All Creatures Great and Small (film)

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All Creatures Great and Small
All Creatures Great and Small 1978 film poster.jpg
Original British 1975 quad format poster
Directed by Claude Whatham
Screenplay by Hugh Whitemore
Based onIf Only They Could Talk & It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet
by James Herriot
Produced by David Susskind
Duane Bogie
executive
Ronald Gilbert
Starring Simon Ward
Anthony Hopkins
Brian Stirner
Lisa Harrow
Cinematography Peter Suschitzky
Edited byRalph Sheldon
Music by Wilfred Josephs
Production
companies
Venedon Limited
EMI Films
Talent Associates
Distributed byEMI Film Distributors Limited
Release date
  • 9 May 1975 (1975-05-09)(UK [1] )
Running time
87 minutes (US version)
120 mins (theatrical version)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.2 million [2] or $1 million [3]

All Creatures Great and Small is a 1975 British film (copyrighted in 1974), directed by Claude Whatham and starring Simon Ward and Anthony Hopkins as Yorkshire vets James Herriot and Siegfried Farnon. It is based on the first novels by James Herriot (the pen name of veterinary surgeon Alf Wight): If Only They Could Talk (1970) and It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1972).

Contents

The film was given the same title as the 1972 US compilation volume of these two novels. It is the first of a series of films and television series based on Herriot's work. A sequel was released in 1976, somewhat confusingly titled It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet , although it actually covers the two following novels, Let Sleeping Vets Lie and Vet in Harness.

Premise

In 1937, newly qualified vet James Herriot travels to Yorkshire for the post of assistant in Siegfried Farnon’s practice. He learns the facts of country life, but has to overcome the prejudices of the Darrowby locals who are sceptical of the novice vet's ability. In between cases, Herriot courts farmer’s daughter Helen Alderson.

Main cast

Production

Development

All Creatures Great and Small was a best seller in the US and film rights were optioned. [3] [4]

The film was made for NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame but it was theatrically released outside the US. The producers were Duane Bogie for FCB Productions and David Susskind for the Talent Associates.

According to one account, the budget was $1.2 million, nearly twice what NBC paid for it. [2] Another account said the budget was $1 million, with $650,000 from NBC, $250,000 from EMI (who distributed), and $100,000 privately raised. [3]

The lead role was given to Simon Ward, who later recalled, "I hadn't known the books and a lot of people hadn't known about them then, so at that time I wasn't taking on a national icon. It's always nerve-wracking playing a real person particularly if that real person is still alive and comes and sits on set watching you. Although Herriot was the most charming wonderful man who I really adored and kept in touch with till he died." [5]

Shooting

Filming started in May 1974, in the town of Malton, North Riding of Yorkshire. Studio work was done in London. [2]

Ward said "The roughest thing was putting a hand up a pregnant mare... for the film I had to do it again and again." [2]

Music

The film's incidental music was by Wilfred Josephs.

Release

Critical

Having passed the British censors in September 1974, [6] the film was not released until 9 May 1975, when it opened in London at the small cinema Studio Two in Oxford Street. [7] The Times' film critic David Robinson did not like it ("'All Creatures Great and Small' is so wholesome and warmhearted it makes you want to scream. Not on account of these qualities in themselves, but because of the director's (Claude Whatham) inability to give them any more depth or meaning than a television series"), but acknowledged that Anthony Hopkins' and Simon Ward's playing made their characters somewhat believable. [1]

"It works beautifully," said the New York Times. [8]

Home media

The film has been released on DVD for both Region 2 PAL and Region 1 NTSC.

Sequel

A second film, It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet was released in 1976. John Alderton took over the role of James and Colin Blakely that of Siegfried, while Lisa Harrow returned as Helen. The film was directed by Eric Till from a script by Alan Plater.

Starting in 1978, there was a TV series based on the book, which was a huge ratings success in Britain and ran until 1990. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Herriot</span> British veterinary surgeon (1916–1995)

James Alfred Wight, better known by his pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Davison</span> English actor

Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett, known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small stories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Timothy</span> Welsh actor and narrator

Christopher Timothy is a Welsh actor and narrator. He is known for his roles as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small, Mac McGuire in the BBC soap opera Doctors, and Ted Murray in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Sinclair (veterinary surgeon)</span> British veterinarian (1915–1988)

Wallace Brian Vaughan Sinclair was a British veterinary surgeon who worked for a time with his older brother Donald, and Donald's business partner, Alf Wight. Wight wrote a series of semi-autobiographical novels under the pen name James Herriot, with Sinclair and Donald appearing in fictional form as brothers Tristan and Siegfried Farnon. The novels were adapted in two films and television series under the name All Creatures Great and Small. Tristan was portrayed as a charming rogue who was still studying veterinary medicine in the early books, constantly having to re-take examinations because of his lack of application, often found in the pub, and provoking tirades from his bombastic elder brother Siegfried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Sinclair (veterinary surgeon)</span> Inspiration for fictional character Siegfried Farnon

