The Railway Children (film)
Encyclopedia
The Railway Children is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel of the same name
by E. Nesbit
. The film was directed by Lionel Jeffries
, and stars Dinah Sheridan
, Jenny Agutter
(who had earlier featured in the successful BBC
's 1968 dramatisation of the novel), Sally Thomsett
and Bernard Cribbins
in leading roles. The film was released to cinemas in the United Kingdom
on 21 December 1970.
The film rights were bought by Lionel Jeffries
. It was his directorial debut, and he was also responsible for writing the screenplay for the film. The Railway Children turned out to be a critical success, both at the time of its release and in later years. It has gone on to gain a place in several surveys of the greatest films ever made, including surveys conducted by the British Film Institute
and Total Film
magazine.
) from a luxurious Edwardian villa in the London suburbs to "Three Chimneys", a house near the fictional 'Great Northern and Southern Railway' in the Yorkshire dales, as the father (Iain Cuthbertson
), who works at the Foreign office, has been imprisoned as a result of being falsely accused of selling state secrets to the Russians.
The three children, Roberta (Bobbie) (Jenny Agutter
), Phylllis (Sally Thomsett
) and Peter (Gary Warren
), find amusement in watching the trains on the nearby railway line and waving to the passengers. They become friendly with Albert Perks (Bernard Cribbins
), the station porter, and with the Old Gentleman who regularly takes the 9:15 down train. Meanwhile, to earn money to survive during her husband's absence, Mother writes and sells stories to magazines.
After many adventures, including saving the lives of dozens of passengers by alerting a train to a landslide, rescuing a Russian dissident, Mr. Szczepansky, and uniting him with his family, and caring for Jim, the grandson of the Old Gentleman, who is injured whilst participating in a paper chase
, Bobbie eventually discovers the truth of her father's absence and appeals to the Old Gentleman for his help. He is eventually able to help prove their father's innocence, and the family is reunited.
and perform a curtain call as the credits roll. The camera moves slowly along a railway track towards a train which is decked in flags, in front of which all of the cast are assembled, waving and cheering to camera.
At the start of the credit sequence, a voice can be heard shouting "Thank you Mr Forbes" as an acknowledgement to Bryan Forbes
who put up a security for the film to be completed. Meanwhile Jenny Agutter
holds up a small slate on which "The End" is written in chalk and says "Goodbye" as the credits conclude.
was cast as the 11-year old Phyllis, despite being 20 years old at the time. Her contract forbade her to reveal her true age during the making of the film and she was also not allowed to be seen smoking or drinking during the shoot. 17-year old Jenny Agutter played her older sister, Roberta, and Gary Warren played their brother, Peter. Dinah Sheridan was cast as Mother, and Bernard Cribbins as Perks the porter.
and its station at Oakworth
as the backdrop for the film, referring to it as the Great Northern and Southern Railway. At the time of filming there were still very few heritage railways in Britain, and only the KWVR could offer a tunnel, which is important to a number of scenes. The tunnel is a lot shorter in reality than it appears in the film.
A number of working locomotives were used in the making of the film, including MSC67
, 5775 (L89)
, 52044
(Preserved as L&Y 957), 4744 (69523)
, all of which survive. They carried fictional liveries for the filming, 5775 carrying brown, reminiscent of the Stroudley livery of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, 957 carrying apple green, similar to liveries used by the North Eastern, Great Northern and London and North Eastern Railways, and 4744 and MSC67 carrying plain black, as used by most railway companies in Britain at one time or another. 67 is now at the Middleton Railway
, Leeds, 4744 is now at the Great Central Railway
, Loughborough whilst the others are still on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. A wide variety of vintage rolling stock was used in the film, including examples from the Metropolitan and London and North Eastern Railways. Whilst different carriages appeared in different liveries, the dominant livery is white and maroon, reminiscent of the Caledonian Railway's livery. The most important carriage in the film, the Old Gentleman's Saloon, was a North Eastern Railway Director's Saloon, that has been used since in the stage production of the book. It and all the other carriages seen in the film are still in use on the KWVR and can be travelled in, usually at special events only due to their age.
