This film is defiantly hokey, but part of the reason I have a fondness for it is I saw it in Radio City Music Hall and the stage show featured Lassie, live and in person. Alice Faye also came out of a 25 year retirement to make this film. Her role before this was the Ann Margaret-Pat Boone remake of State Fair. Like the other poster said the great thing about this film is James Stewart, he makes the whole thing worthwhile. Debbie Boone was very popular at the time and there is actually a hard to find soundtrack album from this release. This film has not come out on DVD or even VHS as of 2005. I looked for it when I bought the Lassie box set of the television series.

The Magic of Lassie was the beloved collie's last appearance on the big screen. Lassie was quite the box office draw in her day, but according to the box office the day had passed.

Not that the film is all that bad. Maybe if the Sherman songwriting team who gave us so many things for Walt Disney back in their day had produced something like what they did for Mary Poppins, The Magic of Lassie might be better remembered. But nothing like Chim Chim Cheree or Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious comes from this score.

James Stewart is raising a pair of grandchildren, Stephanie Zimbalist and Michael Sharrett. He's got an acquisitive neighbor in Pernell Roberts who wants to buy his land and Stewart won't sell. On that trip he spots Lassie and thinks Lassie might have been his dog who survived a fire in the kennel as a pup some years ago.

Roberts proves his case and Stewart reluctantly hands over the dog, but that doesn't sit well with young Sharrett or Lassie and they take off going a third of the country in different directions searching for each other.

Lassie and Sharrett run into all kinds of interesting people. From Lassie's point of view the film starts to look like a big screen version of the Canadian show, The Littlest Hobo. Sharrett proves to be a plucky lad, but he gets himself in a heap of trouble.

Of course this being a kid's film you know we're going to see a happy ending. Let's just say that in Lane Davies, a young lawyer who has eyes for Zimbalist, he proves handy to have around.

The Magic of Lassie marked Alice Faye's farewell screen appearance and it was also James Stewart's last starring feature film release as well. I was disappointed they did not share the screen. Mickey Rooney and Mike Mazurki as a wrestler and his trainer have a couple of laughs themselves.

Still though The Magic of Lassie did not do sufficient box office to interest anyone in any more films so far about the old collie.

Well I was ten years old when my parents took me to see The Magic of Lassie at Radio City Music Hall and I loved it because I loved Lassie and watched the t.v. show every morning. I thought it was a very good movie and I will always have that memory. My parents told me I started everyone crying. The acting was done very well in my opinion with a wonderful cast. I enjoyed the songs as well and looking back at that special memory I wouldn't change anything about the movie. It was a unique story and if the songs and the story made me cry it's because it had an emotional impact on me and I'm glad my parents took me because it's a memory I'll always treasure as they are both passed away. So maybe I'm biased because I've always had a special love for animals and I saw Lassie as my childhood hero, but it's okay because it was a positive experience for me.

When THE MAGIC OF LASSIE opened at Radio City Music Hall, I was foolish enough to believe it would be as heart-warming as some of the first Lassie films were. Not.

The story was abysmal, the songs by the Sherman brothers were way below their usual level, the characters were uninspired and JAMES STEWART and MICKEY ROONEY had both seen much better days.

Then too, I was interested in seeing what ALICE FAYE's contribution would be like, since she'd been absent from the screen for so many years and was always so fetching in her earlier roles at Fox. Alice too, was letdown by the foolish script and the unflattering photography. Another disappointment.

Nothing original here, nothing even remotely interesting for an adult to enjoy--and clearly, no magic present for anyone. You can skip this one without missing a thing.

This is basically a revamp of Lassie Come Home. James Stewart is forced into giving up the family pet when a sly neighbour says she belongs to him. He takes the dog from California all the way to Colorado but naturally she escapes and makes her way home, just as Stewart's grandson runs away to find her. It's all one big cross country adventure that just doesn't come off as well as LCH. The young boy is annoying, the songs are awful, and Mickey Rooney's cameo with a wrestler friend is just downright strange. But, James Stewart is a treat as usual, really the perfect grandfather. 7/10

I'm not a fan of the show or any other movies lol but I enjoyed this one. I found it to be somewhat entertaining. The songs are corny and some of the things you'll see in this movie are weird (especially if you're a movie buff and know actors and actresses) and if you have kids they will enjoy it. It's a good family movie. 8/10 stars

"The Magic of Lassie" is a notorious film which bombed at the box office and which Siskel & Ebert hated on their weekly review show. However, despite this, I had to see it because it starred some wonderful actors from old Hollywood...such as Jimmy Stewart, Mickey Rooney and Alice Faye (among others). In the end, however, it turned out to be bittersweet...mostly because you can't help but think these fine old actors deserved better.

