- Film Review
- Reviewed By Sloan Freer
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4 out of 5
Canny canine Lassie is brushed up for a new generation in this solidly entertaining period adventure from FairyTale: a True Story director Charles Sturridge. Based on the same novel as 1943 classic Lassie Come Home, it explores the unbreakable bond between the collie and a poor miner's son in 1930s Yorkshire. Lip-quivering Jonathan Mason conveys just the right amount of pathos as the lad left brokenhearted when his destitute parents sell the pet to Peter O'Toole's local aristocrat. However, not even the Duke taking the dog away to Scotland can sever Joe and Lassie's ties, prompting an adventure-packed escape as she struggles to return home. Thanks to handsome cinematography and well-fleshed characters played by an impressive cast including O'Toole, Samantha Morton and John Lynch, this delightful film quickly transcends the predictable storyline. It is poignant, yet never mawkish, benefiting from subtle humour and a gritty undercurrent of social tension. Lassie's cuteness alone will enthral children, but the picture's greatest strength lies in its willingness to explore deeper and more mature themes.
Plot Summary
Period adventure starring Peter O'Toole, John Lynch and Samantha Morton. In a poor 1930s Yorkshire mining town, young Joe Carraclough and his collie Lassie share an unbreakable bond. But when the mine closes down, forcing Joe's parents to sell the pet, both boy and dog are heart-broken, and after a number of escapes, Lassie's new owner, the Duke of Rudling, takes her away to remotest Scotland...
Cast and crew
Cast
- The Duke
- Peter O'Toole
- Sarah Carraclough
- Samantha Morton
- Sam Carraclough
- John Lynch
- Joe
- Jonathan Mason
- Rowlie
- Peter Dinklage
- Cilla
- Hester Odgers
- Hynes
- Steve Pemberton
- Daisy
- Jemma Redgrave
- Mapes
- Gregor Fisher
- Jeanie
- Kelly Macdonald
- Hulton
- Edward Fox
- Mr Justice Murray
- Robert Hardy
- Buckles
- Nicholas Lyndhurst
Crew
- Director
- Charles Sturridge
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