A number of different locations were employed for various scenes. The house 'Three Chimneys' is in Oxenhope
just north of the station. Bronte Parsonage in Haworth
was used as the location for Doctor Forrest's surgery. The scenes of the children sitting on a bridge were filmed at Wycoller
near Colne
. Mytholmes Tunnel and the railway line running through it was used extensively in the film, including being the location for the paper chase
scene and when the children tried to warn the train about a landslide by waving the girls' petticoats in the air. The landslide sequence itself was filmed in a cutting on the side of Mytholmes Tunnel nearest to Oakworth. The fields of long grass where the children waved to the trains are situated on the Haworth
side of Mytholmes Tunnel. A leaflet 'Railway Children Walk' is available from the Railway Stations or Tourist Information Centre, 2010 price 40p.
, Jenny Agutter
and Bernard Cribbins
. Sadly, the planned commentary from director Lionel Jeffries
was not completed due to his death in February 2010.
ceremony. Bernard Cribbins was nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actor. However in a category also featuring John Mills
, Colin Welland
and Gig Young
, the award went to Welland for his role in the film Kes
. Sally Thomsett received a nomination for Best Newcomer in a Leading Role
but again lost out to an actor from Kes, in this case David Bradley
. Johnny Douglas
was also nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music but the award was won by Burt Bacharach
for his film score for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
.
produced a 00 Gauge train set of the train from the film. It had a 'Jinty' tank locomotive in GN&SR livery with Synchrosmoke, two period coaches, an oval of track and a station. It was very popular with children, and it is highly sought after today as a collectors' item.
(BFI) put The Railway Children in 66th place in its list of the Top 100 British films
of all time. Five years later, the film magazine Total Film
named it the 46th greatest British film of the 20th century. In 2008, the film made it onto Channel 4
's list of the 100 Greatest Family Films at number 30.
On 28 March 2010 the Bradford International Film Festival concluded with a new restoration of The Railway Children film with the 40th anniversary digital premiere.
Jenny Agutter
also starred in a made-for-TV remake
of The Railway Children in 2000 in the role of Mother. Much of the publicity for the 2000 film focused on Agutter's involvement in both films made a generation apart.
The Railway Children
The Railway Children is a children's book by Edith Nesbit, originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906...
by E. Nesbit
E. Nesbit
Edith Nesbit was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television...
. The film was directed by Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
, and stars Dinah Sheridan
Dinah Sheridan
Dinah Sheridan is an English actress who appeared in the films 29 Acacia Avenue and Genevieve .She made her film debut in 1937, and has frequently appeared on television...
, Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
(who had earlier featured in the successful BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's 1968 dramatisation of the novel), Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett is a British actress.She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children, and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About the House...
and Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
in leading roles. The film was released to cinemas in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 21 December 1970.
The film rights were bought by Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
. It was his directorial debut, and he was also responsible for writing the screenplay for the film. The Railway Children turned out to be a critical success, both at the time of its release and in later years. It has gone on to gain a place in several surveys of the greatest films ever made, including surveys conducted by the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
and Total Film
Total Film
Total Film is a British film magazine published 13 times a year by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and offers film, DVD and Blu-ray news, reviews and features...
magazine.
Plot
The story follows the adventures of the Waterbury children, who are forced to move with their mother (Dinah SheridanDinah Sheridan
Dinah Sheridan is an English actress who appeared in the films 29 Acacia Avenue and Genevieve .She made her film debut in 1937, and has frequently appeared on television...
) from a luxurious Edwardian villa in the London suburbs to "Three Chimneys", a house near the fictional 'Great Northern and Southern Railway' in the Yorkshire dales, as the father (Iain Cuthbertson
Iain Cuthbertson
Iain Cuthbertson was a Scottish character actor. At 6' 4", he was known for his tall imposing build and also his distinctive "gravelly" heavily accented voice.-Early life:...
), who works at the Foreign office, has been imprisoned as a result of being falsely accused of selling state secrets to the Russians.
The three children, Roberta (Bobbie) (Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
), Phylllis (Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett is a British actress.She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children, and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About the House...
) and Peter (Gary Warren
Gary Warren
Gary Warren was an English child actor, best remembered for his role as Peter in the 1970 film The Railway Children. He also played Cedric in the TV series Catweazle , and in the sitcom Alexander the Greatest .Warren is now retired from acting...
