LASSIE COME HOME

ARCHIVAL EDITION—SOME TRACKS INCLUDE SOUND EFFECTS...AND EVEN DIALOGUE! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY—THIS IS A LABOR OF LOVE
One of the biggest stars on M-G-M’s roster in the 1940s and early ’50s was a precocious collie named Lassie. After the great success of Lassie Come Home (1943), the canine went on to star in six more films for the studio before transferring to television in 1954. Film Score Monthly’s Lassie Come Home: The Canine Cinema Collection presents music from all seven of these family films, written by a veritable “Who’s Who” of Golden Age composers. These talented and skilled practitioners of the film music art took advantage of the heartwarming stories, beautiful scenery and long stretches without dialogue to write extensive symphonic scores in the finest tradition of the studio.
 
Disc One leads off with the much-loved classic that started the franchise: Lassie Come Home (1943). FSM presents Daniele Amfitheatrof’s charming, classic score in an archival presentation: Roughly half the score's music masters have been lost, so the balance of the tracks are taken from a music-and-effects track (be prepared for dog barks!).
 
For the sequel, the studio turned to its leading musical man of the ’40s—Herbert Stothart. Disc Two is dedicated to the score for Son of Lassie (1945) which Stothart co-composed with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Because part of the wartime story is set in Norway, Stothart demonstrated his usual skill in adapting music by other composers—in this case, Edvard Grieg. This wonderful score, by turns dramatic and sentimental, has survived almost entirely in music-only form; only a couple of cues include sound effects.
 
Pure music masters are used throughout the principal program on Disc Three—the score for Courage of Lassie (1946), credited to Bronislau Kaper and Scott Bradley. The film also contains several cues by Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Nathaniel Shilkret, plus contributions from Conrad Salinger, David Snell and Robert Franklyn. Since the opening of the film was heavily edited before release, FSM has been able to include over 20 minutes of previously unheard alternate cues from the first version.
 
Not one music-only cue survives from Stothart’s score for the fourth entry in the series, Hills of Home (1948), but disc three concludes with the “Opening Title and Narration” from the film’s music-and-effects track.
 
Disc Four is historically significant because it encompasses two very early scores by André Previn. The Sun Comes Up (1949) was, in fact, Previn’s first screen credit as a composer, written when he was only 18 years old. He quickly added the next Lassie film to his résumé: Challenge to Lassie (also 1949). The music masters of these sparkling symphonic scores are, sadly, completely lost, but FSM has included reasonably complete presentations of both scores from music and effects tracks—a compromise deemed worthy to preserve these early efforts by one of Hollywood’s most admired, respected and legendary composers.
 
For the final film in the series, M-G-M returned full circle to Amfitheatrof, whose complete score for The Painted Hills (1951) can be heard, sourced from music masters and acetate discs, on Disc Five. Amfitheatrof’s heartfelt and sincere music was worthy of its predecessors.
 
The collection ends with a special bonus: Elmer Bernstein’s delightful score for It’s a Dog’s Life (1955)—complete and in stereo. Written around the same time as The Man With the Golden Arm and a year before The Ten Commandments, it captures the nostalgic flavor of New York’s Lower East Side at the dawn of the 20th century in the composer’s trademark Americana style. It also anticipates Bernstein’s comedy renaissance of the 1980s by effortlessly underlining the film’s whimsical humor.
 
The five CDs are packaged in a single clamshell case along with a 28-page booklet (designed, as always, by Joe Sikoryak). The booklet features an essay by Jim Lochner on the Lassie phenomenon that provides the context for each film and score. An introduction by Lukas Kendall explains the challenges inherent in preserving and presenting this archival material. Detailed track lists and film stills are included, but even more information can be found online, with additional background on each title and FSM’s customary track-by-track analyses.

    DISC ONE

    Lassie Come Home (1943)

    Music Composed and Conducted by Daniele Amfitheatrof

    Additional Music Composed by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Lennie Hayton.

