Down By The Lake (Swallows And Amazons (DVD))

Member Name: raehippychick

Product:	Swallows And Amazons (DVD)
Date:	01/09/05 (778 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A return to the innocence and freedom of my childhood

Disadvantages: Not an action or comedy movie - could be too slow paced for some - not well known enough!

Being brought up on Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome stories I was very excited when I heard of this film a couple of years ago. A very gentle film, this takes me right back to my childhood in the countryside that sometimes feels like another world. I watch this whenever I want to return to a more innocent time, a time when adventures meant camping out overnight in homemade tents and cooking over a campfire

The Walker children go on holiday with their mother, an ethereal looking Virginia McKenna, to the beauties of the Lake District. Serious minded John is to be captain, with sensible Susan as first mate, the delightfully fey Titty (no don’t laugh; it used to be a reasonable name a long time ago I am sure!) and not forgetting young Boy Roger are to sail, in Swallow, to an island in the lake to camp overnight. Permission for Roger to join the crew sailing away to camp is given by the absent father in the form of a telegram; “Better drowned than duffers if not duffers won’t drown”. Stephen Grendon is delightful in his portrayal of a very confused Roger, his face creases in bewilderment as he tries to decipher this message and then breaks into a charming gentle beam as it is explained that he is allowed to join the older children on their adventure. Later, on a trip to stock up with supplies he is given the charge of guarding the boat from ‘natives’ and which he takes very seriously indeed by being monosyllabic to friendly chat from a passing gentleman

On the island the children make a camp with tents and a fire, just like my friends and I did in the wilds of Norfolk at their age. While exploring their new domain they are stalked by Amazons Nancy and Peggy Blackett (Nancy’s real name is Ruth, but her uncle had told her that amazons were ruthless). Both Nancy and Peggy are interesting characters with their own quirks, Nancy clearing being the bossy older sister

War is declared between the Swallows and the Amazons, resulting in some night time sailing and plenty of plotting to outdo each other. Once honour has been satisfied and the battle won the two sides team up to declare war on the Amazons’ uncle Jim, who used to be a pirate but became very boring once he begun to write his book of his adventures

All the actors play their parts so well; the children are innocent and excited and brave by turns, Ronald Fraser is a magnificent uncle, curmudgeonly, impatient, intolerant and yet charming. A very touching scene is when he offers his hand in apology to John following a disagreement, he looks so sheepish and sad I want to hug him and in return John very seriously shakes hands

The camera work in this film is beautiful; it really feels as if the children are completely alone for their camping adventure and the stunning Lake District scenery is shown not just as a backdrop to the movie, but also as the stunning natural wonder that it is in its own right

I was lucky enough to pick this up in HMV as a double DVD with the original Railway Children for around seven pounds, so I have double delights on one DVD. Amazon currently lists this special DVD at just under fifteen pounds or a DVD of the television version with The Coot Club and the Big Six for £15.99, which I am sorely tempted by now!

If you long for a return to more peaceful, innocent age, when children really could have freedom to grow and explore this film is a must see. Watch it through a child’s eyes and be transported to those long hot summer holidays of youth

Summary: a return to more peaceful, innocent age, when children really could have freedom to grow and explore