The Lassie TV series had begun in 1954 - this was I guess stitched together from four continuing episodes for cinema release, filmed on location and at Desilu (formerly the RKO Studios), written by Monroe Manning and Charles O'Neal from a story by Sumner Arthur Long, adapted by Maria Little. We figured this had to be Pal's grand-pup, under the tutelage of Rudd Weatherwax, who has taught the canine rafting through the rapids, descent from height and even travelling in a helicopter. But what's remarkable about this is the inventiveness of the boy, played by Jon Provost (actually 13), who manages to get them out of the balloon stuck high up in a fur tree, makes a fire, kills and cooks wild boar and fish, makes a stretcher for the (momentarily) injured canine and a raft, and had me thinking that this is the boy who grew up to be Matt Damon in The Martian. (And, hopefully, encouraged other boys - and girls - to learn this useful outdoor stuff.) Talking of girls, Q thinks after the movie came out all the girls would have been after him! Though he had already been in all 250 episodes of the series from 1954 - 1964 (therefore must have been through more than one incarnation of Lassie), was in one or two movies in the sixties and then returned for 48 episodes of The New Lassie, 1988-92 (a flop).
The adults appearing are a footnote. Makes you think how many TV actors there have been.
Also proves that the Mounties always get their man... and dog!