    *Contains Sound Effects
    Main Title*/The Story of a Dog* 2:23
    Time Sense—Second Version*/Have a Good Time/Waking Up Joe*/Lassie Is Sold 6:30
    Lassie Is Sold, Part 2 1:07
    Joe Is Heartbroken*/Priscilla Meets Lassie 2:40
    Time Sense—Second Version*/First Escape (beginning)* 1:33
    Hynes Arrives/Time Sense—Second Version*/Second Escape 2:09
    Day Dreaming 1:30
    Bid Her Stay*/Honest Is Honest/Lassie Goes to Scotland*/Lassie in Scotland 4:45
    Lassie Is Chained* 0:51
    Hynes Walks Lassie 0:59
    Time Sense—Second Version*/Lassie Runs Away*/The Storm/Over the Mountains*/The Lake & Time Sense #3/Lassie vs. Satan*/The Dog Fight (Amfitheatrof–Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco)*/Lassie vs. Satan, Part 2*/A Surprise for Joe*/Crossing the River* 13:09
    Dan and Dolly*/Lassie Recovers/Joe Can’t Sleep*/Time Sense—Second Version* 4:40
    Lassie Is Not Happy/Time Sense—Second Version*/Goodbye, Girl*/Meeting Palmer/Lassie Refuses Food*/Lassie Follows Palmer 6:28
    Lassie Wants to Go That Way/Lassie Is a Lady/Next Morning 3:11
    Toots Gives a Performance*/The Dogs Play*/Thousand Kronen (Bronislau Kaper)*/Last Fight*/Toots Is Dead/It’s Goodbye, Then*/The Dog Catchers*/Out of Work/Lassie Comes Home*/Duke Arrives* & This Is No Dog of Mine*/Time Sense—Second Version*/Lassie Finds Joe & End Title* 23:19

    Total Time: 75:49

    Bonus Tracks
    Dog Fight (Amfitheatrof–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 0:44
    The Accident 0:44
    Pump and Chicken House (Lennie Hayton) 0:49

    Total Time: 2:23

    Total Disc Time: 78:18

     

    DISC TWO

    Son of Lassie (1945)

    Music Composed and Conducted by Herbert Stothart.

    Music for the Norwegian scenes based on the melodies of Edvard Grieg.

    “Theme From Lassie Come Home” by Daniele Amfitheatrof.

    Additional Music Composed by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

    *Contains Sound Effects
    Main Title/Laddie (beginning)* 2:14
    Mischievous Puppy/My First Cake 3:42
    Say It/Rudling Kennels 3:24
    Training Routine (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 2:41
    That’s Where His Heart Is/Lowering the Colors 2:20
    Bull Terrier/Infraction of Regulations 3:13
    Laddie at Airfield & Waiting Dog (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 3:21
    Planes Taxiing/Plane Overdue 4:52
    Parachute Landing (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 4:20
    Underground (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/Disconsolate Laddie (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 4:14
    Occupied Village/Locked Storage 3:40
    Injured Dog* (Castelnuevo-Tedesco)/Of Viking Ancestry 5:49
    It Should Be Christmas 0:54
    Frantic Dog (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 4:43
    Leading the Blind (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 1:15
    Reprise (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 1:14
    Passport 2:13
    It’s Laddie (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 0:40
    Seeking His Master (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 1:41
    Clown Sergeant/The Escape (Stothart–Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/Through the Rapids (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 8:34
    Back to the Yorkshire Moors 0:38
    Final Episode 2:04
    Overseas Title 0:15

    Total Disc Time: 68:48

     

    DISC THREE

    Courage of Lassie (1946)

    Music by Bronislau Kaper and Scott Bradley.

    Conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret and Scott Bradley.

    Additional Music Composed by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Nathaniel Shilkret, David Snell, Conrad Salinger and Robert Franklyn.
    Main Title (David Snell–Kaper–Bradley– Robert Franklyn)/The Lake (Bradley)/ Danger in the Woods (Bradley) 4:11
    The Lost Puppy (Bradley) 2:16
    The Playful Puppy (Bradley)/The Eagle (Bradley)/The Fishing Bear (Bradley)/ Fish Jumps (Nathaniel Shilkret) 4:49
    Girl on a Raft (Bradley)/ Fawn and the Raven (Bradley)/ The Puppy Gets Shot (Franklyn–Bradley) 5:36
    Bill Barks (Kaper)/ Hello, Mr. MacBain (Kaper) 1:30
    Nellie (Kaper)/My Diary (Kaper) 2:33
    Sheep in the Snow (Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/ Rescuing the Sheep (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 4:46
    It’s Bill (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 2:15
    At the Veterinary’s (Kaper) 1:04
    Dog Branded (Kaper) 1:05
    Down, Boy (Kaper) 1:09
    Ship Kitchen (Kaper)/ The Change (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 5:10

    Total Time: 36:47

    Bonus Tracks
    Trailer Opening (Shilkret)/ Trailer Finale (Shilkret) 1:08
    Sunrise (Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/ Dog and Puppies (Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/The Lost Puppy (first version) (Castelnuovo-Tedesco)/ Dog Meets Animals (Shilkret)/ Woodland Animals (Shilkret)/ Fish Jumps (first version) (Shilkret)/ The Owl and the Coyote (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 16:47
    A Girl, a Dog and a Raven (Castelnuovo-Tedesco) 3:37

    Total Time: 21:36

    Hills of Home (1948)

    Music Composed by Herbert Stothart.

