Wee Geordie (1955) User Reviews

A wee bit of comedy and a wee bit of romance

[raymond-15 · 7/10 · 25 May 2002]

Wee Geordie is an undersized lad who spends his savings on a physical culture course to increase his height and improve his strength. So successful is he that he is chosen in later years to represent Britain in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and as a consequence wins gold in the hammer throw.

Such a simple tale with a message to youngsters that a goal can be achieved through sheer perseverance. Bill Travers plays the lead role as Geordie with a dour expression which breaks into a winning smile when things go right for him. Jean (Nora Gorsen) his companion since childhood urges him to accept the Olympic challenge and provides the romantic interest. Alistair Sim as the laird does well in a comic character role (as always). Francis de Wolff as Samson who prepares the correspondence courses for Geordie is a loud and aggressive character who takes all the credit for Geordie's success. There is a genuinely funny scene at the railway station when he farewells Geordie on his trip to Australia.

The dialogue is very simple and unsophisticated. It is spoken slowly and clearly and fortunately the Scottish accent can be understood. The colour photography has a washed out look and shows how much the technology has advanced in the last 40 years or so.

A nice little family film that will gladden the heart of any wee laddie or lassie.

Entertaining, heart-warming, delightful

[-628 · 8/10 · 20 December 2013]

I watched Wee Geordie out of curiosity but found so much more than that. The story centres around a small rural Scottish boy who was teased and ridiculed at school because of his small stature and who took growth tablets to aid his physical development. He grows into a fine specimen of a man, tall and strong. His strength ultimately leads to him becoming a hammer thrower and representing Britain at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

The film is entertaining throughout. Bill Travers (of Born Free fame) is convincing and engaging as the grown Geordie Mac Taggart and Alastair Sims is a fine laird.

I thought that the movie might be based on fact (a la Chariots of Fire) but a review of the Hammer Throw results at the Melbourne Olympics reveals it as a work of fiction. No matter! It does not change the fact that the movie is a delight to watch.

The scenes of the final throw of the competition are captivating. Some competitors thrive on crowd support, others wilt under it. Geordie was a crowd favourite, thanks to his involvement in saving a man trapped under a car, but his nerves betray him under that pressure. When he shuts out the crowd and imagines his sweetheart back in the hills of Scotland - at the same time that she whispers into her wireless back home - a little piece of cinema magic is created.

There was some licence taken with the location. When Geordie is shown arriving in Melbourne by ship, there are 2 scenes of Sydney Harbour. But that is immaterial to the enjoyment of the film.

It is definitely worth the investment of your time and attention.

Charming character study

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 12 February 2019]

GEORDIE is an intensely likeable character study film of the 1950s that helped put future wildlife megastar Bill Travers on the map. He plays a small young boy who signs up to a mail-order muscle-building course after tiring of getting bullied at school over his size. Before long he transforms into the hulking Travers, who takes up hammer-throwing and becomes an Olympic contestant. Seen today, some viewers might class this as twee and dated, but I found it charming. Travers struggles with the accent a little but there's no faulting his commitment and personality, and others like Alastair Sim are reliably good. Yes, it's a slow-moving film without much in the way of big incident or surprise, but it also offers a neat snapshot into a style of filmmaking - one with heart, naturalism and warmth - long since evaporated.

Geordie on DVD

[gbthomas · 4 December 2001]

It is time that this movie was released on DVD. It has been at least ten years since I last saw it on PBS. The values extolled in this film are never ending, and perhaps even timely in this period of heightened violence in the world. Geordie has been a favourite for many years and, notwithstanding my like for all of the classic and modern hard-hitting western, war and other action films, the scene where Geordie tosses the hammer for a Gold Medal while he envisions his sweetheart coming over a hill through the heather is only one that remains stuck in my mind, even to this day.

Not a "Local Hero" but a real charmer, nevertheless.