), find amusement in watching the trains on the nearby railway line and waving to the passengers. They become friendly with Albert Perks (Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
), the station porter, and with the Old Gentleman who regularly takes the 9:15 down train. Meanwhile, to earn money to survive during her husband's absence, Mother writes and sells stories to magazines.
After many adventures, including saving the lives of dozens of passengers by alerting a train to a landslide, rescuing a Russian dissident, Mr. Szczepansky, and uniting him with his family, and caring for Jim, the grandson of the Old Gentleman, who is injured whilst participating in a paper chase
Paper Chase (game)
Paper Chase is a racing game played outdoors with any number of players. At the start of the game, one person is designated the 'hare' and everyone else in the group are the 'hounds'...
, Bobbie eventually discovers the truth of her father's absence and appeals to the Old Gentleman for his help. He is eventually able to help prove their father's innocence, and the family is reunited.
Cast
- Dinah SheridanDinah SheridanDinah Sheridan is an English actress who appeared in the films 29 Acacia Avenue and Genevieve .She made her film debut in 1937, and has frequently appeared on television...
as Mrs. Waterbury ("mother") - Bernard CribbinsBernard CribbinsBernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
as Albert Perks - William MervynWilliam MervynWilliam Mervyn was an English actor best known for his portrayal of the Bishop in the clerical comedy All Gas and Gaiters.-Life and career:...
as Old Gentleman - Iain CuthbertsonIain CuthbertsonIain Cuthbertson was a Scottish character actor. At 6' 4", he was known for his tall imposing build and also his distinctive "gravelly" heavily accented voice.-Early life:...
as Charles Waterbury ("father") - Jenny AgutterJenny AgutterJennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
as Roberta 'Bobbie' Waterbury - Sally ThomsettSally ThomsettSally Thomsett is a British actress.She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children, and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About the House...
as Phyllis Waterbury - Gary WarrenGary WarrenGary Warren was an English child actor, best remembered for his role as Peter in the 1970 film The Railway Children. He also played Cedric in the TV series Catweazle , and in the sitcom Alexander the Greatest .Warren is now retired from acting...
as Peter Waterbury - Peter BromilowPeter BromilowPeter Bromilow was a British-born actor.-Select Filmography:* Camelot * The Railway Children * Nasty Habits * Semi-Tough...
as Doctor Forrest - Ann LancasterAnn LancasterAnn Lancaster was a well-known character actress who appeared in many British films, television shows and in the theatre. She specialised in comic roles. She had a talent for voices and often used this on radio to portray children. She also used her talent to do voiceovers on television...
as Ruth - Gordon Whiting as Shapanski
- Beatrix Mackey as Aunt Emma
- Deddie DaviesDeddie DaviesDeddie Davies is a Welsh character actress.She is most familiar to television viewers for comedy roles in a host of series, including The Rag Trade, That's My Boy and Chance in a Million. She usually appears in meek, spinsterish roles...
as Mrs. Nell Perks - David LodgeDavid Lodge (actor)David William Frederick Lodge was a British character actor.Before turning to acting he worked as a circus clown...
as Band Leader - Christopher Witty as Jim
- Brenda CowlingBrenda CowlingBrenda Rose Cowling was an English actress. A native of London, Cowling wanted to be a film actress from the time she was a child; however, upon leaving school, she trained instead as a shorthand typist.After a time she joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she was a member of the same...
as Mrs. Hilda Viney - Paddy Ward as Cart Man
- Erik ChittyErik ChittyErik Chitty , was an English film and television actor.-Early life:Chitty was the son of a flour miller. He attended Dover College and Jesus College, Cambridge where he was one of the founders of the Cambridge University Mummers, before training at RADA and becoming a professional actor...
as Photographer - Sally James as Maid
- Dominic Allan as CID Man
- Amelia BayntunAmelia BayntunAmelia Bayntun was an English Actress. She was born in Bristol on 31 March 1919 as Amelia Ellen Bayntun and died in Islington, London in January 1988.- Career :...
as Cook (uncredited)
End credits
The entire cast break the fourth wallFourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
and perform a curtain call as the credits roll. The camera moves slowly along a railway track towards a train which is decked in flags, in front of which all of the cast are assembled, waving and cheering to camera.
