Laddy and the Lady

Laddy and the Lady follows an out-of-control golden retriever, owned by a Lady, on a pheasant shoot. Scenes of the shoot are intercut with flashbacks to Laddy’s troubled past as a puppy, wrenched from his mother’s side. On the shoot, Laddy is subjected to forms of physical and verbal abuse associated with gun dog handling. His inability to behave and retrieve the dead birds results in relentless punishment. Laddy becomes a receiver – a golden receiver- of abuse.

Directed by Henry Coombes, Laddy and the Lady leans on a strong ensemble — Gavin Kean, Kevin MacIsaac, Bridget McCann — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2006.