[MOscarbradley · 7/10 · 10 June 2020]

It's hardly "Local Hero" but this Scottish-set comedy from the Launder and Gilliat team is still a charmer. Bill Travers is the game-keeper's son who is entered for the Melbourne Olympics as a hammer-thrower but insists on wearing his kilt. It's a very simple little picture with characters that are easy to like. Travers may not have been much of an actor but he was certainly personable and Alastair Sim is wonderful as the local laird while the Scottish locations are lovely and like "Local Hero" it's funny but in a very gentle kind of way. This is British humour at its most restrained and its supporting cast of of character actors is first-rate. Popular at the time, it has disappeared over the years but is worth reviving.

Something extra for the lassies

[dsewizzrd-1 · 6/10 · 9 October 2018]

Alastair Sim is the laird of the manor in this bucolic regional film produced in time for the Olympic Games in Melbourne. A small boy in the Scottish Highlands follows "the Samson method" to become an unlikely hammer throwing champion for Great Britain, with a little accident in a rowboat along the way. There's a shot of Sydney harbour shown as Melbourne. Product placements - Johnny Walker and Austin.

Geordie... a WEE movie with a GIANT impact...

[milkduds · 10/10 · 19 April 2001]

This movie is truly a classic... It is a classic story of a small boy who is tired of being small and rather than having sand kicked in his face, sends off for a "HE-MAN" mail order course... He then trains and dedicates himself to strength training and eventually grows to become an Olympic champion in the Hammer Throw, one of the Olympic strong man events... This movie is great and reminds us of days when Olympic champions were built from desire and hard work rather than todays steroids and other controversial techniques... A must see...

Size isn't everything.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 30 April 2022]

The future star of "Born Free", Bill Trsvets, was a handsome young jactor known for the cleft in his chin and his voice that was reminiscent of Michael York. In the 1950s, he was promoted by the British Cinema as a young romantic hero, and thus appeared in a series of films that are mainly forgotten today. This is a film about a young Scottish man, once the smallest kid in his class, who took a bodybuilding course and ended up an Olympic champion. Fortunately the film just not overdo the have you started accent so it's easy to understand, and there are some very good character performances, particularly by Alastair Sim as a cantankerous neighbor of Travers who was obsessed with a certain breed of hawk who tells him has been responsible for the deaths of chickens on the farms.

Travers keeps in communication with the founder of a bodybuilding mail in course for years, finally meeting him and entering the Olympic competition. Doris Goddard is his longtime girlfriend, a relationship interrupted when Travelers goes off to the Melbourne Olympics and meets the Swedish discus champion Norah Gorsen. She's the one flawed element about the film, for voice laughable at times almost sounding like a cartoon character. This is the only sports film that I know that deals with hammer throwing, an interesting sport that often has Travers throwing a bit too hard and the wrong way, nearly smashing people with it. A sweet film with a good heart, it seems almost like something that Disney might have made.

Innocent Fun, Good Family Entertainmnt

[jstewart24 · 10/10 · 25 November 2006]

I first saw this movie on late night TV as a youth around 10 years old.Luckily, I got to stay up late one night over the weekend and surprise! there was a film called "Wee Geordie" on late night TV. I still remember it to this day. Sentimental? yes, but as a full blooded Scot, that scene of the mountains back hame,and hearing the Bagpipes in "Big" Geordie's dream sequence, still brings a tear to my eyes after 42 years. That's an excellent film in my opinion and I would recommend it to anyone with a drop of Celtic heritage or anyone who enjoyed films like " Rob Roy" and "BraveHeart". Wee Geordie thankfully, is without all the "historic" violence. Still another great film that deserves to be mentioned here,is "Tunes of Glory" with Sir Alec Guiness.This film is definitely not as innocent as Wee Geordie in nature. But in my opinion, it also ranks as one of the best Scottish Army themed films ever made, and still is dynamic entertainment. Enjoy!

A weak effort from Gilliat/Launder

[LCShackley · 5/10 · 21 November 2010]

I'm a big fan of Gilliat/Launder movies, and also of Alastair Sim. I expected the usual quirky, sparkling Ealing comedy, but instead got a slow-moving, barely interesting story which seems like something written for a kiddies' magazine.

