All Creatures Great and Small
Original British 1975 quad format poster
Directed byClaude Whatham
Screenplay byHugh Whitemore
Based onIf Only They Could Talk & It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet
by James Herriot
Produced byDavid Susskind
Duane Bogie
executive
Ronald Gilbert
StarringSimon Ward
Anthony Hopkins
Brian Stirner
Lisa Harrow
CinematographyPeter Suschitzky
Edited byRalph Sheldon
Music byWilfred 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 two James Herriot novels (actually written by veterinary surgeon Alf Wight): If Only They Could Talk (1970) and It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1972).

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]

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.
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