It’s a Dog’s Life – The Appeal of Lassie Movies
The appeal of Lassie movies is nothing more than heart. Heart of an animal’s love for a human that risks everything for that loved one, even its life. It is true Lassie never died in the movie or TV series, but the risk was always there in the plot. That is one reason that Lassie was so popular with kids and adults alike. However, it was only one reason, and it was not the most important.
Lassie’s character started out in book form from a writer named Eric Knight. It was a short story that Knight submitted to The Saturday Evening Post, and it was based around the antics and life with his own longhaired collie, Toots. Later the stories were turned into a book. It is funny to think that Knight was not a dog writer, but a semi prolific writer of novels that would be turned into major movie adaptations of his books, like The Flying Yorkshireman. Sadly, he did not live long enough to write anymore Lassie stories because he died in a plane crash after the story was published. The popularity of Lassie gradually grew over the years to include motion pictures and TV. Later it spawned toys, and lunch boxes throughout America.
The first major motion picture starring Lassie was “Lassie Come Home” in 1943. It was adapted almost word for word from the short story about his Toots. The movie’s plot about Lassie was that she returned after being sold because of farm debt, back to her beloved owner, the son and father. It was not just that she returned, but she traveled across Scotland and into England to get home. How appealing it is when something loves so much that they would sacrifice a comfortable home, to return to the ones they love. It is devotion to the 10th degree.
“Son of Lassie” in 1944 was a sequel, but it was an action packed adventure for movie fans of Lassie. It starred the brother in law of future President John F. Kennedy, Peter Lawford. Lawford’s love interest co-star was June Lockhart, who later starred in the TV series Lassie. In 1946 another Lassie movie was made that was just as action packed, but in many ways, was more graphic about the trials and tribulations of K9 units in military battles. Both movies demonstrated how loyal and brave Lassie was to the people that loved her. She would risk her life to defend her owner’s life, and bravery proves loyalty to the extreme.
Two movies of Lassie, one in 1948 “Hills of Home”, and “Lassie’s Great Adventure” in 1963 show Lassie with great backdrop settings, and the 1963 movie was in color. In “Lassie’s Great Adventure” she rides it out with Timmy, her owner, after they are trapped in a run away hot air balloon, all the way to Canada. When they land, Lassie takes care of Timmy, and wards off the dangers in the wilderness. In “Hills of Home” Lassie manages to save people from a dangerous fall off an old ice covered wooden bridge, even though she is afraid of water. Lassies character in both movies was one of dependability and steadfastness. She was there when needed, and it did not matter what her fears were, she overcame them because she cared and loved others.
Today some people find the story lines a bit contrived and forced. Some even say that the messages are hokey, and not to be believed. Maybe that was the magic of Lassie, it was fantasy, but with a bit of reality mixed in. All of those things could happen, but in the audiences life it never happened. Lassie gave the viewer a remembrance of their childhood, and how they loved one very special dog at one time and place in their lives. For viewers that never had a dog, it gave a longing for that type of relationship with one. It certainly forced the realization on the adult kids of the audience, that childhood’s days are short lived, and it is a cruel fact of life that it so. In the end, only a dog can give such love, bravery, steadfastness and loyalty that a human needs, and Lassie gave all that she had, all the time to the ones she loved. That is the ultimate appeal of Lassie.
