Son of Lassie *** (1945, Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, William Severn, Leon Ames, Fay Helm, Nils Asther, Donald Curtis) – Classic Movie Review 4647

Director S Sylvan Simon’s sentimental but pleasing 1945 children’s adventure finds its beating heart in Laddie, the son of Lassie, who joins Joe Carraclough (Peter Lawford) as a stowaway in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War Two.

They are shot down over the enemy territory of Nazi-occupied Norway and for a while lead a dog’s life, but finally everything comes up roses.

The eternally optimistic story by Jeanne Bartlett is a difficult tale to swallow, maybe, but the MGM studio ensures that this pleasant sequel to its 1943 hit Lassie Come Home is enjoyable and particularly easy on the eye thanks to a handsome production and Charles E Schoenbaum’s beautiful Technicolor photography.

The appealing performances help a lot, with Lawford (supposedly the now grown-up version of Roddy McDowall’s character in Lassie Come Home) underplaying attractively. And there is a cute dog as Laddie, too (played by Pal, the same male collie that was Lassie in 1943!). Another dog, Major, plays Lassie.

June Lockhart plays Priscilla supposedly the now grown-up version of Elizabeth Taylor’s character in Lassie Come Home, but Donald Crisp and Nigel Bruce both return from the original as the father Sam Carraclough and the Scots Duke of Radling.

Pleasing though it is, McDowall, Taylor and Elsa Lanchester (the mother in 1943) are much missed. Lanchester was to playing the adult Priscilla but shortly after filming began, the 20-year-old Lockhart took over the role. In 1958, Lockhart took the role of Ruth Martin, who adopts orphan Timmy (Jon Provost) in the long-running TV series Lassie (1954–1971).

It was shot at Vancouver Island and Christopher Point in British Columbia and Banff National Park in Alberta, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Los Angeles in the United States. The wartime airfield scenes were shot at Patricia Bay air base, Victoria International Airport.

Also in the cast are William Severn, Leon Ames, Fay Helm, Nils Asther, Donald Curtis, Robert Lewis, Peter Helmers, Otto Reichow, Partricia Prest, Terry Moore, Leon Tyler, Lotte Palfi, Eily Maylon, Wally Cassell, Pedro de Cordoba, William Tannen, Arthur Space, Susan Simon, Hans Schumm, Lester Matthews, Charles Trewin, Leyland Hodgson, Frederick Giermann and Frederic Brunn.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4647

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com