When the film begins, Helen (Jeanette MacDonald) is about to give a concert--her first since the death of her husband. However, after the concert, her dog, Lassie, runs into the road...and Helen's son is killed trying to catch him. Not surprisingly, Helen is NOT thrilled about keeping Lassie, but does. But she also needs a change and so runs off to the country to get away from it all. There she meets some lovely people...including a teenager (Claude Jarman Jr.) who is in need of a good home. While there is zero surprise in how the film ends up there, the story is enjoyable along the way. Like nearly all the Lassie films, this one is a winner....even if Lassie himself (yes, it's a HE) is a very bad dog in this one!
By the way, this was Jeanette MacDonald's last film. And, oddly, she looks pretty horrible in this one due to the garish colors in the Technicolor film. She looked much better in black & white and the colors they chose for her were frankly not very flattering.
By the way, this was Jeanette MacDonald's last film. And, oddly, she looks pretty horrible in this one due to the garish colors in the Technicolor film. She looked much better in black & white and the colors they chose for her were frankly not very flattering.