Lassie (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
Lassie is a 2005 family-based film directed by Charles Sturridge
. When a family hits financial crisis, they have no choice but to sell Lassie
. Hundreds of miles away from home, Lassie sets out in a thrilling adventure to reclaim what is hers — her family.
At the very beginning of the film, a fox is shown being driven by some hunting dogs and somehow escapes by one kindhearted miner, Sam Carraclough. At this phase Lassie is introduced. Lassie is the dog and dear of little boy, Joe, the son of Sam. Once coal-mine is closed down and Sam loses his job. To survive from poverty, Sam sells Lassie to the Duke. But absence and loss of Lassie breaks heart of Joe. Even Lassie is eager to return back to Joe. Lassie uses many tricks to escape from the hand of Hynes who's employed to take care of Duke's pet dogs. Several times Lassie can escape from cage and get back to Joe. But remembering the deal with Duke, Sams have to sacrifice Lassie to Duke. In the meantime Duke comes to Scotland with his daughter and Lassie. Little Princess can understand Lassie's laments and once she helps Lassie escape. This time Lassie, in spite of being long way far from her old shelter, sets in to return back to Joe. Lassie finds a man along with a tiny dog named Toots travelling, on her way. She befriends with them. One day the traveler faces two snatchers one of who kills his companion Toots, the tiny dog. But Lassie saves that traveler. Then the traveler lets Lassie go to her home and bids her bye. Lassie, after travelling almost 400 miles, eventually finds her home when she becomes weary and sick for long travel and fasting. After some trouble, Joe gets back his companion Lassie and the Duke employs Sam into the vacant place of Hyne.
1940 novel Lassie Come-Home.
The movie was filmed in Scotland
, Ireland
and on the Isle of Man
, and though acclaimed by a number of critics, was generally poorly received at the box office. A New York Times
reviewer praised the film, saying it "...balances cruelty and tenderness, pathos and humor without ever losing sight of its youngest audience member" and also exclaimed, "This 'Lassie' exhibits a repertory of facial expressions that would put Jim Carrey
to shame".
from 65 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. Empire
' s Anna Smith wrote "Thanks to a relatively gritty setting and an estimable adult cast, this sentimental story is rendered bearable for adults and children alike". BBC
's Neil Smith said "The combination of everyone's favourite canine and eye-catching Irish and Isle of Man locations ensure this nostalgic shaggy-dog story sends you home with your tail wagging."
Charles Sturridge
Charles B. G. Sturridge is an English screenwriter, producer, stage, television and film director.-Personal life:Sturridge was born in London, England to Alyson Bowman Vaughan and Jerome Sturridge. He was educated at Stonyhurst College...
. When a family hits financial crisis, they have no choice but to sell Lassie
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six...
. Hundreds of miles away from home, Lassie sets out in a thrilling adventure to reclaim what is hers — her family.
Plot
Sam Carraclough, a miner who struggles to earn enough money to feed his family, sells the family's collie, Lassie, to the Duke of Rudling, leaving his young son heartbroken over the loss of his canine companion. The film follows Lassie on the collie's 500-mile journey from the Duke of Rudling's estate in the Scottish Highlands to the Carraclough home.At the very beginning of the film, a fox is shown being driven by some hunting dogs and somehow escapes by one kindhearted miner, Sam Carraclough. At this phase Lassie is introduced. Lassie is the dog and dear of little boy, Joe, the son of Sam. Once coal-mine is closed down and Sam loses his job. To survive from poverty, Sam sells Lassie to the Duke. But absence and loss of Lassie breaks heart of Joe. Even Lassie is eager to return back to Joe. Lassie uses many tricks to escape from the hand of Hynes who's employed to take care of Duke's pet dogs. Several times Lassie can escape from cage and get back to Joe. But remembering the deal with Duke, Sams have to sacrifice Lassie to Duke. In the meantime Duke comes to Scotland with his daughter and Lassie. Little Princess can understand Lassie's laments and once she helps Lassie escape. This time Lassie, in spite of being long way far from her old shelter, sets in to return back to Joe. Lassie finds a man along with a tiny dog named Toots travelling, on her way. She befriends with them. One day the traveler faces two snatchers one of who kills his companion Toots, the tiny dog. But Lassie saves that traveler. Then the traveler lets Lassie go to her home and bids her bye. Lassie, after travelling almost 400 miles, eventually finds her home when she becomes weary and sick for long travel and fasting. After some trouble, Joe gets back his companion Lassie and the Duke employs Sam into the vacant place of Hyne.
