Customer Reviews

Railway Children, the

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, I WOULD CHALLENGE ANYONE TO SAY ANTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL FILM AND THE CHILD ACTORS:)
THIS HAS A HALLMARK HALL OF FAME TASTE, BUT HAS MUCH MORE DEPTH AND ISNT COATED IN SUGAR.
A GOOD WGBH/BOSTON/PBS PRODUCTION- IF TRYING TO LOCATE ?

THIS WOULD MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT AND HOLDAY TRADITION TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY---A WONDERFUL TURN OF THE CENTURY TALE.

"MICHAEL KITCHENS" (FOYLES WAR), RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH, GREGOR FISHER, AND JENNY AGUTTER SHOULD BE APPRECIATED AND RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR FINE ACTING TALENTS:) FROM EDITH NESBITS 1906 NOVEL.
ORIGINALLY AN E/M "MASTERPICE THEATRE" PRESENTATION---GET THIS DVD NOW?!

... a family is reduced in income and stature. They move to the country near a rail line. There the children learn more of life and people then they would have in their previous pampered environment. Many of their neighbors also learn a few things about sacrifice and friendship. Meantime the children, while worried as to the disappearance of their father, they begin waving to passing trains and this leads to many adventures.

Jenny Agutter played Bobbie Waterbury in the 1970 version. In this version she plays "mother".

Even though the story is transparent, the execution is excellent. The acting is superb and the consumes, even the train fit period of the story. I may have been stretch to believe in a philanthropic railroad tycoon.

This is the story of a family in England during the early part of the 20 th Centuary who went through difficult times as the result of the wrongful imprisonment of the father. The mother and children had to move to a smaller house beside a railway line. The main part of the story deals with the adventures of the children down by the railway track. My wife and I found this to be a really delightful story with a happy ending. We would recommend this video for family viewing. Some may find it a little old fashioned and old worldly in it's language and content.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this video.
John.

This is a valiant effort to remake the 1970 film based on Edith Nesbit's novel. In comparing the two, the new version features more "emoting"; things which went unsaid but were implied in 1970 are now told to us rather than shown. This is to the detriment of the newer version.
In spite of this, it is still a beautifully presented tale appropriate for the entire family; I think the production team was quite brave to even attempt a remake.

This is a splendid remake of E. Nesbit's classic children's novel, The Railway Children -- it is as good as the earlier (1970) version, and also, in its way, as delightful and moving as the book itself. Jenny Agutter, who was wonderful as Bobbie in the earlier version, is equally splendid as mother in this; while Jemima Rooper makes a perfect Bobbie, struggling on the threshhold of womanhood. The production is in general careful and imaginative. I have one criticism only -- why, oh why, do those responsible for Masterpiece Theater imagine that we are incapable of appreciating such an offering as this without "commentary" before and after it? There would be something patronizing about such an assumption, even if the commentary said anything worth saying: as it is, we are inflicted with several minutes of Russell Baker mouthing pompous, irrelevant twaddle. Five stars for the movie, and MINUS five for whomever cooked up that nonsense!

E. Nesbit's stories have charmed children and adults for a century. Many of her books are about children who gain magical powers or contact magical creatures. They are fun, but none has as much strength and beauty as The Railway Children. This is a story of three children whose father is falsely imprisoned. They and their mother retreat into the countryside where they live a hand to mouth existence for several months. Nesbit included quite a few of her own democratic socialist beliefs into The Railway Children, but the ideology does not detract from the story.

This DVD is beautifully done so that the outdoor scenes, especially, are magnificent. The children's adventures and their developing friendships with the people who live in and around their small village are all lovingly filmed. A host of talented actors, including Michael Kitchen, Jenny Agutter, and Sophie Thompson, among many others, enhance the story. And the final scenes, when the newly released father steps off the train into his daughter's arms, are guaranteed to produce a lump in your throat.

Lovely story about three children and their mother forced to spend time in rural England whilst their father/husband is falsely imprisioned for treason. The children get up to some exciting and comical adventures and a beautiful ending with the return of their father. Both versions of the movie do the book justice.

I've seen this movie every time it has aired on PBS and am eagerly anticipating receiving it for Christmas!! :)
A beautiful movie for all ages, taken from the incredibly beautiful story by E. Nesbit... One of the very few movies I've seen which truly does justice (or near-justice) to the book. Jemima Rooper is lovely, though perhaps looks a trifle too old for the part. I was also pleasantly surprised by the acting skills of the other two children. Very classic and in good taste. I only wish that I had "The Railway Children" in my VCR at this very moment!!

E Nesbit's "The Railway Children" is my favourite children's film. This version is very good and is decidedly on par with the original. The decider for me, however, is the apex of the film in the original, on the station platform as Bobbie identifies her father through the steam -- and almost strangled by anguish and relief cries: "My Daddy!". That moment would be impossible to top. This is the perfect pick-me-up...

I've seen this movie 3 times on PBS and each time I have been delighted by the charms of every character, be them young or old. The story is set in early 20th century England through the eyes of 3 children. When their father is falsely convicted of treason, the family is forced to move to more meager accomodations, but they are met with open arms by their new neighbors and peers. They are situated near a railway track that is the basis for their adventures, whether it be waving at the 9:15 to send their father their love, helping out a friend on his birthday, or reuniting a Russian man with his missing family.

The people they meet and the incredible and heroic deeds they do make for a wonderful and heartwarming story. This movie is well acted, incredible sweet, and a wonderful show for the whole family to enjoy!