SON OF LASSIE

US, 1945, 102 minutes, Colour.
Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, Leon Ames, Donald Curtis, Nils Asther.
Directed by S. Sylvan Simon.

Son of Lassie is the sequel to the very popular Lassie Come Home with Roddy Mc Dowall and Elizabeth Taylor.

This time the son of Lassie, Laddie, is trapped in Norway during World War Two with his owner, played well by Peter Lawford. Veterans in the cast include Donald Crisp and Nigel Bruce.

The film creates an atmosphere of World War Two – and was released in the United States just as the war in Europe was coming to an end. It still serves as patriotism and morale-boosting.

The film is very enjoyable for those who like Lassie films, there is strong characterisation as well as the atmosphere and danger of World War Two.

Director S. Sylvan Simon directed a number of popular features at MGM including Grand Central Murder, Rio Rita, Bad Bascomb with Wallace Beery and Margaret O’Brien?. His last film in the early 50s with the drama, Lust for Gold.

1. How good a sequel is this film to the original? The expectations of audiences from "Lassie Come Home"? The appeal of animal films? The appeal of dogs and children?

2. How well did the film utilize the war atmosphere? The emphasis on patriotism, the transforming of the elements of the first film into the war situation and Joe as a grown-up?

3. Creating atmosphere by presenting Lassie and Laddie? Laddie’s, loyalty to Joe in the light of Lassie's previous devotion?

4. The household and their prosperity? Joe's father and his position as training the dogs? The lord and his role? Priscilla as grown up?

5. The presentation of the mobilization for the war? The training of the dogs? The elder men being involved in the war effort?

6. What kind of person was Joe as a grown-up? His relating to dogs? Laddie’s following him to the camp? His flight, and Laddie’s waiting for him to come back?

7. The war drama and the pilot's being shot down? Joe and Laddie parachuting? The danger of their arrival?

8. The Norwegian sequences, the use of Greig's music, colour? The adventures of man and dog? The resourcefulness of Laddie? Joe's survival in enemy territory? The sequences with the German soldiers, the pleasant sequences of the children finding the dog and caring for it as well as concealing it, the sequences with the minister and praying for the dog? The family and the woman who had the hayrack? The Norwegian patriot and the scheme to escape? Joe's being rescued by the family? His being arrested?

9. The importance of the prison sequence and Laddie’s identifying Joe?

10. The menace of the German soldiers? Joe and Laddie escaping?

11. How appropriate the happy ending for man and dog, the adults, Priscilla?

12. How well did the film present human values, love of animals, sentiment and humour?