In a way, it's sort of like CHARIOTS OF FIRE, but without the imagination, sharp script & interesting actors. A long-shot Scot gets his chance at the Olympics, but argues with the authorities about a matter of principle.

Sim is wasted in a two-dimensional role, but even so, he stands out from the rest of the cast, which is strictly one-dimensional. The color photography is dull and lifeless, to match the script. The happy ending comes about an hour too late.

Life changing

[scottfarrar-1 · 10/10 · 8 October 2006]

I was born in 1954 and saw this movie when I was very small. This stuck with me forever. At first it motivated me to exercise. I attacked it with zeal. I am not going to self boast by going through what my accomplishments were, but they were significant. I applied this same zeal in my business life. Again, I am not going to boast, but this movie gave me the inspiration to keep on keeping on, even if you are not the biggest and best. My company is very successful and there is no stopping.

I would recommend that any parent show this movie to any child. It is timeless and trans gender. Simply my favorite movie.

Not so Good as the Book

[loza-1 · 5/10 · 27 May 2005]

First I will answer Irvin of Santa Monica who said

"One curiosity: "Geordie" is a term of endearment of the name, George, in the city/district of Newcastle. I haven't been able to reckon out why a Scots lad should bear such an English name. --Any suggestions?"

The Northumbrians are almost Scots - indeed Northumberland once belonged to Scotland. In Scotland, if your name is George, your friends will call your Geordie. Further south in England they will more likely call you Georgie.

I read David Walker's novel many years before I saw the film. It is simply written, and has a great deal of charm. Central to the plot of the book is the romance between Geordie and Jean. In the book it is pretty intense. In the film it is all but glossed over.

Another difference between the book and the film is that in the book Geordie is not a hammer thrower but a shot putter. I shall not feign outrage. I realise that the hammer throw will look more spectacular on film.

But the way the central characters interact with one another in the book is not handled very well in this film.

You would be better reading the book.

Scottish Fairy Tale.

[rmax304823 · 11 October 2011]

Geordie grows up from a stunted weakling into a braw man with shoulders on him like an ox and a set of regional allegiances to match. He's no long Wee Geordie. He's Geordie who excels at the kind of Scottish sports that require great skill and delicacy, like throwing a hammer and tossing a telephone pole around.

He's a quiet guy though, not a braggart or a competitor. He has a loving mother who urges him to stay strong by eating his oatmeal, er, porridge. He has a cute girl friend too, who inspires him to compete without ever really trying to. Alistair Sim in the Laird on whose land Geordie is the happy gamekeeper.

A couple of English sports promoters or impresarios or whatever they're called learn of Geordie's skill at the hammer throw and the community swells with pride as the lad is whisked off to Australia to compete in the Olympics. As in "Chariots of Fire", there's a spot of trouble over a principle: Geordie's wearing his father's kilt during the event. There's also a brief misunderstanding concerning a blond female Danish shot putter who finds Geordie attractive and is not afraid of demonstrating her affection in public. All the troubles and contretemps are quickly taken care of.

It's a charming story. The people of Geordie's lands are human and friendly in their reserved way, only I wish they hadn't made that crack about its being necessary for Geordie to win the prize back from those cops from Glasgow, that having been my Grand Dad's profession. The photography of the glens and lochs is sumptuous. A Kelpie could be hidden behind the ferns and gorse. Scotland has never looked quite so pretty. Geordie's family's humble stone cottage is painted a pleasing egg shell white. And the local folk in their multilayered tweeds look entirely comfortable in the clear and chilly wind.

The film has its weak moments. The first half, with Geordie and his neighbors frolicking in the glens and on the bens is extremely engaging. The second half, dealing with the Olympics, rather drags. Geordie is losing at the hammer throw but at the last moment he has an epiphany. He imagines that he is not in Australia at all but back in the highlands and his girl is whistling encouragement to him from a nearby hill. POW -- the Olympic record is broken, and Rocky gets up from the canvas and floors his obnoxious opponent.

