A pup gets left behind in the forest. He manages to survive following a bear. He is found by Kathie Merrick (Elizabeth Taylor) and given the name Bill. After an accident, Kathie loses Billie who gets sent into the war as Duke. He suffers from trauma and escapes back to Kathie but carries the burden of violence.
Of course, I understand that there are multiple Lassies over the years. I figured that the roles would be all called Lassie. That's my biggest question. Isn't it more compelling to call all the characters Lassie? I don't get it but that's what happens here. It's the only confusing aspect. Young Elizabeth Taylor is showing her charisma but she's not actually in a majority of the film. This is the dog's tale. It's surprising that it's dealing with PTSD before it's even called that. It's an interesting premise to show that struggle not in a human but in a dog. In a way, it's able to engender even more sympathy and thereby pull on the heartstrings harder. It's a good way to access that emotional story from a different angle.
Of course, I understand that there are multiple Lassies over the years. I figured that the roles would be all called Lassie. That's my biggest question. Isn't it more compelling to call all the characters Lassie? I don't get it but that's what happens here. It's the only confusing aspect. Young Elizabeth Taylor is showing her charisma but she's not actually in a majority of the film. This is the dog's tale. It's surprising that it's dealing with PTSD before it's even called that. It's an interesting premise to show that struggle not in a human but in a dog. In a way, it's able to engender even more sympathy and thereby pull on the heartstrings harder. It's a good way to access that emotional story from a different angle.