MovieChat Forums > Lassie Come Home (1943) Discussion > The elderly couple.

The elderly couple.

posted 14 years ago by genplant29
7 replies | jump to latest

There's so much to love about this wonderful classic. But, I think that, for me, the part of the movie I find most deeply touching and affecting is when the sweet, gentle elderly couple so sensitively and lovingly take Lassie in for a while. What beautiful people they are. That part of the movie really gets me in the heart.

[–] babyfir77 14 years ago

I agree with you. I just finished watching the film for the first time yesterday and the sequence with the elderly couple really made me sit up and take notice! It was quite touching.

[–] stomaino 12 years ago

There's a good reason why that scene is so affecting. The lady is Dame May Whitty, one of England's most accomplished and beloved actresses. The man is her real life husband, Ben Webster. By the time of this movie, they had been married more than 50 years. The chemistry and affection they showed were very real.

Sam Tomaino

[–] jfd0210 11 years ago

Thank you for that information.
I knew nothing about Dame May's private life, so had no idea that was her husband.
A great movie.

[–] DodgersRule 11 years ago

Wow, so wonderful to hear and, yes, that is a very touching time in the movie. Wonnderful couple.

[–] davy12349 9 years ago

I always like to believe that so some how, some way, they ended up with one of the pups

[–] Godfrey2 9 years ago

They are indeed kind people. When they decide to let her go, it definitely makes me teary-eyed - just like when Toots dies, or when lassie is limping home in the rain, or when Joe finally sees her and then his dad tries to hide her from the Duke. Hard not to get teary.

So many nice pieces come together to make this a genuinely wonderful movie.

[–] forlorn_rage (163) 9 months ago

[–] Godfrey2 8 years ago
They are indeed kind people. When they decide to let her go, it definitely makes me teary-eyed - just like when Toots dies, or when lassie is limping home in the rain, or when Joe finally sees her and then his dad tries to hide her from the Duke. Hard not to get teary.

So many nice pieces come together to make this a genuinely wonderful movie.

Yes, so many wonderful elements! Rowlie's teasing affection toward Lassie and Toots, Rowlie and the elderly couple's intuitive understanding of Lassie, Lassie possessing a generousity and humanity equal to, if not greater, than any human character's in the film, Joe and Priscilla being so darling and mature beyond their years (Roddy and Elizabeth were such amazing child actors!), the silent understanding between the Carracloughs, the Duke about the situation toward the end, Priscilla precociously picking up what her grandfather was putting down, etc.

As painful as this movie is to watch, I cannot turn away from it whenever it comes on TCM! Even it it does mean the feels and heartbreak all over again! Ultimately, it does the soul a lot of good. T_T