But in the end, it's one of those movies that you watch in delight and, when it's over, wistfully wonder what it would be like to live in Geordie's world, unbothered by Twitters and Tweets.

a real charmer

[guenzeld · 9/10 · 24 September 2008]

One can only agree with most of the reviewers who found this film so utterly delightful. Which, of course, it is. I note that some sort of DVD release of the film is scheduled for September, 2008 but I am apprehensive that the quality of this release might not be that great. I hope I am wrong, of course.

Contrary to the opinion of one writer this film was beautifully photographed in the original, wonderful Technicolor process, not in black and white, as was erroneously stated. Those lucky enough to see an original Technicolor print are lucky indeed for the colour cinematography was one of the best things about that movie. Nowadays that the old Technicolor "imbibition" process is no longer used (it ceased in 1977) we are mostly left with pale, washed-out poor colour prints of this great movie. That is why I fear this upcoming DVD release may be a sad disappointment.

It is a pity that the original studio (British Lion/Columbia/Sony) doesn't spend a few dollars by going back to the film negative and giving us a nice restored version, as is done with so many other older films. Look what Warner Brothers recently did restoring the old 1937 Technicolor "Robin Hood" for DVD: it looks like the film was shot yesterday. And the same thing could be done to nearly every old Technicolor film, if the studios would make the effort.

"Wee Geordie" is a terrific film, so let's hope it one day gets a new lease on life with a proper transfer to DVD.

Loved this film as a boy.

[ccogan · 10/10 · 15 September 2000]

I saw this film as a small boy in England. I loved it at the time and I have never forgotten it. I first saw this movie at boarding school when I was about 9. I have seen it since once on TV late at night, but I agree that it ought to be made available on Video or DVD.

Steroids

[billybob49 · 4/10 · 28 December 2019]

The "growth pills" wee Geordie takes in the early scenes are obviously anabolic steroids... So here we have a mid century drug cheat competing in the Melbourne Olympics, which isn't quite the same trope as a bonnie farm lad from the Highlands winning gold and hearts. Apart from that, it's lots of fun in the old school manner of Ealing/Michael Balcon et al. Enjoy.

hope they bring this back on vhs.

[jnich · 10/10 · 16 November 2001]

The film throughout shows an innocence of the time which has been lost. The old house with the stairs to the bedrooms still sticks in my memory all these years latter. The plot could be used at any time in history but all of the scenery, comments, expressions are unique to this wonderful film and to a time long gone.

Droll, but too broad at times

[aromatic-2 · 5/10 · 14 May 2001]

Enjoyable fable with marvelous performances, especially by Bill Travers about the quintessential 98-pound weakling who through tutelage, transforms himself into a Charles-Atlas-type phenomenon. Some great moments are lost among a plethora of obvious sight gags. Overall, I consider it amusing, but it falls short of its potential to be memorable.

Wonderful low-key Comedy about big Scot who gets the gold at the Melbourne Olympics

[jsobre · 2 October 2000]

Farm boy Rulon Gardner's fabulous win at the Sydney Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling is almost a real-life incarnation of the hero of "Wee Geordie." Goerdie, the hero of this wonderful low-key comedy, starts out as an undersized little boy in rural Scotland, who grows up to be very big indeed. He takes up hammer-throwing after completing a physical-culture courst that converts him from 99 lb. weakling to "Charles Atlas." And, of course, he ends up in the 1956 Olympics, wearing his kilt and throwing for the gold.

I saw this film as a kid when it first came out, and was lucky enough to see it on television about a decade ago--and it had lost none of its charm. What with Rulon and Sydney, it's time to bring out this wonderful comedy on Video/DVD. Alistair Sim is a wonderful laird and Bill Travers plays the ultra-grown-up Geordie. It's really funny in the way of Brit comedies of the era.

With the 2000 Olympics in Australia, it's time to bring this back on VHS/DVD

[drmike99 · 9/10 · 7 July 2000]

I remember this movie vividly from the 1950's when I saw it once. It has never been on tape and should be, especially with the 200 Olympics in Australia. This is a very enjoyable film about a SMALL young boy who takes a body building course by correspondence and grows up to represent Scotland in the hammer throw in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. It is time to bring it back.

a super film that everyone should see..........

