Son of Lassie
Encyclopedia
Son of Lassie is a 1945 feature film
produced by MGM based on characters created by Eric Knight, and starring Peter Lawford
, Donald Crisp
, June Lockhart
and Lassie
. A sequel to Lassie Come Home
, the film focuses on the now adult Joe Carraclough after he joins the Royal Air Force
during the World War II
and is shot down over Nazi-occupied Norway along with stowaway, Lassie's son "Laddie"–played by Lassie
. It was released theatrically on April 20, 1945.
Laddie, being considered as a "war dog", follows Joe to training school and then stows away on his master's bomber, just as it takes off on a dangerous mission over Nazi-occupied Norway. The two are forced to parachute when hit by enemy fire. Laddie seeks help for his injured master and while they are separated with Joe being captured, the dog is pursued by enemy soldiers, first being sheltered by young Norwegian children and then by a freedom-fighter who is killed. Laddie reaches the prisoner-of-war camp where his master had been taken.
The German guards use Laddie to seek out his master who had escaped. In his search for Joe who is forced into a labor detail on a coastal gun emplacement, Laddie is reunited with his master and thereafter, the two race for their lives to reach friendly lines as the Nazis pursue them. Finally free, both Joe and Laddie make their way back to the Rudling estate to reunite with Lassie, Sam Carraclough, Joe's father and Priscilla, the Duke of Rudling's granddaughter.
Principal filming took place from May to November 1944, in various locations throughout western Canada
, including Vancouver Island
and Christopher Point in British Columbia
, Banff National Park
in Alberta
, as well as Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Los Angeles
in the United States.
The wartime airfield scenes were shot at the air base at Patricia Bay which is now Victoria International Airport
. The aircraft used included Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters, Bristol Bolingbroke
and Lockheed Ventura
bombers of the Royal Canadian Air Force
.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, John Charles Reed sued MGM in October 1947 for plagiarism
, claiming the film script was based on his 1943 story "Candy". The jury disagreed and the suit was dismissed.
The movie reportedly popularized the name "Lad" for male dogs. Pal
, the original male collie who played Lassie in Lassie Come Home
(1943) played Laddie. A 20-year old June Lockhart, whose screen career had consisted of bit parts, had a more meaningful connection to the iconic Lassie story when in 1958, she took on the role of Ruth Martin, who adopts orphan Timmy (Jon Provost
) in the long-running (CBS, 1954-1971) TV series "Lassie".
home video release came on September 1, 1998. It was first released to Region 1 DVD by Warner Home Video
on August 24, 2004. It was re-released on November 7, 2006 in a three-movie, 2-disc set along Lassie Come Home
and Courage of Lassie
.
in the New York Times of June 11, 1945, felt the sequel to Lassie Come Home
fell short of "being a worthy heir to the champion" and further noted, "The resulting film, which, while it undoubtedly will be a delight for dog lovers, evolves mainly as a lengthy, contrived and only occasionally suspenseful melodrama handsomely dressed in the lovely polychromes of Technicolor." He praised the main players and concluded, "it is the winsome Laddie and Lassie who romp away with the acting laurels of this pretty but incredible picture."
Variety characterized the principal actors as "excellent" but the film was "sticky sentiment, and flamboyant adventures, carry[ing] sufficient interest to move it along."
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
produced by MGM based on characters created by Eric Knight, and starring Peter Lawford
Peter Lawford
Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen , better known as Peter Lawford, was an English-American actor.He was a member of the "Rat Pack", and brother-in-law to US President John F. Kennedy, perhaps more noted in later years for his off-screen activities as a celebrity than for his acting...
, Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
, June Lockhart
June Lockhart
June Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
and Lassie
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six...
. A sequel to Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie...
, the film focuses on the now adult Joe Carraclough after he joins the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and is shot down over Nazi-occupied Norway along with stowaway, Lassie's son "Laddie"–played by Lassie
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six...
. It was released theatrically on April 20, 1945.
Plot
In Yorkshire, England at the estate of the Duke of Rudling, the British Army converted the grounds into a training camp for war dogs. The camp is placed under the supervision of Sam Carraclough, the kennel caretaker, who immediately begins the process of selecting the best dogs for training, including Laddie, the young pup of the champion collie, Lassie. Joe Carraclough, now an adult, joins the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Departing for training school, he is forced to leave behind his dog Lassie and her pup, Laddie.Laddie, being considered as a "war dog", follows Joe to training school and then stows away on his master's bomber, just as it takes off on a dangerous mission over Nazi-occupied Norway. The two are forced to parachute when hit by enemy fire. Laddie seeks help for his injured master and while they are separated with Joe being captured, the dog is pursued by enemy soldiers, first being sheltered by young Norwegian children and then by a freedom-fighter who is killed. Laddie reaches the prisoner-of-war camp where his master had been taken.