    Conducted by Lennie Hayton.

    *Contains Sound Effects
    Opening Title and Narration* 2:56

    Total Disc Time: 61:31

 

    DISC FOUR

    The Sun Comes Up (1949)

    Music Composed and Conducted by André Previn

    *Contains Sound Effects
    Main Title*/New Trick for Lassie*/ Hank’s Death* 2:53
    Helen Leaves Her Home*/ Sleep in the Car*/Scenery*/ Rabbits for Rent*/That’s a Bargain* 4:27
    I Had a Boy*/Jerry’s Wages* 2:03
    Adoption* 0:44
    Long Walk*/Tears for Two*/ Lassie Herds the Cows* 4:28
    Storm Over Jerry*/Helen Meets Tom*/ I’m Going to Manville*/Pneumonia* 4:23
    I Always Eat It*/I Can’t Take Jerry Away*/Fare You Well* 4:49
    Tom & Jerry* 3:35
    Jerry Runs Away*/ One Dog’s Family & End Title*/ End Cast 2:06

    Total Time: 29:45

    Challenge to Lassie (1949)

    Music Composed and Conducted by André Previn

    *Contains Sound Effects +Contains Dialogue
    Main Title and Foreword* 1:26
    Market Day* 0:48
    Lassie's First Love* 1:10
    First Lesson* 0:29
    Sheep Herding*/Jock and the Flock* 2:41
    You've Trained Her Well* 0:24
    There's My Bonnie* 0:38
    Jock Is Attacked* 1:17
    After the Fight*+ 0:44
    Graveyard Lassie* 0:20
    John Sans Pants* 0:44
    Complaining Neighbors* 1:03
    The Journey*/Lassie's Last Lap* 4:11
    Lassoed Lassie* 1:05
    No Exit* 0:48
    Cornered Collie* 0:20
    Down the Cliffs*/Here's Lassie*+ 2:09
    I Cannot Apologize*+ 0:47
    Laugh After Laugh*+ & End Title*/End Cast 1:18

    Total Time: 23:04

    Bonus Tracks

    The Sun Comes Up
    Tes Yeux (René Babey) 0:51
    Un Bel Di (Giacomo Puccini) 3:33
    Songs My Mother Taught Me (Antonín Dvorák) 1:09
    Cousin Ebenezer (Previn–William Katz) 1:13
    If You Were Mine (Previn–Katz) 1:46
    Tom and Jerry*+ (film version) 3:33
    Jerry Runs Away*+/One Dog's Family & End Title*+/End Cast (film version) 2:06

    Total Time: 14:26

    Lassie Come Home
    First Escape (complete)*+ (Amfitheatrof) 3:07

    Total Disc Time: 70:43

 

    DISC FIVE

    The Painted Hills (1951)

    Music Composed and Conducted by Daniele Amfitheatrof
    Main Title/He's a Millionaire 2:43
    I Need Your Help/Christmas/Hairy Present/Shep’s Longing 4:36
    Back to Jonathan/Montage 1:28
    Visitor/Pilot Pete 1:43
    Holy Pete/Good Girl/Foul Play/Shep Follows Jonathan 9:55
    Hat/He Won’t Be Back 3:08
    Poison/Indians Find Shep 4:09
    Rescue 2:04
    Incantation/Shep Lives/ Shep Came Back 3:37
    Tommy Finds The Grave/Taylor Pursues Tommy/Tommy Is Hurt/The Hole/Thy Heavenly Kingdom 4:55
    Come Along, Son/The Chase—Revised/Freezing Up/Taylor Dies/Happy Ending & End Title 8:59

    Total Time: 47:37

    It's a Dog's Life  (1955)

    Music Composed and Conducted by Elmer Bernstein
    Main Title/Wildfire’s Song 1:54
    Wildfire’s Shame/Decision 1:59
    Fame at Last/Masterful/Defeat 2:42
    Nolan/Getting Acquainted/ What a St. Bernard 1:46
    Jocks/In the Hay/ Trophy Room 3:39
    After the Fight/ Wyndham’s Story 2:50
    Wash Day/Training 1:55
    Tattle 0:51
    Wyndham Walks and Talks/ Nocturne/Going Home 5:16
    Wildfire’s Training 0:51
    Mother 1:54
    The End 2:33

    Total Time: 28:33

    Total Disc Time: 76:17