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The Painted Hills

  • 19511951
  • GG
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
4.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Bruce Cowling, Gary Gray, Paul Kelly, and Pal in The Painted Hills (1951)
  • Drama
  • Family
  • Western
An intrepid dog comes to the rescue when a boy's life is put at risk by the greed inflamed by a gold strike.An intrepid dog comes to the rescue when a boy's life is put at risk by the greed inflamed by a gold strike.An intrepid dog comes to the rescue when a boy's life is put at risk by the greed inflamed by a gold strike.
IMDb RATING
4.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Harold F. Kress
  • Writers
    • True Boardman(screenplay)
    • Alexander Hull(novel "Shep of the Painted Hills")
  • Stars
    • Pal
    • Paul Kelly
    • Bruce Cowling
Top credits
  • Director
    • Harold F. Kress
  • Writers
    • True Boardman(screenplay)
    • Alexander Hull(novel "Shep of the Painted Hills")
  • Stars
    • Pal
    • Paul Kelly
    • Bruce Cowling
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 18User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos15

    Gary Gray with Lassie
    Gary Gray in a detail from "The Painted Hills" publicity materials
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)
    The Painted Hills (1951)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pal
    • Shepas Shep
    Paul Kelly
    Paul Kelly
    • Jonathan Harveyas Jonathan Harvey
    Bruce Cowling
    Bruce Cowling
    • Lin Tayloras Lin Taylor
    Gary Gray
    Gary Gray
    • Tommy Blakeas Tommy Blake
    Art Smith
    Art Smith
    • Pilot Peteas Pilot Pete
    Ann Doran
    Ann Doran
    • Martha Blakeas Martha Blake
    Chief Yowlachie
    Chief Yowlachie
    • Bald Eagleas Bald Eagle
    Andrea Virginia Lester
    • Mitaas Mita
    Don Reynolds
    Don Reynolds
    • Red Wingas Red Wing
    • (as Brown Jug Reynolds)
    Mitchell Lewis
    Mitchell Lewis
    • Mark Milleras Mark Miller
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Watts
    • Steveas Steve
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Harold F. Kress
    • Writers
      • True Boardman(screenplay)
      • Alexander Hull(novel "Shep of the Painted Hills")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A Lassie movie. After years of prospecting, Jonathan finally strikes gold. He returns to town only to discover that his partner has since died and left Tommy fatherless. He decides to leave Shep (played by Lassie) with Tommy to cheer him up. Meanwhile, Jonathan's new partner, Lin, isn't interested in sharing the gold, and lures Jonathan to his death. Lassie immediately deduces what's happened, so Lin poisons Lassie. Lassie barely pulls through and pursues Lin to a climactic confrontation where, due to an off-screen accident with some liquid nitrogen, Lin's gun jams. —Leo L. Schwab <ewhac@best.com>
    • lassie
    • dog
    • greed
    • family relationships
    • murder
    • 2 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Family
      • Western
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • G
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The last of MGM's seven "Lassie" family films in Technicolor issued between 1943-51, this entry was the only one that did not garner a contemporary New York Times review.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story (1951)
    • Soundtracks
      Oh My Darling, Clementine
      (uncredited)

      Written by Percy Montrose

    User reviews18

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    This really is better than its reputation...
    ... and I watched it yesterday already knowing the very low IMDb ratings. But seriously, everything Marion Davies ever did gets an 8/10 on this site and this gets 3/10??? I don't think so.

    You can tell that this was not one of MGM's A List productions. No Liz Taylor, Edmund Gwenn, or Donald Crisp. Plus the story has been transferred to the pioneer days of the American west. The biggest recognizable star in the film besides Lassie herself (actually himself, since Lassie was played by Pal, a male dog) is Paul Kelly as an old prospector and Shep's (Lassie's) owner, and Mr. Kelly is practically unrecognizable. He's only 52 at this point, but he's donned up in whiskers and makeup that make him look like a thin version of Santa Claus. His hands clearly show he is not as old as the role he is playing.

    This Lassie story is a bit different, besides just the move from Scotland. Lassie usually plays the passive lovable dog waiting for the good-hearted yet hard-headed Scots that are to decide her fate to come to their senses. Here Lassie has a more Clint Eastwood-like aggressive posture towards the man who killed her master for his gold and attempted to poison her and goes full fang on the guy at every opportunity producing a very ironic and just ending. By the way who names a female dog "Shep" anyways??? Paul Kelly is good as the prospector and master of Shep/Lassie except it is clear that he doesn't trust his partner, begging the question, why did he make this obviously nefarious fellow a partner in the first place? Bruce Cowling is absolutely awful as the villainous partner. He has a demeanor that would be better suited to a B scifi film of the 50's rather than this action adventure film. He is always looking up and around with a horrified expression on his face as though he expects an alien spacecraft to land at any moment. Gary Gray gives a good but not great juvenile performance as the murdered prospector's grandson - I didn't find him whiny at all. Native Americans are hammily and stereotypically portrayed, but at least they show them as seeming to be the only people for 100 miles around who know anything about veterinary medicine, even if one good stereotype doesn't wipe out the negative ones.

    If you like or love the other Lassie films I'd say give this one a try. It's not boring and most of the film is focused on Lassie.
    helpful•8
    1
    • AlsExGal
    • Jul 14, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 4, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lassie's Adventures in the Goldrush
    • Filming locations
      • California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Bruce Cowling, Gary Gray, Paul Kelly, and Pal in The Painted Hills (1951)
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