Review of Swallows and Amazons (1974) by Paul H — 30 Apr 2014

Adapted from Arthur Ransome's 1930 childrens novel of the same name, and directed by Claude Whatham, (That'll Be the Day (1973) and Hoodwink (1981)), this is a sweet and innocent children's adventure, made for a meagre $250,000.

It's a prime example of the kinds of children's film that simply doesn't get made anymore, as the frolics that they play in the film seem so old-fashioned now. Set during the summer of 1929, the Walker family go on holiday to the Lake District, while the mother (Virginia McKenna) stays at home, the Walker children, Susan (Suzanna Hamilton), John (Simon West), Titty (Sophie Neville) and Roger (Stephen Grendon) take a boat out into the middle of the neighbouring lake, and set up a camp on the island, they call their group the Swallows, named after the boat that took them out there.

It's not long before they meet two other children, Nancy (Kit Seymour) and Peggy (Lesley Bennett), who are a lot more mischievious, teasing their Uncle Jim (Ronald Fraser), who is staying on a boat nearby, they're the Amazons.

It's a very old fashioned film, cut from similar cloth to The Railway Children (1970), and it does highlight the art of children getting out and about and playing. The shoot was an absolute nightmare though, Ronald Fraser was never sober and the weather was very uncooperative, but a charming and precious film emerged from it all.