Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

jc-osms As my wife termed it, a perfect rainy Saturday movie. From the "kitchen-sink" genre of British film-making, famous for their black and white photography, contemporary, usually working-class settings, characters and dialogue, this appealing film differs from celebrated contemporaries like "A Taste Of Honey", "A Kind of Loving" and "Billy Liar", amongst many others by not being about avowedly adult themes. Instead we get a modern day fairy tale with three young, God-fearing Lancashire children improbably confusing an on the run murderer, secreting himself in their barn, for Jesus Christ.That's basically it for the plot, but helped by debut director Bryan Forbes' sure touch, amusing, vernacular dialogue from the celebrated Willis & Waterhouse team, sparkling music from Malcolm Arnold and some engaging acting, particularly from the three young principals, modern day cynicism is suspended into disbelief as you follow the movie through to its conclusion.The depiction of present-day Lancashire is brought home firmly with a combination of convincing exterior and interior sets and Forbes is smart enough to ground the picture firmly in its time with pop references in the background to stars of the day like Cliff Richard and Marilyn Monroe.Young Hayley Mills, Britain's then popular child-star, demonstrates her ease in front of the camera with a wholly natural performance, full of expression. However the two youngsters playing her kid sister and brother also shine in debut roles, with the Clitheroe-type little lad getting most of the best laugh-out-loud lines; funny as they are, he delivers them like a veteran. Of the adults, the late Alan Bates, as the villain, handles an awkward part deftly, as the horde of curious kids win him over with their adoration.One can delve deeper into the themes of the movie and see in it an allegory for the loss of innocence and a lament for the passing of Christianity in workaday England. The religious symbolism is inserted with restraint, just enough to keep the story going, without doing it to death. Its layers are certainly there for the perusal of film-students but its many charms will probably set aside more serious critical examination, especially if you're caught indoors of a wet Saturday and this delight is playing on the TV schedules.

screenman John Mills' daughter, Hayley, leads a sterling British cast of adults and children in this touching story about seriously confused identity.Alan Bates is a dangerous escaped criminal. Wounded and exhausted he takes shelter in the barn at the family's farm. Hayley Mills plays Cathy, a not-to-bright girl on the cusp of puberty who mistakes the criminal for Jesus Christ. It's a bit of a pose; but if you can get your head around it, the rest of the movie is a delight. Cathy has a younger brother and sister who quickly learn the secret, and pretty soon every kid in the neighbourhood knows it too - but not the grown-ups.As the story develops, we see critical elements of Biblical storyline reprised in the lives of the children. The local bully - otherwise in ignorance - forces a younger, weaker child to deny his existence three times, clearly without realising the irony of his actions.Ultimately, their secret escapes. The adults lock him in the barn and call the police. He surrenders without a fight, and whilst being frisked by officers, with his arms outstretched, his posture resembles a crucifixion from a distance, which only cements the belief more completely in Cathy's mind.This movie hails from the heyday of so-called kitchen-sink dramas. Set in the remoteness of north Yorkshire, the scenery is bleak but wonderful. The bleakness is emphasised by filming in black and white, which was almost de rigeur for kitchen-sinkers. Every detail is finely observed, with a farm yard of such cloying muddiness you can almost feel it, and a house that surely smells of fresh bread, preserves and dampness.The script, like the acting is entirely believable and natural. There are no bum roles in this movie. A vicar more spiteful than pious bellyaches about vandalism. Both he and a teacher prove unequal to the questions about life and death that the children raise. The kids themselves never put a foot wrong. A 1960's working-class Yorkshire family is very convincingly recreated, though the rural dialect has clearly been sanitised for broader audience appeal. I am tempted to say over-sanitised, because a little more authenticity might have made 'foreigners' have to think a little, but there are (or perhaps were) some great little nuances of pronunciation that wouldn't have hurt to be included, even if subtitles were needed. But perhaps that's just nit-picking.This is a movie that's as relevant today as it was then. It concerns the great divide between childhood wonder and adult cynicism. Belief, hope and misunderstanding compete with pragmatism and responsibility.All of the technical issues of lighting and editing are up to the standard and evidently modest budget. And finally, there is that haunting theme tune that lingers in your memory as much as the movie itself.Highly recommended viewing for all ages. Every generation can learn something from it.

Simon Woollard I saw this film as a 7-year old child when it was first released and 46 years on, I still remember being enchanted by it.It looks at a world through children's eyes and when a bearded man (who is on the run from the police) is found by them hiding in a barn, the children believe he is Jesus Christ. That the man is actually a murderer is neither here nor there really - it is the children's innocence and their faith in the Bible that shows through in their actions in hiding and feeding the man, and which to me, is so touching about this film. Sadly the children of today would probably not be as trusting as those shown in the film or in that era. In the end, of course, the adult "real" world has to intrude into the children's world when the fugitive is caught and taken away.The theme music by Malcolm Arnold is a tune that I carried in my head for many a year (and only today have I been able to track it down and downloaded it!). Of course, the Andrew Lloyd Webber show of the same name gets confused with it.I heartily recommend this film. One could imagine Steven Spielberg doing a re-make of this as it is has similarities to E.T.

hinckleyfox A truly beautiful, beautiful film. I'm in my 30's and would describe myself as an emerging film buff. I've seen all the classics, past and present, and have to say this really is up there as one of my favourites. Filmed nearly 45 years ago, set in the wonderful Lancashire moors, around the town of Burnley, England. This film will do nothing other than warm your heart. The innocence of the lead characters coupled with the respect shown in a bye-gone day, gives you that sentimental feeling, embossed with a sense of pride . I'll spare you the details of what you may watch, but give it a go, and imagine times nearly 5 decades ago, with a simple but interesting plot, and enjoy!