Son of Lassie (1945)

Son of Lassie does prove, rather unfortunately, that the apple can indeed fall pretty far from the tree. A big step down from Lassie Come Home, Son doesn't begin to follow in its mother's pawprints. It's not the dog actor's fault, as Pal played Lassie herself in the original. Blame it on the scriptwriters, who somehow seemed to think that the offspring of the world's smartest dog should be a contender for the dumbest (as well as the most annoying). Actually, for the most part the dog is just doing what a dog might do -- but in the "dramatic" context of the film, it comes off as sheer stupidity. It doesn't help matters that the story itself is pretty contrived from start to finish. Peter Lawford does a decent job as a grown-up Roddy McDowall, but June Lockhart is a wan substitute for Elizabeth Taylor. Donald Crisp and Nigel Bruce reliably reprise their earlier performances to good effect, and the supporting cast in general is fine. But the biggest asset is the gorgeous Technicolor lensing by Charles E. Schoenbaum, which pops off the screen in a most pleasing manner. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide