morrison-dylan-fan Although I've seen a good number of eps from the classic TV series since childhood,I for some reason have always missed the chance to see the original big screen version of James Herriot's books. Looking at the flicks being shown over X-Mas/New Year,I noticed a screening of the movie in among animated titles,which led to me going down to the farm.The plot-1937:Recently passing his exams, newly qualified veterinarian James Herriot goes oop North for a job at Siegfried Farnon's practice in Yorkshire. Welcomed into the practice,Herriot soon finds himself getting stuck into taking care of all creatures big and small.View on the film:Filmed "Oop Yorkshire" director Claude Whatham & cinematographer Peter Suschitzky breath in the rural air with a misty atmosphere putting the viewer down on the farm. Allowing the viewer to see the hard work that vets do in a (mostly ) matter of fact manner, Whatham wonderfully brushes up the late 30's setting,lit by the cosy lack of modern machines which give the movie a fairy tale way of life. Threaded from two of Herriot's books,the screenplay by Hugh Whitemore flips the pages at a rapid pace. Whilst this stops the film from feeling dry,it also causes for there to be no feeling of a real friendship growing between the vets,due to any tantalisingly small moments being quickly skipped over. Joined by the charming Simon Ward as Herriot, Anthony Hopkins steals every scene he is in as the pipe smoking Farnon,thanks to Hopkins giving Farnon an excellent manner at home with the simple things in life,as the vets help all creatures,great and small.

nowego Being a fan of the series I found a copy of this extremely difficult to find film while I was watching the series and was very happy that I was able to watch it.I would have liked to see is that it was a bit longer and covered a bit more of the life of James Harriot. A very young Anthony Hopkins was superb as Siegfried and Simon Ward and Lisa Harrow as James and Helen made the movie very entertaining. I would have loved to see Simon Ward as James in the series, nothing against Christopher Timothy.The series features Tristan much more than the movie and this would be the only drawback I could find about it. Tristan is one of my favourite characters in the series.

Earthmonkey16 The movie is nice, not world class, but shows you a splendid young Anthony Hopkins as Sigfried Farnon.This movie never reaches the level of the series (which were started after, because of(?) this movie) It was a bit too hasty, no real depth in the characters, most things you have to deduct from conversation. The real Herriot lovers are waiting for the explosions of Sigfried, especially if you ever saw Anthony Hopkins in action, but he is surprisingly sedate almost throughout this movie. I would recommend the books, and the series, but this is an enjoyable movie non the less.

bengal This was a light-hearted, sometimes moving, quaint little period piece. Based explicitly on Herriot's surprise bestselling autobiography of the same name, All Creatures Great and Small is a wholesome family film. The book is a collection of stories about Herriot's beginning years as an assistant vet, and the movie is basically the same. Very pure, and very enjoyable. I recommend it for families, and especially for animal-loving families. This movie won't change your life, but it will entertain you. (Watch for a great performance by a younger Anthony Hopkins, who plays the quirky Veterinary Surgeon that Harriot goes to work for)