Lassie (2005)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Eric Knight (novel)
Charles Sturridge (writer)

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

Tagline:

More Than A Hero. A Legend.

Plot:

A family in financial crisis is forced to sell Lassie, their beloved dog. Hundreds of miles away from her true family, Lassie escapes and sets out on a journey home.

Plot Keywords:

Lassie | Dog | Dogcatcher | Scottish Highlands | Christmas

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	The Duke
Samantha Morton	...	Sarah Carraclough
John Lynch	...	Sam Carraclough
Peter Dinklage	...	Rowlie
Gerry O'Brien	...	Watson
Steve Pemberton	...	Hynes
Eamonn Hunt	...	Alf Patterson
Edward Fox	...	Hulton
Jim Roche	...	Miner
John Standing	...	French
Gregor Fisher	...	Mapes
Jonathan Mason	...	Joe Carraclough
Brian Pettifer	...	O'Donnell
Paul Meade	...	Policeman
Jamie Lee	...	Tom

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild violent content and language.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA | France | Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Finland:K-7 | Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl | Singapore:PG | USA:PG | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Odyssey Entertainment

Trivia:

One thread that connects all the Lassie projects is Lassie herself. Every one of the long string of Lassie productions has featured a collie directly descended from the original canine star, a dog named Pal. The new film was made with 8-year-old Lassie the ninth, and three other non-related collies, whose biggest challenge were in scenes swimming across Loch Ness on her way home. "They weren't bred to be water dogs, who have more webbing between their feet and more fat on their body to insulate them for the water," said trainer Carol Riggins, who has steered the Lassie stable through Lassies seven, eight and nine. "Collies don't have that. When you put them in the water, as soon as they get wet to the skin you have to take them out and you have to blow dry them before you can do the rest of the scene. When they get in the water they get cold and their muscles don't work as well."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The steam train has a British Railways logo on the tender, but British Railways didn't come into existence until after the war, certainly not before or during the war, the period in which the film is set.

Movie Connections:

References Grand Hotel (1932)

A wonderful film the whole family will enjoy

It is so refreshing to watch a family film that doesn't have to rely only on special effects to tell the story. This film is just how they used to make films with great acting, beautiful photography and of course a lovely story. It's full of emotion and soul and it's just a good all round film the whole family will enjoy. It's about a boy and his parents who fall on hard times and have to sell their beloved dog, which gets taken hundreds of miles away. But his love for his dog never falters and the dogs love for its owners makes it determined to escape and travel the vast distance to get home. We have watched a few blockbusters lately but this film deserves praise. It might have a lower budget, but it has something that we all deep down want out of a film.