Challenge to Lassie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Challenge to Lassie |
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1949 film poster
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| Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
| Produced by | Robert Sisk |
| Screenplay by | William Ludwig |
| Starring | Donald Crisp Edmund Gwenn Geraldine Brooks Pal (credited as "Lassie") |
| Music by | André Previn |
| Cinematography | Charles Edgar Schoenbaum |
| Editing by | George White |
| Studio | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Distributed by | Loew's Inc. |
| Release date(s) | US October 31, 1949 |
| Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $775,000 |
| Money made | $1,155,000 |
Challenge to Lassie is an American adventure film released in 1949. It was made by MGM Studios and directed by Richard Thorpe. This movie is special because it stars Pal, the original dog actor who played Lassie. It was the fifth movie where Pal played the famous collie dog.
The story is based on a 1912 book called Greyfriars Bobby by Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson. That book was inspired by a true story about a very loyal dog named Bobby. The film takes place in Scotland in 1860. It tells the tale of Lassie, a smart collie whose owner, Jock Gray, passes away. After this sad event, Lassie stays by her master's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard. This causes problems because of local dog laws.
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What's the Movie About?
This film is all about loyalty and friendship between a dog and her owner. It shows how far a dog will go to stay close to someone they love. The movie also explores how people try to help Lassie when she faces trouble with the law.
The Story's Inspiration
The movie's story comes from a famous Scottish legend. It's about a real dog named Greyfriars Bobby. In the original true story and book, Bobby was a Skye Terrier. He stayed by his owner's grave for many years. In the movie, Lassie is a Rough Collie, but her loyalty is just as strong.
Where Does the Story Take Place?
The film is set in the beautiful country of Scotland in the year 1860. Many scenes happen in the historic city of Edinburgh. The main location is the Greyfriars Kirkyard, which is a church graveyard.
What Happens in the Movie?
Jock Gray (Donald Crisp) has an amazing collie named Lassie. He trains her to be a wonderful sheepdog and his best friend. When Jock sadly passes away, Lassie stays by his grave. She refuses to let anyone else take her as their owner.
However, there's a law that says all dogs must have an owner and a license. Since Lassie's owner is gone, she doesn't have anyone to pay for her license. Her only "home" becomes the graveyard. This means Lassie faces a very uncertain future.
Jock's friend, John Traill (Edmund Gwenn), and his son William (Ross Ford) try to help. The people who look after the graveyard also try to keep Lassie hidden. They are trying to protect her from the strict police Sergeant Davie (Reginald Owen). The town magistrate (Edmund Breon) also gets involved. Things become very serious when they have to go to court. They must plead for Lassie's life in front of the Lord Provost, who is like the mayor.
Meet the Cast
Here are some of the main actors and characters in the film:
- Pal played Lassie, the loyal collie.
- Donald Crisp was Jock Gray, Lassie's beloved owner.
- Edmund Gwenn played John Traill, Jock's friend who tries to help Lassie.
- Geraldine Brooks was Susan Brown.
- Reginald Owen played Sergeant Davie, the police officer.
- Ross Ford was William Traill, John's son.
- Alan Napier played The Lord Provost.
- Sara Allgood was Mrs. MacFarland.
The Movie's Music
The music for Challenge to Lassie was created by André Previn. He was a very talented composer. The music helps to tell the story and makes the movie more exciting and emotional.
In 2010, a special collection of music from Lassie films was released. It included the score for Challenge to Lassie. Some of the original music recordings were missing. So, experts had to carefully put the music back together from different sources. This made sure fans could hear as much of André Previn's original music as possible.
How to Watch the Movie Today
Challenge to Lassie was released on VHS tapes in the 1990s. There were two different versions with different covers. These tapes are now out of print, which means they are no longer made. The movie has not been released on DVD. However, you might still be able to watch it! It sometimes plays on TV channels like Turner Classic Movies.
