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Lassie Come Home movie cover Movie Locations Guide

Where was Lassie Come Home filmed?

1943

City Locations

Big Sur, California, USA; Cape Mendocino, California, USA; Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California, USA; San Joaquin River, California, USA; Calabasas, California, USA; Janss Conejo Ranch, Thousand Oaks, California, USA; Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA; Irvine Park, Santa Ana, California, USA; Lake Chelan, Washington, USA; Laguna Beach, California, USA; Santa Barbara, California, USA; Seattle, Washington, USA; Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA.

Location Types

American, NatureScapes, Ranch, Schools/Colleges

Location Styles

Americana/Anywhere America, Classic Truck, Dated/50's-60's-70's Building, Ranch Style

About Lassie Come Home

Lassie Come Home is an American, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) movie that was released in 1943. It had excellent casting with stars like Donald Crisp, Roddy McDowall, and Edmund Gwenn. This is a story that describes the immense bond that existed between Joe Carraclough, a Yorkshire boy, and his collie, Lassie. The movie was by Fred M. Wilcox. The film was based on the Lassie Come Home novel, which was released in 1940. The movie represents the first movie in a series of seven different "Lassie" movies, which were released by MGM.

The movie was set in the era of the great depression in Yorkshire, England. When the great depression hit Mr. and Mrs. Carraclough hard, they are forced to put up their collie, Lassie, for sale. The dog is sold to the wealthy Duke of Rudling (Nigel Bruce), who has always been fascinated by her. The loss of his companion makes a young Joe (Roddy McDowall) sad.

Lassie has no love for the Duke and wants nothing to do with him. She escapes her kennels discretely and tries to find her way back to Joe. However, the Duke returns home with Lassie, which is about hundreds of kilometers away in Scotland. His granddaughter, Priscilla (Elizabeth Taylor), would discover that Lassie is not happy with them. Then, she arranges a way for the dog to escape back home.

The dog embarks on a long journey to get back to her Yorkshire home. Along the way, the dog faces numerous dangerous situations, including her different encounters with violent storms and dog catchers. However, she would also meet many kind people on her journey who assist her and offer her comfort.

Eventually, Joe gives up on ever seeing his favorite dog again. It is then that the tired Lassie returns to her favorite spot in the schoolyard. Then, Joe and Lassie joyfully reunite.

Lassie Come Home Locations

Lassie Come Home is an American movie, which was based on the novel, Lassie Come Home. The movie featured numerous stars, including Donald Crisp, Elsa Lanchester, Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowall, and Edmund Gwenn. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox and produced by Samuel Marx and Dore Schary.

The movie was filmed at different locations across the states of California and Washington in the United States. Some of the scenes in the movie were filmed in Irvine Park, Santa Ana, California, USA; Lake Chelan, Washington, USA; Laguna Beach, California, USA; Santa Barbara, California, USA; Seattle, Washington, USA; Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA.

Fun facts:

Pal, the dog that played the character Lassie, was paid a weekly salary of $250 while Dame Elizabeth Taylor was paid $100 weekly.

Joe in class scene in Lassie Come Home

Bay Laurel Elementary School, 24740 Paseo Primario, Calabasas, CA

Calabasas is a city that offers its citizens luxury and privacy. A great number of celebrities call the city home. To enjoy the pleasant feel of Southern California, this is the right tourist destination to explore. You will find various modern amenities that make it possible to engage in different recreational activities.

For those who wish to enjoy a peaceful environment, the city has many neighborhoods that are safe, tranquil, and friendly. Visit this city to get closer to one of the filming locations of your favorite movie. Many movies have been shot in the city over the years, including Teen Wolf (2011-2017), Us II (2019), and You again (2010).

In this scene, the students are in the classroom writing and Joe takes a look at the clock as Lassie jumps over the fence into the schoolyard to sit under a tree. Then, the teacher rings the bell to signal the end of the class. Joe excitedly packs all his books into his bag and heads for the door. He rushes down the staircase just to meet his beloved dog.

As he rushes to meet his collie, he shouts, "Lassie, Lassie." Then, the dog carries his bag with her teeth and runs out of the yard with him as they run home together.

Joe plays with Lassie in front of Elsa scene in Lassie Come Home

Wildwood Regional Park, 928 W Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA

tells his mother (Elsa Lanchester) Lassie and him would love to have bread and jam. His mother replies, "bread you can have, but jam you will do without." Joe replies, "if there's no jam, honey would do." Mrs. Carraclough gives him food and tells him to "run along, have a good time with Lassie today."

San Fernando Valley is the place where you can find some popular film studios, such as Walt Disney Studios. Besides this, you will find the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in this valley.

San Fernando Valley is where many celebrities reside. It is also a shopping destination where locals and tourists can also take part in many outdoor activities. The valley is also well-known for its diverse culinary scene.

