The Titfield Thunderbolt (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Pure, innocent fun for all the family, and especially fans of steam trains .
Disadvantages:	The crash scene where models were used, are a bit obvious .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For all lovers of Ealing comedies this film is definitely one NOT to be missed! A great film in the grand traditions of British Comedy, starring Stanley Holloway, John Gregson, Sid James, Hugh Griffith and the locomotive 'Lion' (the Titfield Thunderbolt) built in 1838.

Directed by Charles Crichton, the film portrays a lovable group of railway enthusiasts who decide to run the branch line from Titfield to Mallingford themselves, after the decision is made by British Rail to close it down.

After a meeting in the local pub, Mr. Valentine (Stanley Holloway) a local business man and heavy drinker, agrees to finance the line purely so that he can have a bar built in the carriage.

However, their efforts are not without opposition, in the form of 'Pearce & Crump, the local bus operators, who will stop at nothing to sabotage the success of the little branch line.

With the help of 'Hawkins' (Sid James) and his traction engine, they pull the locomotive and carriage from its shed in the dead of night. Gathering speed the free-running train is derailed when it reaches a section of track that has been removed earlier by Pearce and Crump.
The train ends up in a nearby river and is damaged beyond repair.

As the railway inspectors are arriving the following day the enthusiasts liberate 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' loco from the town museum.

The engine is then pressed into service, using an ancient coach on a low-loader, which is actually the home of Dan (Hugh Griffith) the ex-platelayer, and fireman of loco 1402 in the earlier scenes.

The train sets off on its journey with the Inspector on board, and a trail of mishaps follow - the rope breaks between the loco and carriage, after the guard (John Gregson) applies the brake for an emergency stop - the train runs out of water due to an act of sabotage on the water crane by 'Hawkins' and his shotgun - the loco has to be pushed backwards by the driver Sam Weech (George Relph) and his fireman, the Bishop of Welchester (Godfrey Tearle) until it meets up again with the coach.
What follows is an hilarious sequence which I will not spoil. Suffice to say it contains over 100 extras, a baby in a bath, lots of water and the Town Clerk (Naunton Wayne) gets a soaking as he hides in some nearby undergrowth, after refusing to help in providing the loco with water to save its boiler from blowing up.

To the relief of all, the train finally arrives at Mallingford station and the enthusiasts receive their offical Light Railway Order Certificate from the Inspector.

For those interested in the 'facts behind the film', hear are a few of them:
The film was Ealing's first to be shot in Technicolor.
It was filmed on the ex-GWR line between Limpley Stoke and Camerton.
The final scene was shot at Bristol Temple Meads station.
This was not the line's only claim to film fame. It was also used for scenes in the 'Ghost Train', based on the play by Arnold Ridley - better known as Private Godfrey in the TV series 'Dad's Army'.
The 'town museum' was actually the old Imperial College building (now demolished) which stood opposite the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The loco being removed from the museum is actually a wooden mock-up, made by Ealing workshops.

In conclusion:
This film ranks equally alongside the other Ealing greats such as 'The Lady Killers'. It is a film (though a little dated now) that is pure fun for all the family, showing a way of life that is seen as typically English; containing excellent filming, fine acting, good dialogue a lot of humour and large doses of nostalgia.