Swallows and Amazons *** (1974, Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser, Brenda Bruce) – Classic Movie Review 12,714

Dame Virginia McKenna (born 7 June 1931).

The 1974 British film Swallows and Amazons stars Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser and Brenda Bruce. EMI’s pleasantly old-fashioned film, based on Arthur Ransome’s 1930 children’s classic novel, should appeal to grown-ups as well as its main young audience.

Director Claude Whatham’s 1974 British film Swallows and Amazons stars Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser and Brenda Bruce.

EMI’s pleasantly old-fashioned film, with a careful screenplay by David Wood from Arthur Ransome’s 1930 children’s classic novel, should appeal to grown-ups as well as its main intended young audience.

It is the adventure of six young children on one idyllic summer holiday spent messing about in boats in the English Lake District, camping and sailing in 1929.

The Swallows (Simon West, Sophie Neville, Zanna Hamilton, Stephen Grenville) are two boys and two girls, and The Amazons are two slightly older tomboyish girls (Kit Seymour, Lesley Bennett) they meet as rivals while playing buccaneers.

Jolly acting from the kids and adults alike lights up this winsome, wholesome Ransome drama.

Also in the cast: Mike Pratt, Jack Woolgar, John Franklyn-Robbins and David Blagden.

It is shot on location in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria in summer 1973.

Enthusiasts bought and restored the Swallow dinghy in 2010.

Again funded by Nat Cohen of EMI Films (for just £250,000) as a follow-up to his 1970 film The Railway Children, it was not as successful, and is not as fondly remembered, but it still has its charms and fans.

Suzanna Hamilton (born February 8, 1960) appears in her first feature film, billed as Zanna Hamilton, playing Susan Walker, one of four young siblings known as The Swallows.

Dame Virginia McKenna DBE (born 7 June 1931) made her debut in The Second Mrs Tanqueray (1952) and is best known for A Town Like Alice (1956), Carve Her Name with Pride (1958), Born Free (1966), and Ring of Bright Water (1969).

The cast are Virginia McKenna as Mrs. Walker, Ronald Fraser as Uncle Jim, Simon West as John Walker, Suzanna Hamilton [Zanna Hamilton] as Susan Walker, Sophie Neville as Titty Walker, Stephen Grendon as Roger Walker, Kit Seymour as Nancy Blackett, Lesley Bennett as Peggy Blackett, Mike Pratt as Mr. Dixon, Brenda Bruce as Mrs. Dixon, John Franklyn-Robbins as Young Billy, Jack Woolgar as Old Billy, and David Blagden as Policeman.

Film adaptations: a six-part BBC TV series Swallows and Amazons (TV, 1963), Swallows and Amazons (film, 1974), Swallows and Amazons Forever! (TV, 1984), and the remake film Swallows and Amazons (film, 2016) starring Andrew Scott, Rafe Spall, Kelly Macdonald, Jessica Hynes and Harry Enfield.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,714

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