Lassie comes to disturb Joe in his room scene in Lassie Come Home

Wolf Creek Valley Ranch, 11600 Santa Rosa Rd, Santa Rosa Valley, CA

The scene begins with Lassie entering Joe's room. The dog wakes Joe up and he greets his dog, "hello Lassie." He tells his dog to go back downstairs for him to go back to his sleep. The dog runs out but comes back inside to force Joe out of bed.

His father enters his room and Joe shows his father what he taught his dog. He senses his father looks worried. He asks, "you seem worried father, is it about your work?" The father replies, "oh no no lad it's not that. But whatever trouble comes remember, we remain together."

Wolf Creek Valley Ranch is located just outside the Wildwood Regional Park, which is a family park featuring an array of hiking trails that take you to many of the attractions. There is a 40-foot waterfall, Paradise Falls, you can reach from several trails including from Wildwood Canyon, Mesa, and Indian Creek Trails. You can get to the park by car but will have to take one of the trails to get to the filming location.

Sam sells Lassie off to the Duke of Rudling scene in Lassie Come Home

Big Bear Lake, CA

The scene begins with the dog running to meet Sam and the Duke on his cart. Then, the Duke utters, "she's a beauty Carraclough, she's a beauty." Sam responds, "she's just come back from seeing my lad off to school." The Duke pays Sam the agreed fee, then says, "I got the best of it Carraclough, I'm an honest man. So, I gotta tell you, I got the best of it."

The Duke asks if Sam really wants to sell the dog. He replies, "no, your grace. I have to." Then, the Duke tells one of his followers to put a collar on his neck and lead him to the back of the cart. The Duke greets them and leaves.

Those who want to visit the old sites for this scene can head to Big Bear Lake, California. This is a small city in the southern part of the state on the banks of Big Bear Lake. Visitors can also enjoy water sports like fishing, boating, and kayaking here during the summer and skiing during the winter. There are several buses that can get you there including the Red Line, Blue Line, and Bus 5.

The Duke takes Lassie to his home to meet his granddaughter scene in Lassie Come Home

Cape Mendocino, California, USA

In this touching scene, the Duke tells his granddaughter, Priscilla, that he just bought a dog. He tells the little girl that he has liked the dog for three years. He tells her that he already made an offer for the dog the previous year, but his offer was rejected.

As the girl sees Lassie, she exclaims, "Oh, she's beautiful." She kneels to move closer to the dog. She continues, "Collie, Collie." Yet, the dog does not respond. The girl opines, "she doesn't seem well grandfather." The Duke replies, "Nonsense. There's nothing wrong with the dog."

Cape Mendocino is renowned for its stunning aesthetics, which range from beautiful beaches and tall Redwoods to fascinating botanical gardens in the United States. The place has a shoreline, which is characterized by unique terrains. There is also a range of mountains that offers an amazing view. That's not all.

Mendocino is also home to some fine restaurants and hotels. Furthermore, there are also art galleries to explore in the area. It is a popular place among tourists who are looking for the perfect shopping destination. After all, the community has many top-class boutiques.

In addition to this, the mild summer and winter weathers are pleasant for many visitors and locals in the area. You should visit this area to explore the filming location of your favorite movie scene. Some top-rated movies have been filmed in this area, including Sharp Objects (2018), Need for Speed (2014), and Lookouts (2016).

Lassie passes raging rapids scene in Lassie Come Home

San Joaquin River, California, USA

After Lassie escapes from her kennel at the Duke's home with the help of Priscilla, the dog embarks on a journey back home. The collie gets to a rapid and she climbs the steep landscape, and she gets to the mountaintop.

San Joaquin River is a very long river that flows into the Pacific Ocean from the Sierra Nevada. With more than 350 miles in length, the river is the longest in Central California. The river represents an essential source of irrigation water for the surrounding area. This makes San Joaquin one of the most diverted and heavily dammed rivers in California.

In addition, this river, as well as its marches, serves as an essential resting place for many migratory birds. As a result, sightseeing is a popular recreational activity in the area. It can be very pleasing to visit the site of your favorite movie scene. Furthermore, this location has been used for filming in some popular movies, such as The General Daughter (1999) and The Boat Flipper (2014).

Conclusion

Lassie Come Home is a 1943 American movie that follows the story of a young boy and his Collie, Lassie. They both shared a strong bond, which distance couldn't break. Despite facing many perils after escaping, Lassie found her way back to Joe.

The movie featured many interesting scenes, which were shot at various locations across the United States. Many iconic locations were used in the movie. Cape Mendocino, for instance, is a popular tourist destination for many people across the globe. After all, there are many activities to enjoy in the city, ranging from shopping to stunning dining scenes.

Furthermore, these locations are known to be popular among filmmakers in Hollywood. For instance, many movies have been acted in Calabasas over the years. Some of these top-rated movies are The Bling Ring (2013), Donnie Darko (2001), and Big Little Lies (2017 - 2019). For this reason, it is never a bad idea to visit the location where your favorite movie scenes were filmed.