Lassie - The Painted Hills, 1951 film

It begins with a call for Shep from her owner, he round rich ore in a mine. [Sudden riches!] Jon then goes into town, he asks for Frank. But he died last month, and Lin Taylor is his partner. He shows the ore! Should he file a claim right now? Lin says no, it would attract claim jumpers. Young Tommy cries over the death of his father Frank Blake. Jonathan gives Shep to Tommy. Merry Christmas!. But Shep is homesick so he returned home. Jonathan is sick in his cabin, and hungry. But he found a richer source of ore! Lin wants to return with equipment to work more efficiently (a sluice box). Work yields riches. The richest ore is worthless if you kill yourself getting it.

There is conflict over the contents in the saddle bag of Pilot Pete, an irregular preacher. He rides a mule. Does an increase in gold create dissension? Lin only gets 25%, Jonathan gets 50%. What will Lin do? Jonathan writes out a claim for Tommy to take back to town and file it in all their names. Tommy rides away, Shep follows. Lin lures Jonathan to the top of a mountain; he say she found rich quartz. But Jonathan falls down the mountain! Shep can do nothing to help. Lin shovels dirt. What is beneath that mound? Shep begins to dig, Lin chases him away. The next day Shep returns to the cabin for a meal. Is he hungry enough? Lin throws food to him, then Shep walks away. Is there a problem? Shep barks, he is in distress.

Two Native Americans find him and carry him into town. An antidote is given, will it work? Tommy will investigate the cause. A storm arises, lightning strikes. Lin breaks some rocks the next morning. Tommy returns and asks about Jonathan. Who whistled? Tommy follow Shep, they find Jonathans hat. Lin threatens Tommy, who gets away on his horse. Or does he? Lin carries Tommy back to the cabin. Lin has an excuse for what happened. Men arrive the next morning with the runaway horse. Pilot Pete prays over Jonathans grave. Lin says it was an accident. Tommy calls him a liar and shows where the gold is hidden. But theres little gold there. Shep barks at the cabin, Lin runs after her, shooting. Is Shep trapped on a cliff? Is there a reversal of fortune? [A frozen revolver won't work.] There is an ironic ending so justice is done. Tommy returns to find Shep for a happy ending. [No mention about the missing gold, it would belong to Martha Blake and her son Tommy.

This movie may be too serious for young children, it is more suited to an older audience. It has a warning about choosing a business partner. There is no mention as to how Frank Blake died and then how Lin became friendly with his widow. Was this edited out? The DVD tells how MGM hired Pal as a stunt double for a show collie. But Pal performed better and became the first of many collies to play the part. I remember the first popular Lassie movie was set in England during the Great Depression. Lassie became so popular many sequels were made during the 1940s. I wonder if this 68-minute version was from a longer version? Collies were bred as sheep dogs, they were less expensive than a man or boy to herd sheep. This is based on the novel Shep of the Painted Hills by Alexander Hull.
Lassie - The Painted Hills, 1951 film

It begins with a call for Shep from her owner, he round rich ore in a mine. [Sudden riches! ] Jon then goes into town, he asks for Frank. But he died last month, and Lin Taylor is his partner. He shows the ore! Should he file a claim right now? Lin says no, it would attract claim jumpers. Young Tommy cries over the death of his father Frank Blake. Jonathan gives Shep to Tommy. Merry Christmas!. But Shep is homesick so he returned home. Jonathan is sick in his cabin, and hungry. But he found a richer source of ore! Lin wants to return with equipment to work more efficiently (a sluice box). Work yields riches. The richest ore is worthless if you kill yourself getting it. There is conflict over the contents in the saddle bag of Pilot Pete, an irregular preacher. He rides a mule. Does an increase in gold create dissension? Lin only gets 25%, Jonathan gets 50%. What will Lin do? Jonathan writes out a claim for Tommy to take back to town and file it in all their names. Tommy rides away, Shep follows. Lin lures Jonathan to the top of a mountain; he say she found rich quartz. But Jonathan falls down the mountain! Shep can do nothing to help. Lin shovels dirt. What is beneath that mound? Shep begins to dig, Lin chases him away. The next day Shep returns to the cabin for a meal. Is he hungry enough? Lin throws food to him, then Shep walks away. Is there a problem? Shep barks, he is in distress. Two Native Americans find him and carry him into town. An antidote is given, will it work? Tommy will investigate the cause. A storm arises, lightning strikes. Lin breaks some rocks the next morning. Tommy returns and asks about Jonathan. Who whistled? Tommy follow Shep, they find Jonathans hat. Lin threatens Tommy, who gets away on his horse. Or does he? Lin carries Tommy back to the cabin. Lin has an excuse for what happened. Men arrive the next morning with the runaway horse. Pilot Pete prays over Jonathans grave. Lin says it was an accident. Tommy calls him a liar and shows where the gold is hidden. But theres little gold there. Shep barks at the cabin, Lin runs after her, shooting. Is Shep trapped on a cliff? Is there a reversal of fortune? [A frozen revolver won't work. ] There is an ironic ending so justice is done. Tommy returns to find Shep for a happy ending. [No mention about the missing gold, it would belong to Martha Blake and her son Tommy. This movie may be too serious for young children, it is more suited to an older audience. It has a warning about choosing a business partner. There is no mention as to how Frank Blake died and then how Lin became friendly with his widow. Was this edited out? The DVD tells how MGM hired Pal as a stunt double for a show collie. But Pal performed better and became the first of many collies to play the part. I remember the first popular Lassie movie was set in England during the Great Depression. Lassie became so popular many sequels were made during the 1940s. I wonder if this 68-minute version was from a longer version? Collies were bred as sheep dogs, they were less expensive than a man or boy to herd sheep. This is based on the novel Shep of the Painted Hills by Alexander Hull.