, for having traveled across the mountains of Norway, something didn't appear quite right, but very close. Lassie's performance as 'Laddie' is amazing and so many of the cast give fine performances, including a very young (22) Peter Lawford. Watch also for teenage Terry Moore! And sadly, one of the last movie roles by handsome former silent star Nils Asther as he slid into obscurity by the end of the '40s. Ironically, there is also 20-year-old June Lockhart, who later played the mother two decades later in the Lassie series on TV. A nice touch is the music of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg used throughout the score. Fine film for family viewing.

This is a fine movie for animal lovers, for it is far more that the usual canine showcase. It is an exceptionally well made film in terms of technical excellence. The dialogue is always appropriate, the cinematography is very good, and the color is flawless. As the movie progresses the symbiotic relationship between Joe (Peter Lawford) and Laddie (son of a Lassie) enhances both roles. The cultural setting is that of World War Two, and Laddie experiences the full range of wartime threats, from being bombed to being captured, and so on. The supporting actors are good beyond expectation, and the topography of Norway (even though the movie was filmed in Canada) is precise. What is particularly unique about this film is that Laddie is not portrayed as a human in dog's clothing. Laddie is a dog that does what dogs do, both rightly and wrongly. One wonders how many children in the post-war era better understood war and its dangers after seeing this film. There must have been many. Bottom line: Lawford is better as a member of the dog pack that he ever was as one of the rat pack. This movie should not be missed!

The first of many sequels to the classic 1943 Lassie movie finds original dog owner Joe Carraclough suffering from accelerated growth; in two years, he has grown about ten years - from boy Roddy McDowall to man Peter Lawford! Little Pricilla has experiences a similar growth spurt - from girl Elizabeth Taylor to woman June Lockhart (who would re-encounter Lassie a decade later, as young Timmy's mother). Donald Crisp as father Sam has holds up well, considering. Meanwhile, in dog years, Lassie has a son, Laddie. Presumably, "Pal" plays Mama "Lassie" and Son "Laddie" - but, it's possible an actual "Son of Lassie" is used in the film.

"Son of Lassie" is, understandably, not as good as the first Lassie film. The photography is absolutely beautiful, though; and, Pal/Lassie's performance is excellent - in fact, one could argue that the dog creates two separate characterizations (the Son a little less wise). Lawford in endearing as Joe. The World War II storyline is flawed, but inevitable, considering the time of release. The multiplication of Lassies was unnecessary, since it had been less than two years since the first Lassie. Still, it's a very well-photographed Lassie, with a rousing conclusion.

****** Son of Lassie (4/20/45) S. Sylvan Simon ~ Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart

I was surprised I enjoyed this film as much as I did. Originally I only had it on in the background on TCM while I was getting ready for work. Before I knew it I was peeking at the TV instead of looking for a shirt to wear. I was getting absorbed in the story and losing track of the time. Sure I was was going to be late for work...but I had to know, would Laddy turn out to be as brave trusty as Lassie? Would he continue to follow his master even through war torn Norway and seemingly endless obstacles including heartless German soldiers and miles of snow ? These were all questions I had to find out before I headed to my job ! Lucky for me I found a blank video tape to record the ending so I still made it.

I loved this film. It had wonderful acting by all involved, including the dog. Visually it contained beautiful scenery, even great shots of the WWII planes I like so much . The production was top notch. Lots of action, and best of all a good old fashioned happy ending. What more can you ask for? These days gems like this are considered way to sugary by our cynical 21st century society to be produced. To bad cause once in awhile it's very refreshing to see the good guys and the dog all live happily ever after.

If you love animals and haven't seen this one yet, get a box of hankies and some popcorn cause you are in for a real treat. Now excuse me while I go hug my beagle.