Challenge to Lassie

source: Challenge to Lassie

Trailer—Challenge to Lassie

Challenge to Lassie

Long before Mel Gibson and his Braveheart chums erroneously and treacherously painted Robert the Bruce as a traitor to the people he served so heroically, Hollywood was trampling all over the memory of that other great Scottish hero, Greyfriar's Bobby. Challenge to Lassie removes the faithful terrier, replacing him with some big shot American sheepdog, surrounded by 'actors' whose Scottish accents are so bad you wonder if they've given up half way through, tried an Irish one, realised they're not much cop at that either and tried Scottish again to no avail. Hopefully Braveheart will pay the same price for attempting to alter Scotland's proud history and be as anonymous in forty odd years as Challenge to Lassie is now. An evil, evil film.

Sorry, but this is one stupid movie. A bewigged judge and surrounding court has nothing better to do than sentence noble Lassie to death! Why? Because of some infraction of the law, and while the judge admits it's an outdated law, Lassie must be sacrificed before the law can be changed! Not even pleading kids, who scrape up money for a dog license, can convince the judge to lighten up. I figure it ended happily (I'll admit I exited before it ended, but have read of the Greyfriar's Bobby inspiration)), but really, the story was a stretch to believe--can the law of the land consider it a job well done by sacrificing an innocent collie, who never bothered anyone, because of some unwavering judicial claptrap? Sure, it's meant to be a movie with conflict, but this was just ill conceived and obnoxious. Beyond that, nicely acted, photographed and all that, but...stupid.

Its hard for me to watch this or judge it well as it seems, plot-wise, its successor 1960's Greyfriar's Bobby almost completely ripped off the plot. When I read the synopsis in the TV guide, I actually thought the movie title was misprinted. However after giving it a shot, I did notice some amazing similarities and some good differences. Differences I guess that epitomised a Lassie film back then. I know the 60's movie Greyfriar's Bobby very well, so I did chuckle at many references that was 'inspired or duplicated'. And having Donald Crisp have a role in the movie, then 11 years later appear in effectively the same movie, in a different role tied both the movies well. But to me Greyfriar's Bobby, the TRUE dog, will always be better than Lassie. Lassie or Bobby.. it doesn't really matter. The story is absolutely compelling from start to finish.

It's 1860 Edinburgh. Lassie is on trial. John Traill (Edmund Gwenn) insists on giving voice to the dog as he recounts the story. Jock Gray (Donald Crisp) saved Lassie as a pup and they become inseparable. Even after his death, she remains at his unmarked grave. The local magistrate orders the unlicensed dog be destroyed since her owner is dead and only the owner can pay for the license. It's a simple family film. The premise is a little silly if it isn't life and death for the dog. The best moment is certainly the children coming to court. It's the same as the mail bags delivered to the court to prove Santa's identity. All in all, it's good simple family fare.

Edmund Gwenn and Donald Crisp join Lassie the Collie once more after having been teamed in the otherwise-unrelated "The Hills Of Home" from 1948. This heart-tugging, family-oriented saga, based on the book "Greyfriars Bobby" by Eleanor Atkinson, involves stray, untagged Lassie with a crusty old coot who can't figure out why the dog has a confounding need to get into the Greyfriars Churchyard, where animals are forbidden. Geraldine Brooks is the proverbial pretty girl/Elizabeth Taylor substitute, Kathryn Beaumont has an uncredited bit as a neighborhood child, Gwenn is his usual spunky self, yet the whole show belongs to Lassie. Whether crossing a wide river, digging her way out of a barn, climbing out a window, or outwitting the hysterical humans, the dog is shown to a star's advantage. Story remade by Disney in 1960 (under the original title and with a Skye terrier in the lead). ** from ****

The Scottish tale about a terrier has been altered to suit a famous MGM collie by the name of LASSIE--nothing wrong with that and no reason for another commentator to call this movie "evil". Isn't that carrying the notion of "politically incorrect" a bit too far??? The novel, of course, was "Greyfriar's Bobby", the story about a dog's faithful devotion to a departed master who insisted on sleeping on the man's grave. MGM's roster of British talent play the Scots with varying degrees of success, including EDMUND GWENN, DONALD CRISP, HENRY STEPHENSON and REGINALD OWEN, with young GERALDINE BROOKS in the only important female role. It passes the time pleasantly with the usual competent production values, but can't be ranked among the best of the Lassie films.

A wonderful movie starring the original Lassie. A sad tale of an owner who dies and his loyal dog who prefers to sleep on his grave only to find it is against the law. The movie is a Lassie movie of old, that's for sure and a treat to view and watch. A real family film, entertaining for all ages. The setting is Scotland and of course, we see it is a Hollywood set, but so what? It is a wonderful film and you will become enraptured with this beautiful collie dog who acts and performs like a human being. I highly recommend the film. Very lovely, endearing and a real treat. As is any Lassie movie. Don't miss it. It comes on TV a lot or rent or buy it. It is a keeper.