At last with the Roan version we have a lovely copy of the film, photographed by Alfred Gilks and Harold Lipstein.
Pal is up to his usual amazing stuff. There's a moment where he effortlessly crosses a river on a rolling log, and the stuff high up on rocky slopes looks properly difficult.
I think this is one of the best MGM Lassie films, even though it only had B movie status and a lack of stars or publicity - MGM had had enough of their once golden boy - his contract was up. It's genuinely tense and gripping, with the dog being poisoned but luckily rescued by Native Indians, shot at and generally abused. For gold-mad Bruce Cowling has killed 'Shep's' master Paul Kelly and is now after the dog and a young boy, Gary Gray. It's one of Pal's best performances, and I don't say that with my tongue in cheek.
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