Synopsis

The film is set on the eve of World War II in a Yorkshire mining town. After falling on hard times due to the closure of the local mine, the Carraclough family is forced to sell Lassie, their beloved dog, to the Duke of Rudling. When she succeeds in escaping her cage and returning home, Lassie finds herself transported five hundred miles away to the Duke’s remote castle on the northern coast of Scotland. However, she is determined to defy the odds and return to the home she loves. So begins an incredible adventure, set against a stunning series of landscapes, that sees Lassie facing dangers both natural and human and finding help in unexpected places as she makes her way across the country, in an attempt to reach home in time for Christmas.

What The Critics Say

"The Legend of Lassieis superbly preserved by write director Charles Sturridge who has taken his inspiration from the original novel Lassie Come Home. The casting is spot on especially Jonathan Mason and Peter O’Toole who both nail their characters with much conviction. Howard Atherton’s cinematography captures the stunning landscapes of the Scottish highlands that serve as the backdrop for Lassie’s journey. 4 STARS." Jaimie Leonarder SBS THE MOVIE SHOW "The cinematography in 'Lassie' is breathtaking, and director Charles Sturridge has carefully crafted and executed this impressive family film." Geoff Roberts REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS "The movie Lassie demonstrates that for a dog, the love of a family is more important than a fancy kennel or a nice bed. Lassie journeys home, against difficult odds out of loyalty for her family and the love she has for them and they for her." YOUNG MEDIA AUSTRALIA

"Lassie’s come home! Not that she ever really went away. This is the 11th Lassie film, and who could begrudge another young generation this timeless story of a boy and his beloved dog." Shane Brady BRISBANE NEWS "Lassie is a thoroughly enjoyable family film of the sort that they really don't make anymore. However, be warned, if you take young children to see this you may find yourself getting a border collie for Christmas." Matthew Turner VIEWLONDON "No need to teach this old dog new tricks. Lassie's been around for 60-plus years and in Charles Sturridge's adaptation of the yarn, it's as if a day hasn't passed. This is the sort of kids' film they don't make any more - no special effects, smart pop-culture references, hip-hop soundtrack or tie-in toys." Chris Bartlett THE COURIER MAIL

The Inside Story It's amazing how many "Lassie" lovers believe the story of "Lassie" is an American story. Even director Charles Sturridge believe Lassie was an American story. "I had a conversation with somebody about producing a film of Lassie set in Scotland and being rather ignorant, I thought, isn’t Lassie an American story. Anyway I sat down and read the book and was rather surprised." "In a way a lot of people think Lassie in an American story. But it’s the quintessentially British children’s novel and in a way what we’re doing here is reminding people it’s this classic British story," says producer Ed Guiney. In fact "Lassie" first came to the attention of the public when a short story by Eric Mowbray Knight was published on December 17th 1938 by 'The Saturday Evening Post'. Knights first came in contact with the breed of Collie Dog when he and his wife Jere lived for a while on a farm. They had a number of dog breeds including Collies. When they moved to California, their pet terrier was killed in an accident. In an effort to help Jere get over the loss of the dog, Kinight purchased a Collie pup as a Christmas gift for her. In a twist of fate, "Toots" [as the dog was called], instantly bonded to Knight and the two became inseparable. Later Eric & Jere relocated to New York. It was here that he actually wrote the story short story "Lassie Come-Home." Impressed by the popularity of the story, John C Winston Publishing Company "picked up the publishing rights." Two years later Knight's immortal tale "Lassie Come Home" was puplished. In 1943 the story hit picture theatres when the motion picture, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell and Lassie, was released. Unfortunately Knight didn't get to see the finished film, although he did visit the film set in 1942. He was tragically killed in killed "in action while on board a transport plane that crashed in the jungles of Dutch Guiana." When it came to making the eleventh "Lassie" film, producer Guiney says Sturridge was the ideal man for the job. "He absolutely loved the book and he’s the right mix of humour with the right sense of drama and he’s fantastic with cast. I think he’s absolutely perfect for it." The strength of the film is in both Sturridge's script and the strength of the cast. The script won a few people over. "Charles Sturridge sent me a script entitled Lassie and I chuckled," veteran actor Peter O'Toole says. "Charles and I have done a few films together but another thing we have in common is that neither of us have seen the other Lassies and, unlike Charles I have never read the book though I read Charles’ script and liked it very much. I rang him straightaway and said, I’m on." Nine year old Hester Odgers, who plays alongside O'Tooles character was pretty impressed. "The first time I really heard about it was when the director came to my school and he explained it and whoever wanted to go at break time could go to the audition," she recalled. "There were lots of girls who were experienced and the next thing we knew I was called back for a third audition and it was just me and Laura left. She’s a really good friend and mum was preparing me for Laura getting the part and the director said it was very, very close." Casting director Celestia Fox and Sturridge visited dozens of Yorkshire schools interviewing hundreds of children for the part of Joe, the young boy who cherishes his dog Lassie. "When I first met Jonathan, I asked him to describe the best day of his life to me and he started to talk about being at this party where there was lots if food. It dawned on me that he was describing an awards ceremony and it turned out that he had appeared in a BAFTA nominated short film called 'Nits'." John Lynch, who playsJoe's onscreen father felt drawn to the role. "It’s a very well known story and I remember the original and also I remember the book. It’s a really strong story about loyalty, commitment and faith. It’s just a really nice story to do, a really nice thing to be part of," he explained And it seems that when it came to shooting the film Lassie's star appeal is still big. "I wasn’t around in the 50’s but the TV show, in the States, it’s just a legend," says Peter Dinklage. "The other day when we were shooting in town, people treat her like a rock star. 'Look there’s Lassie'. It’s like an immortal dog that only appears in his own films." But which Lassie was it? In the original 1943 version, seven dogs were used to play the part of Lassie. In the 2005 version just three were used. Each dog had it's own personal strengths and these combine to make up what appears to be a single mutt in this latest edition. Sturridge explained that "most of the work was done by one dog, Mason. Dakota, the second Collie, acted for the most part as the 'stunt' dog. It was clear from the start that Dakota was incredibly brave and that when it came to jumping, running and swimming, Dakota was happy to take on any challenge. Dakota’s brother, Carter, also helped by appearing in one or two shots so that between them, they make up the Lassie that you see on screen." The Verdict "The story of Lassie has thrilled generations of children and adults alike. Now Charles Sturridge takes us back to the grass roots of the legend behind this much loved dog, Lassie. "Lassie" retains all the charm of previous feature. An ideal outing for all the family. Recommended." Lassie: A Journey Through Time