At the start of the credit sequence, a voice can be heard shouting "Thank you Mr Forbes" as an acknowledgement to Bryan Forbes
Bryan Forbes
Bryan Forbes, CBE is an English film director, actor and writer.-Career:Bryan Forbes was born John Theobald Clarke on 22 July 1926 in Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford, West Ham, Essex , and grew up at 43 Cranmer Road, Forest Gate, West Ham, Essex .Forbes trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of...
who put up a security for the film to be completed. Meanwhile Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
holds up a small slate on which "The End" is written in chalk and says "Goodbye" as the credits conclude.
Production
Sally ThomsettSally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett is a British actress.She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children, and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About the House...
was cast as the 11-year old Phyllis, despite being 20 years old at the time. Her contract forbade her to reveal her true age during the making of the film and she was also not allowed to be seen smoking or drinking during the shoot. 17-year old Jenny Agutter played her older sister, Roberta, and Gary Warren played their brother, Peter. Dinah Sheridan was cast as Mother, and Bernard Cribbins as Perks the porter.
Filming locations
Lionel Jeffries used the Keighley and Worth Valley RailwayKeighley and Worth Valley Railway
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station...
and its station at Oakworth
Oakworth railway station
Oakworth railway station serves the village of Oakworth, near Keighley, and within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
as the backdrop for the film, referring to it as the Great Northern and Southern Railway. At the time of filming there were still very few heritage railways in Britain, and only the KWVR could offer a tunnel, which is important to a number of scenes. The tunnel is a lot shorter in reality than it appears in the film.
A number of working locomotives were used in the making of the film, including MSC67
Hudswell Clarke
Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
, 5775 (L89)
0-6-0PT
The GWR 0-6-0PT , is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway with the water tanks carried on both sides of the boiler, in the manner of panniers. They were used for local, suburban and branch line passenger and goods traffic, for shunting duties, and as banker engines on...
, 52044
L&YR Class 25
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Class 25 is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive. They were introduced in 1876 by new locomotive superintendent William Barton Wright and 280 were built in total. 230 were later converted to saddle tanks by John Aspinall....
(Preserved as L&Y 957), 4744 (69523)
GNR Class N2
The Great Northern Railway Class N2 is an 0-6-2T side tank steam locomotive designed by Nigel Gresley and introduced in 1920. Further batches were built by the London and North Eastern Railway from 1925...
, all of which survive. They carried fictional liveries for the filming, 5775 carrying brown, reminiscent of the Stroudley livery of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, 957 carrying apple green, similar to liveries used by the North Eastern, Great Northern and London and North Eastern Railways, and 4744 and MSC67 carrying plain black, as used by most railway companies in Britain at one time or another. 67 is now at the Middleton Railway
Middleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
, Leeds, 4744 is now at the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
, Loughborough whilst the others are still on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. A wide variety of vintage rolling stock was used in the film, including examples from the Metropolitan and London and North Eastern Railways. Whilst different carriages appeared in different liveries, the dominant livery is white and maroon, reminiscent of the Caledonian Railway's livery. The most important carriage in the film, the Old Gentleman's Saloon, was a North Eastern Railway Director's Saloon, that has been used since in the stage production of the book. It and all the other carriages seen in the film are still in use on the KWVR and can be travelled in, usually at special events only due to their age.
A number of different locations were employed for various scenes. The house 'Three Chimneys' is in Oxenhope
Oxenhope
Oxenhope is a village and civil parish with a population of 2,476 in the metropolitan borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley. Oxenhope railway station is the terminus for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway...
just north of the station. Bronte Parsonage in Haworth
Haworth
Haworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope...
was used as the location for Doctor Forrest's surgery. The scenes of the children sitting on a bridge were filmed at Wycoller
Wycoller
Wycoller is a village in the Borough of Pendle, in Lancashire, England. It is located 3 miles east of Colne, near to the junction of the Lancashire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire borders....
near Colne
Colne
Colne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
. Mytholmes Tunnel and the railway line running through it was used extensively in the film, including being the location for the paper chase
Paper Chase (game)
Paper Chase is a racing game played outdoors with any number of players. At the start of the game, one person is designated the 'hare' and everyone else in the group are the 'hounds'...
scene and when the children tried to warn the train about a landslide by waving the girls' petticoats in the air. The landslide sequence itself was filmed in a cutting on the side of Mytholmes Tunnel nearest to Oakworth. The fields of long grass where the children waved to the trains are situated on the Haworth
Haworth
Haworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope...
side of Mytholmes Tunnel. A leaflet 'Railway Children Walk' is available from the Railway Stations or Tourist Information Centre, 2010 price 40p.