The German guards use Laddie to seek out his master who had escaped. In his search for Joe who is forced into a labor detail on a coastal gun emplacement, Laddie is reunited with his master and thereafter, the two race for their lives to reach friendly lines as the Nazis pursue them. Finally free, both Joe and Laddie make their way back to the Rudling estate to reunite with Lassie, Sam Carraclough, Joe's father and Priscilla, the Duke of Rudling's granddaughter.
Cast
- PalPal (dog actor)Pal was a Rough Collie actor and the first in a line of such dogs to portray the fictional female collie Lassie in film and television. Pal was born in California in 1940 and eventually brought to the notice of Rudd Weatherwax, a Hollywood animal trainer. In 1943, the dog was chosen to play Lassie...
as Laddie - Peter LawfordPeter LawfordPeter Sydney Ernest Aylen , better known as Peter Lawford, was an English-American actor.He was a member of the "Rat Pack", and brother-in-law to US President John F. Kennedy, perhaps more noted in later years for his off-screen activities as a celebrity than for his acting...
as Joe Carraclough - Donald CrispDonald CrispDonald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
as Sam Carraclough, Joe's father - June LockhartJune LockhartJune Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
as Priscilla, the Duke of Rudling's granddaughter - Nigel BruceNigel BruceWilliam Nigel Ernle Bruce , best known as Nigel Bruce, was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Doctor Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes...
as Duke of Rudling, grandfather to Priscilla - Donald Curtis as Sergeant Eddie Brown
- Robert Lewis as Sergeant Schmidt
- Nils AstherNils AstherNils Anton Alfhild Asther was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo"...
as Olav - William Severn as Henrik
- Leon AmesLeon Ames (actor)Leon Ames was an American film and television actor. He is best remembered for playing fatherly figures in such films as Meet Me in St. Louis , as Judy Garland's father, and in Little Women ....
as Anton
Production
Produced under the working title, Laddie, Son of Lassie, the film originally had Elsa Lanchester playing the role of the adult Priscilla. Shortly after filming began, June Lockhart took over the role. It was the first movie filmed using the Technicolor Monobook method.Principal filming took place from May to November 1944, in various locations throughout western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, including Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
and Christopher Point in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, as well as Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the United States.
The wartime airfield scenes were shot at the air base at Patricia Bay which is now Victoria International Airport
Victoria International Airport
Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of the city, in North Saanich, quite close to the town of Sidney on the Saanich Peninsula...
. The aircraft used included Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters, Bristol Bolingbroke
Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke
The Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke was a maritime patrol aircraft used by the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Built by Fairchild-Canada, it was a variant of the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV bomber.-Design and development:...
and Lockheed Ventura
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...
bombers of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, John Charles Reed sued MGM in October 1947 for plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
, claiming the film script was based on his 1943 story "Candy". The jury disagreed and the suit was dismissed.
The movie reportedly popularized the name "Lad" for male dogs. Pal
Pal (dog actor)
Pal was a Rough Collie actor and the first in a line of such dogs to portray the fictional female collie Lassie in film and television. Pal was born in California in 1940 and eventually brought to the notice of Rudd Weatherwax, a Hollywood animal trainer. In 1943, the dog was chosen to play Lassie...
, the original male collie who played Lassie in Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie...
(1943) played Laddie. A 20-year old June Lockhart, whose screen career had consisted of bit parts, had a more meaningful connection to the iconic Lassie story when in 1958, she took on the role of Ruth Martin, who adopts orphan Timmy (Jon Provost
Jon Provost
Jon Provost is a former child actor of film and television. He is best known for his role as young Timmy Martin in the CBS series, Lassie....
) in the long-running (CBS, 1954-1971) TV series "Lassie".
Release
Son of Lassie was released to theaters on April 20, 1945. A VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
home video release came on September 1, 1998. It was first released to Region 1 DVD by Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
on August 24, 2004. It was re-released on November 7, 2006 in a three-movie, 2-disc set along Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie...
and Courage of Lassie
Courage of Lassie
Courage of Lassie is a 1946 MGM feature film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Morgan, and dog actor Pal in a story about a collie named Bill and his young companion, Kathie Merrick. When Bill is separated from Kathie following a vehicular accident, he is trained as a war dog, performs heroically,...
.
Reception
Bosley CrowtherBosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther was a journalist and author who was film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His reviews and articles helped shape the careers of actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were unnecessarily mean...
in the New York Times of June 11, 1945, felt the sequel to Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie...
fell short of "being a worthy heir to the champion" and further noted, "The resulting film, which, while it undoubtedly will be a delight for dog lovers, evolves mainly as a lengthy, contrived and only occasionally suspenseful melodrama handsomely dressed in the lovely polychromes of Technicolor." He praised the main players and concluded, "it is the winsome Laddie and Lassie who romp away with the acting laurels of this pretty but incredible picture."
Variety characterized the principal actors as "excellent" but the film was "sticky sentiment, and flamboyant adventures, carry[ing] sufficient interest to move it along."