The plot to "The Magic of Lassie" is similar to the first Lassie film, "Lassie Come Home". Now I am not saying it's as good as the other film...just that there are similarities. It begins with a rich jerk-face (Pernell Roberts) trying to buy an old man's winery. But Clovis (Jimmy Stewart) doesn't want to sell...and the rich jerk-face insists he always gets what he wants. So, it's not surprising that he returns the next day....not to try to buy the winery but insisting Clovis' dog belongs to the rich jerk-face....and it had escaped many years ago. And, since the dog DOES have the tattoo that the jerk-face said would prove it was his, Clovis reluctantly gives the dog to him. Soon Lassie runs away because the guy IS a jerk-face and tries to find his way back home....many hundreds of miles away. And, like "Lassie Come Home", the doggy encounters all sorts of nice helpful people along the way.

The problem with this film isn't so much because it's derivative. Sure, it is a good example of 'been there...done that' but the bigger problem is the god-awful music which is incredibly schmaltzy. Surprisingly, it's written by the Sherman Brothers...who wrote some amazing music for Disney (such as the soundtrack to "Mary Poppins"). But it's just bad. As for the story, it's just okay and never really pulls the viewer into the story. Overall, it's just okay when it really should have been much, much better.

If James Stewart wasn't in this movie, I would have absolutely turned it off. But with his warbling voice, his tearing eyes, and his poor grandfatherly heart that kept getting broken, I couldn't turn it off. No matter how terrible it was when he wasn't on the screen - which was pretty terrible.

As happens in most Lassie movies, the beloved family dog is taken away from her home and has to find her way back. This one's story is extremely sad, so if you're watching it with little kids, you might want to reassure them that everything will work itself out. James Stewart owns a family vineyard in Glen Ellen and refuses to sell to wealthy tycoon Pernell Roberts. Out for revenge, Pernell claims that Jimmy's dog Lassie is actually his own and demands to take her back. Jimmy reveals that after his wife and child died, Lassie was the only reason for him and his grandkids to keep living - but Pernell is evil and takes the dog. When Lassie runs away from her new Colorado home, everyone tries to find her.

One staple in a Lassie movie is that she runs across colorful characters in little vignettes as she travels across the countryside. In this one, she sees Alice Faye in a diner, Mickey Rooney as a wrestler's manager, and the Mike Curb Congregation as they're singing songs in a park. Trust me, whenever James Stewart isn't on the screen, the movie is shockingly terrible. I don't know how all these big names got enticed to act in this movie, but obviously they were all embarrassed by the end result. Alice retired entirely, and Jimmy stuck to television where he wouldn't be so heavily criticized.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. When the little boy is running through the trucker parking lot, the camera swirls around a little that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

If you love catchy, melodic songs (a couple of which could have been hits!), you will love this movie. The endearing performances of Jimmy Stewart and Mickey Rooney, both of whom sing, also make this a must-see for their fans.

The story and script is just OK otherwise, standard boy-and-his-dog adventure.

It's a shame that the soundtrack album has not been released on CD. I bought the LP on a whim, having not seen the film, and was struck by the high quality of the songwriting and performances. Highlights are "When You're Loved", sung by Debby Boone, which should have been a hit, "That Hometown Feeling" sung by Stewart (quite well for a non-singer), "Travelin' Music" sung by Rooney, and "Banjo Song" by the Mike Curb Congregation in one of their last recorded appearances.

I LOVED this movie! I was probably 10 or 11 when I first saw this movie and I just cried and cried and cried. I didn't even have a dog when this movie came out and I was even afraid of dogs. But I even felt it when Lassie was taken away. Part of my appeal, too, was the soundtrack for this movie, which at the time, I thought was just great. I was very excited to actually recently find my favorite song from the movie (When You're Loved). And too, for some strange reason, I've always been a fan of Lane Davies and loved seeing him in this movie as well. I have told my daughter of this movie and we're planning on watching it tomorrow. I was not alive in the 50s to comment on Lassie then and Lassie now. All I know is it was a great boy/dog movie and it held my interest from beginning to end. This is definitely a family movie -- one I whole heartedly recommend. You will cheer, your children will cheer, and you will be closer for it.

Unfortunately, this film came out at the time when families were really pulling apart and it seems that nobody wanted to sit with mom and dad and watch a family film. We grew up with a collie and, of course, what do you think her name was? I first saw this film on HBO and my good friend, a real hard core kind of person, was sitting with me bawling her eyes out! I have tons of Lassie movies and of course this was also added to my collection! I never get tired of Lassie, but then again, I grew up in the era of only three TV stations and we learned to appreciate what we had then. James Stewart did a fine job in this movie and because it was one of his last ones, of course I cherish it! Just watch it on a day you feel like crying; I guarantee it will bring the tears down your face....

Two beloved Hollywood icons, combined with a sweet story about the love of a boy and his collie, and you have a heartwarming movie! I loved this movie as a child, definitely one of my favorite Lassie movies. Jimmy Stewart's character is so similar to my favorite Uncle, it could have been based on him! Jimmy Stewart brings all his usual charm to the role. And the collie playing Lassie was just as well trained as all the other generations of collies starring in the role of Lassie. I wish they would release this movie on DVD, so new generations of children can discover the "magic!" I've been waiting years for it to be available!