1938 1940 1943 1945 1946 1946 1948 1949 1950 1951 1954 1955 1956 1957 1960 1963 1964 1964 1973 1975 1979 1989 1994 1997 2004 2005

Eric Knight’s short story ‘Lassie Come Home’ premieres in The Saturday Evening Post. Knight expands the “Lassie Come Home’ short story into a best-selling novel. "Lassie Come Home" is released in theatres starring Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowell and Lassie. Son of Lassie premieres. Lassie radio show begins and runs until 1949. The Courage of Lassie premieres. The Hills of Home premieres. The Sun Comes Up premieres. The Challenge to Lassie premieres. The Painted Hills premieres. Lassie debuts on television and airs for 20 consecutive years, nearly the longest run in television history. Lassie wins the Emmy Award for Best Children’s Television Series. Lassie wins the Emmy Award for Best Children’s Television Series for the second consecutive year. Jon Provost joins Lassie TV series and immortalizes the role of Timmy. Lassie is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Five-part television episode ‘The Journey’ airs and is later edited into the movie Lassie’s Great Adventure. Robert Bray stars as Corey Stuart, Lassie’ new owner, as the episode premieres in colour. Lassie begins syndication. Lassie’s Rescue Rangers cartoon premieres on CBS. Lassie, Adventures of Neeka is released. The Magic of Lassie premieres, co-starring Jimmy Stewart. The New Lassie premieres on television. Lassie, Best Friends are Forever feature film is released. Lassie, a new series, premieres on the Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet. Lassie celebrates her 50th television anniversary. Lassie’s 11th movie, ‘Lassie,’ premieres in the UK.

Cast & Crew Bytes "LASSIE" stars .......
John Lynch ["The Railway Station Man", "The Secret Garden", "Moll Flanders" and "Sliding Doors"]; Steve Pemberton ["Birthday Girl", "Churchill: The Hollywood Years", "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" and "Match Point"]; Edward Fox ["A Feast at Midnight", "The Importance of Being Earnest", "Nicholas Nickleby" and "Stage Beauty"]; Samantha Morton ["Under the Skin", "Sweet and Lowdown", "Minority Report" and "In America"]; Kelly Macdonald ["The Loss of Sexual Innocence", "Gosford Park", "Intermission" and "Finding Neverland"] and Peter O'Toole ["Lawrence of Arabia", "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", "Man Friday", "The Last Emperor", "The Manor" and "Bright Young Things"] as the Duke of Rudling.
"LASSIE" was .......
directed by Charles Sturridge ["Runners", "A Handful Of Dust", "Where Angels Fear to Tread" and "A Foreign Field"]; screenplay by Charles Sturridge ["A Handful of Dust" and "Where Angels Fear To Tread"]; original story by Eric Knight ["Invitation To Life" and "The Flying Yorkshireman"]; cinematography by Howard Atherton ["Lolita" and "Colour Me Kubrick"]; costume design by Charlotte Walter ["I Capture the Castle" and "A Cock and Bull Story"] production design by John Paul Kelly ["I Capture the Castle" and "Enduring Love"]. Run Time 99 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Icon Film Distribution - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved