Courage of Lassie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Courage of Lassie |
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VHS cover
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| Directed by | Fred M. Wilcox |
| Produced by | Robert Sisk |
| Written by | Lionel Houser |
| Starring | Pal (credited as "Lassie") Elizabeth Taylor Frank Morgan Harry Davenport Selena Royle Tom Drake George Cleveland |
| Music by | Scott Bradley Bronislau Kaper |
| Cinematography | Leonard Smith |
| Editing by | Conrad A. Nervig |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | November 8, 1946 |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,530,000 |
| Money made | $4,100,000 |
Courage of Lassie is an exciting adventure movie from 1946. It was made by MGM and filmed in Technicolor, which means it has bright, beautiful colors. The movie stars Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Morgan, and a very talented dog actor named Pal.
The story is about a brave collie dog named Bill. He becomes best friends with a young girl named Kathie Merrick. But then, Bill gets separated from Kathie after an accident. He ends up becoming a special war dog, showing great courage. After many challenges, Bill tries to find his way back to his beloved Kathie.
Courage of Lassie is the third of seven films from MGM that feature a dog star called Lassie. These movies are based on a famous fictional dog character created by Eric Knight. Pal, a male Rough Collie, played the main dog in the first movie, Lassie Come Home. He was also in the sequel, Son of Lassie. Even though this movie is called Courage of Lassie, Pal actually plays a different dog named "Bill" (who is also called "Duke" for a while).
You can watch Courage of Lassie on VHS and DVD.
Contents
The Story of Bill the Collie
Bill's Early Life and Friendship
The movie begins with a collie puppy who gets separated from his mother. He grows up in the wild forest. One day, he is swept away by a strong river. Later, a young hunter accidentally shoots him.
Luckily, a kind girl named Kathie Merrick (Elizabeth Taylor) finds the injured dog. She carries him home and, with the help of a friendly shepherd named Mr. MacBain (Frank Morgan), she helps him get better. Kathie names the dog Bill and teaches him how to herd sheep. They become the best of friends.
Bill Becomes a War Dog
One day, Bill is hit by a truck without Kathie knowing. He is taken to an animal hospital. Kathie searches everywhere for him, even risking her life on the island where they first met, but she can't find him.
Bill stays at the hospital for two months because no one claims him. Then, he is sent to a special War Dog Training Center. Here, he is called "Duke." After his training, Duke is sent overseas with soldiers to help in a war.
Duke is very brave and performs heroically on the battlefield. But the stress of war and a wound make him very aggressive. He is sent back to the War Dog Training Center to recover.
The Journey Home and Reunion
Duke escapes from the training center. As he tries to find his way back to Kathie, he attacks farm animals and scares people because of his war experiences.
The Merricks' neighbors insist that Bill, now back home, must be put down because of his aggressive behavior. Bill is taken away. A special hearing is held to decide his fate. Mr. MacBain acts as Bill's lawyer.
During the hearing, Mr. MacBain discovers a military tattoo in Bill's ear. A quick check shows that Bill is a war hero! Everyone then understands that the dog's behavior was not his fault. He was changed by his difficult war experiences and needed time to get used to normal life again. Bill is set free and joyfully reunites with Kathie.
Main Actors and Their Roles
- Pal (credited as Lassie) as Bill, a brave rough collie
- Elizabeth Taylor as Katherine Eleanor Merrick, a young girl living on a sheep ranch
- Selena Royle as Mrs. Merrick, Kathie's mother
- Catherine McLeod as Alice Merrick, Kathie's sister
- David Holt as Pete Merrick, Kathie's brother
- Frank Morgan as Harry MacBain, a kind shepherd
- Tom Drake as Sergeant Smitty, Bill's trainer in the Army
- Bill Wallace as Sergeant Mac, Smitty's friend
- Garry Owen as Cook Swenson, a sailor helping Smitty
- Harry Davenport as Judge Payson
- George Cleveland as Old Man, Bill's first owner
- Morris Ankrum as Farmer Crews, a Merrick neighbor
- Mitchell Lewis as Gil Elson, another Merrick neighbor
- Jane Green as Mrs. Elson, Gil Elson's wife
- Minor Watson as Sheriff Ed Grayson
- Donald Curtis as Charlie, a truck driver
- Clancy Cooper as Casey, a truck driver
- Carl Switzer as First Youth, a hunter
- Conrad Binyon as Second Youth, a hunter
Movie Music
The music for Courage of Lassie was created by Bronislau Kaper and Scott Bradley. Scott Bradley is also famous for writing music for many of MGM's cartoon shows.
In 2010, a company called Film Score Monthly released a special CD collection. It included all the music from the seven Lassie movies made by MGM between 1943 and 1955. This collection also had music from another dog movie called It's a Dog's Life.