Production
This is the 11th movie about Lassie, according to the producers. It is based on Eric Knight'sEric Knight
Eric Knight was an author who is mainly notable for creating the fictional collie Lassie.Born on 10 April 1897, in Menston in Yorkshire, England, Eric Mowbray Knight was the third of four sons born to Frederic Harrison and Marion Hilda Knight, both Quakers...
1940 novel Lassie Come-Home.
The movie was filmed in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, and though acclaimed by a number of critics, was generally poorly received at the box office. A New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reviewer praised the film, saying it "...balances cruelty and tenderness, pathos and humor without ever losing sight of its youngest audience member" and also exclaimed, "This 'Lassie' exhibits a repertory of facial expressions that would put Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
to shame".
Cast
- Jonathan MasonJonathan Mason (actor)Jonathan Mason is an English actor. He stars in the lead role of the 2005 version of Lassie.He is most notable for the part of Joe Carraclough in Lassie and as the roles of James, in Nits and Alistair Fury on The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury.He also had a minor role in Vincent in 2006. Jonathon...
— Joe Carraclough - Peter O'ToolePeter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
— The Duke of Rudling - Samantha MortonSamantha MortonSamantha Jane Morton is an English actress and film director. She began her performing career with guest roles in television shows such as Soldier Soldier and Boon before making her film debut in the 1997 drama film This Is the Sea, playing the character of Hazel Stokes...
— Sarah Carraclough - John LynchJohn Lynch (actor)John Lynch is an Irish actor from Northern Ireland.-Biography:John Lynch was born in the United Kingdom and moved to his father's native home in Corrinshego, County Armagh, near Newry, County Down in Northern Ireland as a child. He attended St Colman's College, Newry, a Catholic school...
— Sam Carraclough - Steve PembertonSteve PembertonSteve James Pemberton is an English actor, comedian, writer and performer, most famous as a member of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
— Hynes - Hester Odgers — Cilla
- Jemma RedgraveJemma RedgraveJemma Redgrave is a fourth-generation English actress of the Redgrave family.-Early life/family:Born in London as Jemima Rebecca Redgrave, she is the daughter of the late actor Corin Redgrave and his first wife, the late Deirdre Hamilton-Hill, a former fashion model. They divorced when Jemma was...
— Daisy - Peter DinklagePeter DinklagePeter Dinklage is an American film, television and theater actor. Since his breakout role in the 2003 film The Station Agent, he has acted in Elf, Underdog, Find Me Guilty, the 2007 film Death at a Funeral and its 2010 remake, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian...
— Rowlie - Edward FoxEdward Fox (actor)Edward Charles Morice Fox, OBE is an English stage, film and television actor.He is generally associated with portraying the role of the upper-class Englishman, such as the title character in the film The Day of the Jackal and King Edward VIII in the serial Edward & Mrs...
— Colonel Hulton - Gregor FisherGregor FisherGregor Fisher is a Scottish comedian and actor.-Early life:Fisher was born in Glasgow and following the death of his parents was brought up in Edinburgh, Langholm and Neilston and attended Barrhead High School...
— Mapes - Kelly MacdonaldKelly MacdonaldKelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress, known for her role in the independent film Trainspotting and mainstream releases such as Nanny McPhee, Gosford Park, Intermission, No Country for Old Men and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2...
— Jeanie - Nicholas LyndhurstNicholas LyndhurstNicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies...
— Buckle - Mason (uncredited) — Lassie
- DR Dakota (uncredited) - Lassie (action Lassie in movie)
Critical reception
The film received mostly positive reviews from films critics. It currently holds a 93% rating at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
from 65 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Neil Smith said "The combination of everyone's favourite canine and eye-catching Irish and Isle of Man locations ensure this nostalgic shaggy-dog story sends you home with your tail wagging."