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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is one of my personal favourites from Ealing. The local railway line is threatened with closure (and replacement by a bus service). The village community decides to run the railway themselves, which causes the competing bus owners to engage in some underhand initiatives. This is the Britain of a bygone age, with gentle humour, steam trains, wonderful sunny British countryside and all in glorious colour! The casting is inspired, with lots of nice cameos (one of the best being Stanley Holloway as a boozy philanthropist who is encouraged to invest in the locally-run railway using the argument that he can have a licensed buffet car all day!). Good performances also from Hugh Griffith, John Gregson and Sid James. The enthusiasm of the local vicar for anything to do with steam trains is just wonderful to behold. Highly recommended!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This wonderful little film was made by Ealing during a golden age for British films. It typifies the defiance of authority by local inhabitants which was topical during the 40's and 50's. An Ealing mantra was 'small is beautiful and big is bad'.
The story concerns the threatened closure of an antiquated railway line. The local villagers decide to run it themselves and in so doing enter into frenetic competition with the local bus company. Battle lines are drawn and the ensuing skirmishes are a pleasure to behold. The laughs come thick and fast.
The film has a strong cast including such well known faces as John Gregson,Hugh Griffith and Sid James. Stanley Holloway puts in a delightful turn as a wealthy local who is rather too fond of alcoholic refreshment. The other stars are of course those wonderful old steam trains from a bygone era, especially the 'Thunderbolt', which appears to have been based on Stevensons rocket.
The film captures the very essence of this sceptred Isle. The landscape is as beautiful and unmistakably English as it was possible to be. Lush meadows, pretty villages, clear brooks, thick hedgerows, thatched cottages and cricket matches. It conjures up a lost England. Nostalgia assails you in every frame. Station whistles and flags. Dairy cattle lowing and the sound of birdsong throughout. Never has a film been such a rich shade of green. This was Ealings first comedy to be produced in technicolor and what a success it is.
"The Titfield Thunderbolt" was filmed in the valleys of the Cam and Midford brooks on the Eastern end of the Camerton & Limpley Stoke Railway near Bath. I live not far away from there, and can say that this was and still is the ideal location to capture the quintessence of the beautiful English countryside.
I recommend this film to you unreservedly. Sit back, relax, and be transported to a less complicated time. A time when people had less than we do today but seemed so much happier. If you are like me you might have a nagging feeling you were born in the wrong era.
The story concerns the threatened closure of an antiquated railway line. The local villagers decide to run it themselves and in so doing enter into frenetic competition with the local bus company. Battle lines are drawn and the ensuing skirmishes are a pleasure to behold. The laughs come thick and fast.
The film has a strong cast including such well known faces as John Gregson,Hugh Griffith and Sid James. Stanley Holloway puts in a delightful turn as a wealthy local who is rather too fond of alcoholic refreshment. The other stars are of course those wonderful old steam trains from a bygone era, especially the 'Thunderbolt', which appears to have been based on Stevensons rocket.
The film captures the very essence of this sceptred Isle. The landscape is as beautiful and unmistakably English as it was possible to be. Lush meadows, pretty villages, clear brooks, thick hedgerows, thatched cottages and cricket matches. It conjures up a lost England. Nostalgia assails you in every frame. