Lassie (2005)

A family in financial crisis is forced to sell Lassie, their beloved dog. Hundreds of miles away from her true family, Lassie escapes and sets out on a journey home.

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Eric Knight (novel), Charles Sturridge

Stars:

Peter O'Toole, Samantha Morton, John Lynch

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter O'Toole	...	The Duke
Samantha Morton	...	Sarah Carraclough
John Lynch	...	Sam Carraclough
Peter Dinklage	...	Rowlie
Gerry O'Brien	...	Watson
Steve Pemberton	...	Hynes
Eamonn Hunt	...	Alf Patterson
Edward Fox	...	Hulton
Jim Roche	...	Miner
John Standing	...	French
Gregor Fisher	...	Mapes
Jonathan Mason	...	Joe Carraclough
Brian Pettifer	...	O'Donnell
Paul Meade	...	Policeman
Jamie Lee	...	Tom

Storyline

Life is hard for Yorkshire miner's son Joe Carraclough, who is beaten at school by a his teacher, his only consolation is his collie Lassie. It gets worse: when the mine is decommissioned, his father, Sam, is forced to sell the dog to the duke, who owns the local estate. The Duke's servant, Hynes, scares the dog, who keeps running back, so the Carracloughs have to keep returning her, until the Duke moves to the Scottish Highlands for the holiday season. Lassie escapes, embarking on a desperate journey home, with daunting Glasgow dogcatchers and taken in by a circus performer. It looks like a miracle is needed, by Christmas.

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Plot Keywords:

lassie | dog | scottish highlands | dogcatcher | christmas | 

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Taglines:

More Than A Hero. A Legend.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild violent content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films [fr] Official site [us]

Country:

USA France Ireland UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lassie kehrt zurück

Filming Locations:

Clancy Barracks, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$374,879 (USA) (1 September 2006)

Gross:

$651,365 (USA) (29 September 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Odyssey Entertainment, Classic Media Productions, Davis-Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Of all the Lassie films ever produced, this was the first one to be shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

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Goofs

The steam train has a British Railways logo on the tender, but British Railways didn't come into existence until after the war, certainly not before or during the war, the period in which the film is set.

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Crazy Credits

There are no credits at the beginning of the film, not even the film's title. All that is seen is the logo of the production company.

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Connections

Version of Lassie's Great Adventure (1963)

User Reviews

Where's Nantucket?

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.....