Critical reception
Since its release, the film has received universally good reviews; it holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 6 reviews.Home media
A 40th anniversary Blu-ray and DVD was released on 05/05/10 with a new digitally remastered print. It includes new 2010 interviews with Sally ThomsettSally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett is a British actress.She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children, and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About the House...
, Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
and Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
. Sadly, the planned commentary from director Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
was not completed due to his death in February 2010.
Awards and nominations
The Railway Children received three nominations for awards at the 24th British Academy Film Awards24th British Academy Film Awards
The 24th British Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1971, honoured the best films of 1970.-Best Film: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid *Kes*MASH*Ryan's Daughter-Best Actor:...
ceremony. Bernard Cribbins was nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actor. However in a category also featuring John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
, Colin Welland
Colin Welland
Colin Welland is a British actor and screenwriter. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his script for Chariots of Fire ,,,....
and Gig Young
Gig Young
Gig Young was an American film, stage, and television actor. Known mainly for second leads and supporting roles, Young won an Academy Award for his performance as a dance-marathon emcee in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.-Early life and career:Born Byron Elsworth Barr in St...
, the award went to Welland for his role in the film Kes
Kes (film)
Kes is a 1969 British film from director Ken Loach and producer Tony Garnett. The film is based on the novel A Kestrel for a Knave, written by the Barnsley-born author Barry Hines in 1968...
. Sally Thomsett received a nomination for Best Newcomer in a Leading Role
BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer
-Best British Director, Producer or Writer in the First Film:*2006 - Red Road - Andrea Arnold**Black Sun – Gary Tarn**Pierrepoint – Christine Langan**London to Brighton – Paul Andrew Williams...
but again lost out to an actor from Kes, in this case David Bradley
David (Dai) Bradley
David Bradley , now professionally known as Dai Bradley, is an English actor who became well known for his first time role of Billy Casper in the critically acclaimed 1968 film Kes, directed by Ken Loach.-"Kes":...
. Johnny Douglas
Johnny Douglas (conductor)
Johnny Douglas was an English composer, Musical Director and string arranger, perhaps best known for his work in the easy listening genre...
was also nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music but the award was won by Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
for his film score for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman...
.
Merchandise
Hornby RailwaysHornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
produced a 00 Gauge train set of the train from the film. It had a 'Jinty' tank locomotive in GN&SR livery with Synchrosmoke, two period coaches, an oval of track and a station. It was very popular with children, and it is highly sought after today as a collectors' item.
Legacy
The film has left a lasting impression on the British film industry and audiences. In 1999, the British Film InstituteBritish Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
(BFI) put The Railway Children in 66th place in its list of the Top 100 British films
BFI Top 100 British films
In 1999 the British Film Institute surveyed 1000 people from the world of British film and television to produce the BFI 100 list of the greatest British films of the 20th century. Voters were asked to choose up to 100 films that were 'culturally British'...
of all time. Five years later, the film magazine Total Film
Total Film
Total Film is a British film magazine published 13 times a year by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and offers film, DVD and Blu-ray news, reviews and features...
named it the 46th greatest British film of the 20th century. In 2008, the film made it onto Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's list of the 100 Greatest Family Films at number 30.
On 28 March 2010 the Bradford International Film Festival concluded with a new restoration of The Railway Children film with the 40th anniversary digital premiere.
Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
also starred in a made-for-TV remake
The Railway Children (TV film)
The Railway Children is a 2000 drama television film based on the novel by E. Nesbit. It was broadcast for the first time in the United Kingdom on 23 April 2000.-Plot:...
of The Railway Children in 2000 in the role of Mother. Much of the publicity for the 2000 film focused on Agutter's involvement in both films made a generation apart.
External links
- Locomotive MSC67
- Lionel Jeffries - Daily Telegraph obituary