Donald Vaughan Sinclair was a British veterinary surgeon who graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 1933. He was made famous as the inspiration for the eccentric character Siegfried Farnon, in the semi-autobiographical books of James Herriot, adapted for film and television as All Creatures Great and Small.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thirlby</span> Village in North Yorkshire, England

Thirlby is a village and civil parish in Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. With a population of about 120 in 2003, measured at 134 at the 2011 Census, Thirlby is situated approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Thirsk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Harrow</span> New Zealand actress

Lisa Harrow is a New Zealand RADA-trained actress, noted for her roles in British theatre, films and television. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nancy Astor in the British BBC television drama Nancy Astor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrowby</span> Fictional village in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England

Darrowby is a fictional village in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, which was created by author Alf Wight under the pen name of James Herriot as the setting for the veterinary practice in his book It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet. The book has been adapted for two television series, both titled All Creatures Great and Small. The first was the BBC's 1978 series, which aired between 1978 and 1990. A new adaptation was produced for the 2020 series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Blakely</span> British actor

Colin George Blakely was a Northern Irish actor. He had roles in the films A Man for All Seasons (1966), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and Equus (1977).

<i>All Creatures Great and Small</i> (1978 TV series) British veterinary TV series (1978-90)

All Creatures Great and Small is a British television series made by the BBC and based on the books of the British veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot. Set in the Yorkshire Dales and beginning in the mid-1930s, it stars Christopher Timothy as Herriot, Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon, the proprietor of the Skeldale House surgery, and Peter Davison as Siegfried's "little brother", Tristan. Herriot's wife, Helen, was initially played by Carol Drinkwater and in the later series by Lynda Bellingham.

<i>It Shouldnt Happen to a Vet</i> 1976 British film

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet, is a 1976 sequel to the 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small. Although having the same title as James Herriot's second novel, the film is actually based on his third and fourth novels, Let Sleeping Vets Lie and Vet in Harness, which in the United States were released as a compilation volume titled All Things Bright and Beautiful. It is part of a series of movies and television series based on Herriot's novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Collin (actor)</span> British actor

John Collin was a British actor frequently seen on UK television during the 1960s and 1970s, mainly in supporting roles such as ITC's The Saint (S5/E21). Collin's best-known role was as Detective Sergeant Haggar in the long running BBC police series Z-Cars. Another notable role was as Guardian officer Tom Weston in the 1971 ITV political fantasy The Guardians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The World of James Herriot</span> Attraction in North Yorkshire, England

World of James Herriot Ltd is a visitor attraction in the former Thirsk home and veterinary surgery of author James Herriot.

The All Creatures Great and Small franchise consists of a series of books, movies, and TV series based on books written by James Alfred Wight under the pen name James Herriot based on his experiences as a veterinary surgeon. The books have been adapted for film and television, including a 1975 film All Creatures Great and Small, followed by the 1976 It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet sequel, as well as a long-running BBC television programme of the same title, and a prequel series in 2011, Young James Herriot.

Callum Woodhouse is a British actor.

<i>All Creatures Great and Small</i> (2020 TV series) British television series

All Creatures Great and Small is a television series, set in Northern England starting in 1937, based upon a series of books about a Yorkshire veterinary surgeon written by Alf Wight under the pen name of James Herriot. The series was produced by Playground Entertainment for Channel 5 in the United Kingdom and PBS in the United States.

Nicholas Ralph is a Scottish actor. He plays James Herriot in the Channel 5 and PBS Masterpiece television series All Creatures Great and Small, a remake of the long-running BBC series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cringley House</span> Historic building in Askrigg, North Yorkshire

Cringley House is an historic building in the English village of Askrigg, North Yorkshire. Standing on the south side of Market Place, it was built in the early-to-mid-19th century, and is now a Grade II listed building. Its railings are also of listed status.

References

  1. 1 2 The Times, 9 May 1975, page 13: Film reviews by David Robinson - found via The Times Digital Archive 2014-01-03
  2. 1 2 3 4 WARD AS VET: A Method Actor Down on the Farm Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 11 June 1974: d1.
  3. 1 2 3 'All Creatures': it's the saga of a Yorkshire vet Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 2 Feb 1975: o2.
  4. BEHIND THE COVER: Herriot finds all things brighter--by $3 million Dudar, Helen. Chicago Tribune 10 May 1981: e2.
  5. "Interview with Simon Ward". Berkshire Life and Buckinghamshire Life. 28 July 2010.
  6. BBFC: Creatures Great and Small Linked 2014-01-03
  7. Cinema Treasures: Studio 1, 2, 3, 4 Linked 2014-01-03
  8. TV: Dialer's Quandary: ABC Pits 'Death Be Not Proud' Against NBC's 'All Creatures Great and Small' By JOHN J. O'CONNOR. New York Times 4 Feb 1975: 67.
  9. Previews of Two Shows on KCET: 'All Creatures Great and Small' Smith, Cecil. Los Angeles Times 16 June 1979: c3.