Media/Arts

Sept. 7, 2006

‘Lassie’: Classic tale fun for the whole family

Few people look at a collie and don’t think of Lassie. Even fewer Americans think of Lassie without remembering Timmy down a well.

That perception — a result of the popular television series “Lassie” that featured Lassie and Timmy together in California from the ’50s to the ’70s — is altered in the British film version.

In “Lassie” (Roadside/Samuel Goldwyn), a film directed by Charles Sturridge that was released last year in Europe, there are no wells and not even a Timmy. The story is based on the 1930s short story by Eric Knight, a British-American journalist who eventually authored the book “Lassie Come Home.”

“Lassie” tells the tale of a devoted collie who traveled hundreds of miles across Scotland and England to return to her owner in a small Yorkshire town.

In a time when one can hardly assume that a “family film” has family-friendly content and humor, “Lassie” is a wholesome and heartwarming tale that illustrates why dogs are called “man’s best friend.”

The story takes place in a British mining town during an economic depression. A family is forced to sell their young son’s collie to a rich Duke who subsequently takes Lassie to Scotland, hundreds of miles from her original home. After escaping, Lassie begins her long journey home to her original owners, making a multitude of friends and foes along the way.

While the humanlike characteristics of the dog are certainly exaggerated, it is a stretch of the imagination that delights the intended child audience. The moral messages of the movie are strong. Animal abuse is briefly displayed in the film, but is quickly admonished.

In a dog’s burial scene, his owner quotes Scripture about God knowing when “even a single sparrow falls to the ground.” The importance of family and friendship — even if it is illustrated through a human’s relationship with a dog — is stressed throughout the film.

Young Jonathan Mason plays Joe, Lassie’s boy owner and best friend, extremely well, especially for his age. The always-talented Samantha Morton plays his mother, managing to give a genuinely moving performance within the frothy dialogue of the family film.

Cinematography is one of the greatest strengths of the film as the camera follows Lassie running across picturesque Scottish moors and the English countryside. The collie that plays Lassie in the film is a beautiful dog that manages a handful of entertaining stunts.

The plot is clouded by a surplus of storylines loosely threaded together by Lassie’s travels. However, the transgressions made are forgivable in the name of children’s entertainment. Comic relief, provided mostly by Lassie’s stunts, is frequent, balancing the more serious commentary about the strong bonds of family and friendship.

Predictable for parents, but exciting for children, “Lassie” may take the relationship of a pet and owner a bit too seriously. But it remains a heartwarming tale any child will love.

Rebecca Bostic is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Comments are welcome. Send e-mail to letters@catholicsun.org.

CNS photo/Roadside/Samuel Goldwyn
Jonathan Mason and a collie appear in the movie “Lassie.”

‘Lassie’

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

www.usccb.org/movies