A period piece twice over - made in 1974, 46 years ago now, and set in 1929, 45 years previously, it's a relatively faithful adaptation of Arthur Ransome's classic chidren's book, and well-made, with decent performances coaxed from the child actors and some of the adults too, gorgeous scenery and well-shot sailing sequences. Familiarity breeds fondness and its frequent appearances on TV are always welcome - though the recently re-mastered cinema version is worth seeking out. And even Ronald Fraser's stilted Captain Flint becomes forgivable with time.
A comfort-blanket of a film
Review of Swallows and Amazons
