Thunder in the Valley

When making a "Lassie knockoff" there are two actors Hollywood could cast to remind audiences of the regular series: Donald Crisp or Edmund Gwenn. It's Teddy who takes the lead in Thunder in the Valley, a Scottish drama about a man who enters his beloved sheepdog in a contest. And take the lead he does - what a performance! This was made the same year as Miracle on 34th Street, and personally, I think he won the Oscar for the wrong film. As Santa, he's merely Edmund Gwenn. In this Lassie flick, he absolutely breaks your heart.

This is not light family fare. Teddy and Reginald Owen play lifelong rivals whose children, Peggy Ann Gardner and Lon McAllister, fall in love. As if that isn't a big enough thorn in their sides, Reginald has his heart set on winning the prized cup during the sheepdog contest. Teddy has won the past three years in a row, and he certainly doesn't want to lose to his enemy. And if that isn't enough, there's a killer dog on the loose destroying farmers' sheep. Even if you think you've made it through Challenge to Lassie and can handle this one, think again. The absolutely heart wrenching ending will probably have you in tears - I certainly was - and although you can appreciate Edmund Gwenn's against-type performance, it might not be worth it. It certainly gives "Auld Lang Syne" a tragic meaning.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to upsetting scenes involving animals, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.