Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.
... View MoreIf you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
... View MoreThe film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
... View MoreThe movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.
... View MoreS. Sylvan Simon directed this sequel to "Lassie Come Home", set several years later, with Lassie's son being a trained war dog who assists a grown-up Joe(now played by Peter Lawford) while he is behind enemy lines in Norway during WWII, where he is now a soldier who must flee the Nazis in his bid for freedom. June Lockhart takes over the role of Priscilla from Elizabeth Taylor, who here is romantically involved with Joe, praying for his safe return. Donald Crisp returns as his father Sam, and Nigel Bruce also returns as the Duke of Rudling. Entertaining continuation of the first film pretty much gets it right with an interesting wartime setting, though it's a pity the time-frame didn't allow the return of original actors Roddy McDowall & Elizabeth Taylor, though Lawford & Lockhart do just fine.
... View MoreSequel to the first Lassie film. Joe Carraclough (Roddy McDowell in the first film, Peter Lawford here) is home briefly from the war. He loves a dog named Laddie (who may be the son of Lassie--it's never made clear). He still loves Priscilla (Elizabeth Taylor in the first, June Lockhart here). He takes Laddie with him to the Army (!!!) and soon he and Laddie are trapped in occupied Norway.This is strictly for the kids. The dialogue is on the level of a bad Archie comic book, there's zero characterization and one sequence with four children has some of the worst acting I've ever seen in a movie. Also they're constantly pushing Laddie in your face so you can go "awwwwwwwww". Still this is shot in gorgeous Technicolor, has stunning scenery and Laddie is a good actor (so to speak). More for kids though--as an adult I was getting pretty bored. It was kind of fun to see Lockhart here considering she was in the Lassie TV show about a decade later. Parents should know a man is shot dead (no blood), Laddie is shot also and is constantly being put in danger. That might bother some kids. I give it a 7.
... View MoreI was surprised to discover how much I enjoyed this movie. Having traveled in beautiful Norway several years ago -- the land of my ancestors -- and visited the WWII Resistance Museum in Oslo, the movie was of particular interest to me. I suspected the location shots were in Canada, for having traveled across the mountains of Norway, something didn't appear quite right, but very close. Lassie's performance as 'Laddie' is amazing and so many of the cast give fine performances, including a very young (22) Peter Lawford. Watch also for teenage Terry Moore! And sadly, one of the last movie roles by handsome former silent star Nils Asther as he slid into obscurity by the end of the '40s. Ironically, there is also 20-year-old June Lockhart, who later played the mother two decades later in the Lassie series on TV. A nice touch is the music of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg used throughout the score. Fine film for family viewing.
... View MoreThis is a fine movie for animal lovers, for it is far more that the usual canine showcase. It is an exceptionally well made film in terms of technical excellence. The dialogue is always appropriate, the cinematography is very good, and the color is flawless. As the movie progresses the symbiotic relationship between Joe (Peter Lawford) and Laddie (son of a Lassie) enhances both roles. The cultural setting is that of World War Two, and Laddie experiences the full range of wartime threats, from being bombed to being captured, and so on. The supporting actors are good beyond expectation, and the topography of Norway (even though the movie was filmed in Canada) is precise. What is particularly unique about this film is that Laddie is not portrayed as a human in dog's clothing. Laddie is a dog that does what dogs do, both rightly and wrongly. One wonders how many children in the post-war era better understood war and its dangers after seeing this film. There must have been many. Bottom line: Lawford is better as a member of the dog pack that he ever was as one of the rat pack. This movie should not be missed!
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