THE HILLS OF HOME

US, 1948, 97 minutes, Colour.
Edmund Gwenn, Janet Leight, Donald Crisp, Tom Drake.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox.

The Hills of Home is a Lassie story. Fred M. Wilcox directed the classic Lassie Come Home in 1943, There were several sequels, Son of Lassie and Challenge to Lassie. In the late fifties, M.G.M. devised various stories which would employ a collie dog and so capitalise on the popularity of Lassie. This film is one of the best with its Scottish setting and the focus on elderly doctor Edmund Gwenn and his devotion to Lassie. The young Janet Leigh teams with Tom Drake as the romantic leads. There is an atmosphere about Hills of Home which is very engaging for family audiences and Lassie goes through the heroics very well. It is one of the better film featuring a dog.

1. The appeal of this film, Lassie, the 40s, now? The quality of the film,in comparison with other Lassie films?

2. The importance of the opening, the explanation of the time and the place, the highlands, the way of life and the people there? Introducing the audience to the place?

3. The focus on Doctor Maclare within this explanation? The warmth of his personality, his skills as a doctor,, his dedication, his age and his kindness, his response to people? How well was this illustrated with his going to people’s houses and sick beds? The way that he was paid for work at the County Fair? how understanding and kind?

4. The film’s focus on Lassie? The attraction of the dog? Her fear of water, Milton, being brutal to her and selling her off, tricking the doctor? The way that the doctor trained the dog? The appeal?

5. Why do audlences respond well to the combination of doctor and dog?

6. The characters in the town? The doctor’s best friend and his continued support, even financially for helping Tommas to be a doctor? Milton and his hostility and yet his being benefited by the doctor? His change of attitudes towards Tomas being a doctor and helping him? Margaret as an attractive heroine, her love for Tomas and helping the doctor? Her doubting the doctor’s ability with her mother’s illness? Her warmth of heart and support of Tomas? Engaging people in this country village?

7. How well did the f ilm show us examples of the doctor’s work? Heart warnings?

8. How did the doctor explain his philosophy of life? His dedication, understanding of illness? Interest in new developments? His willingness to invite others in when they were needed and he was unable to help?

9. The importance of the scene with the doctor, the fear and the river and the doctor's fear? M~tfq reaction? The London paper, a tribute to Dr. Maclure?

10. The build up to Tomas’ operation? The testing of the chloroform on Lassie? The change of attitude in Milton and his letting Tomas be a doctor?

9. The doctor growing old and continuing his kindness, the film's picture of the passing of the years?

12. The accident of the doctor falling off his horse? The river and the various times the audience had seen the river in flood? Awareness that Lassie had already failed in crossing the river? The courage to go through the river? The value of the doctorte tra~ Milton being abel to track dmm the doctor?

13. How sad was the death of the doctor? His own satisfaction in dying because he had lived a good life and had provided for a successor? Tomas’ visit to his grave?

14. How much sentiment m was there in the film? Did it become sentimental? What positive sides of human nature did it portray? How well? Why do audiences need an optimistic outlook?