All Creatures Great and Small (1975)

The story of a young veterinarian's apprenticeship to a somewhat eccentric older vet in the English countryside, and the young man's hesitating courtship of the daughter of a local farmer.

Director:

Claude Whatham

Writers:

Hugh Whitemore (screenplay), James Herriot (book),

Stars:

Brenda Bruce, Christine Buckley, John Collin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brenda Bruce	...	Miss Harbottle
Christine Buckley	...	Mrs. Hall
John Collin	...	Mr. Alderson
Jane Collins	...	Connie
Fred Feast	...	Farmer in Cinema
Glynne Geldart	...	Joyce
Harold Goodwin	...	Dinsdale's Uncle
Lisa Harrow	...	Helen
Anthony Hopkins	...	Siegfried
Freddie Jones	...	Cranford
Doreen Mantle	...	Mrs. Seaton
T.P. McKenna	...	Soames
John Nettleton	...	Head Waiter
Daphne Oxenford	...	Mrs. Pumphrey
Bert Palmer	...	Mr. Dean (as Burt Palmer)

Storyline

The story of a young veterinarian's apprenticeship to a somewhat eccentric older vet in the English countryside, and the young man's hesitating courtship of the daughter of a local farmer.

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Plot Keywords:

veterinarian | performer | defiance | alcoholism | love | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hallmark Hall of Fame: All Creatures Great and Small (#24.3)

Filming Locations:

Pickering Parish Hall, Hall Garth, Pickering, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

EMI Film Distributors, Venedon Ltd., Talent Associates

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although born in Sunderland, Herriot spent the first twenty-three years of his life in Glasgow, and never lost the accent, as can be heard in television interviews. Simon Ward however, plays him as a Londoner.

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Goofs

When James and Helen are eating ice cream in Whitby, ice cream is clearly visible on James's top lip. After he has turned round all traces of ice cream have vanished.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[James Herriot rings the doorbell]
Mrs. Hall: [opening door] Yes?
James Herriot: [removing his hat] Good afternoon, my name's Herriot.
[pause]
James Herriot: ...Well, I belive Mr. Farnon is expecting me.
Mrs. Hall: Surgery is from six to seven.
James Herriot: Oh no, no, he asked me for tea.
Mrs. Hall: Did he now?
James Herriot: Well, I'm applying for the job, you see. Mr. Farnon's new assistant.
[...]

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Connections

Followed by It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1977)

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Soundtracks

"Who's Been Polishing The Sun?"
(uncredited)
Written by Noel Gay

User Reviews

Not As Good As The TV Show

This film version of James Herriot`s series of novels isn`t much cop compared to the television show of the same . This movie is the prior piece but there`s nothing very memorable about . The plot is more or less composed of " Will young James get married to his girlfriend or not ? " , hardly the most original or compelling premise for a movie , and we`re treated to little in the way of these blackly comical scenes of animals and their owners having mishaps that made the TV show enjoyable . Perhaps the worst problem is that Tristan ( Played by boyish mischief in the show by Peter Davison ) is more or less a peripheral character in this movie

The cast are passable ( Simon West was rather famous when this was produced while Anthony Hopkins was almost totally unknown ) but they seem to lack the flair that Christopher Timothy , Robert Hardy and Peter Davison brought to the long running series