Lassie film to start shooting today

The new Lassie film starring legendary actor Peter O’Toole and Samantha Morton is to begin shooting in Ireland today.

The cast, including O’Toole, who is renowned for his part in Lawrence of Arabia, Morton and Peter Dinklage, has been preparing for the six-week shoot in locations across Wicklow, Dublin and the Isle of Man.

The film’s director Charles Sturridge also wrote the script which was based on Eric Knight’s classic 1938 novel ‘Lassie Come Home’.

Ireland was chosen as the prime shooting destination with the filmmakers availing of the tax incentive, Section 481, for filming on different locations around the country.

The new film is set on the eve of World War II in a Yorkshire mining town, and the story follows the difficulties of the Carraclough family, who fall on hard times and are forced to sell their plucky collie, Lassie, to the Duke of Rudling.

Lassie, however, is determined to return home despite being taken 500 miles away. The feelgood movie sees Lassie confronting danger and seeking help from strangers as she makes her way home in time for Christmas.

The film on the world’s most famous dog will be produced by Element Films, producers of Omagh and The Magdalene Sisters, Firstsight Films and Classic Media.

The cast includes the seven-time Academy Award nominee O’Toole as the Duke of Rudling, Morton from Minority Report as Sarah Carraclough and Peter Dinklage as Rowlie.

Some of the other cast members include Steve Pemberton from the League of Gentlemen, John Lynch, Jemma Redgrave and Gregor Fisher.

The dog with the big heart became a firm favourite with audiences from the time of the first film, Lassie Come Home, screened in 1943, and starring Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowall.

Around 10 feature films followed on the adventures of the plucky collie as well as 675 TV episodes.

Deals have been made to distribute the film in Britain, Japan, Turkey and the Middle East.