[badsign · 10/10 · 25 July 2002]

saw it at 16 yrs old and now 46 and still can't get it off my mind..where can this movie be rented or bought, it is too good of a movie not to be available. It is a totally feel good movie, me and my brother both want to see it again, why not bring back a great movie that is in the film catagories of the natural, the rookie, it happens every spring.....gary

Complete Fantasy around the 1956 Olympics

[philpho · 5/10 · 19 April 2015]

Its rather disappointing to find the film billed (cough) about Hammer Throwing is in reality along the lines of How A Scot Won the 1954 World Cup for England in a Kilt (Football): Alas, the whole story is a wee twee Fantasy and it would have been nice to see some sort of caption to this effect.

The film comes on like a Scotophile's view of the world, in every way like those tacky postcards one may resort to with a Scotty Dog and a fellow in a Kilt o'er looking a loch in bright sunshine when all else fails.

The Highland Games technique is well portrayed as I recall from a brief foray, using spikey shoes to stop one slipping, but the Olympic technique using multiple turns is a deftly avoided apart from stock footage and Bills horrendous abortive cage job.

For the Record: the 1956 Olympics was won by Hal Connolly of the US with two Soviets Krivonosov & Samotsvetnov coming 2nd and 3rd. Brits finished 9th and 12th, the latter Watford Boys Grammar School graduate Don Anthony. Deep in the Dnq's was Marty Crowe who held the West Australian State Record for Aeons. I did my best to better it in the 80's but failed.

Interestingly, the world record languished in the high 60's to low 70s' (metres) until the mid 60's. Yuri Sedykhs 1986 World Record still stands and the over 80m record throws almost exclusively belong to Soviets Sergei Litvinov and Major Sedykh. Draw your own conclusions about Tour de France legends and the like. I struggled to throw more than 50 metres having declined offers and promises from enhancement.

If you love Scotland, independent or bound, draw a dram and settle down under your best tartan travel rug to bewail the clearances and watch 'Geordie' in a cloud of nostalgia for what never existed.

Phil Robinson

Quaint, but not twee; some observations.

[rlw-9 · 10/10 · 28 December 2006]

What a delightful movie, with a positive story that promotes the power of hard work and following your dreams, but without trampling on everyone else.

It is interesting how political issues of the time are intertwined rather naturally into the storyline. The plot stopped well short of being twee (which I expected) and I loved the line about Helga being less into heather than "come heather".

Two things that struck me: the way Geordie showed us what the Scotsman was wearing under his kilt when he fell backward in the row-boat; and I may have been mistaken, but did the first aid given to the car accident victim include a cigarette???? There was a brief glimpse of him being attended to and I am sure I saw something hanging out of his mouth. Perhaps it was a thermometer.

a simpler time

[justaskkus · 15 July 2001]

saw this movie as a child in scotland and loved it. it popped up on tv a few years ago and i taped it but the quality was not great. if it ever came available as a vhs or dvd i would buy it in a heartbeat. a simpler time told in a simpler way. "come away ma wee geordie" was a classic line that reverberated in my head ...nostalgia...

Charming film - lovely characters

[sliderzuk · 8/10 · 15 November 2005]

I do not think it is necessary to put a shallow political spin on this charming film. The film basically follows two plots - one is the boy from a poor background who has a goal of changing himself for the better, and eventually represents his country in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. The other plot is the boy meets girl, falls in love, meets another in Australia - original girl hears about it - gets jealous - he comes home and makes up. All the while a great cast fleshes out some wonderful characters in the Highlands - and it is great to hear Highland accents for a change - against a backdrop of wonderful scenery and some fantastic gaelic choral singing; beautiful, too, for its rarity in film. Bill Travers, early in his career - and just under a decade away from Born Free - gives a spirited performance and is highly endearing in the part. All of this old world Highland Scots seems like a world away from now, but the basic story holds up, and, thank goodness, it was made in colour to show up the Highlands at their best.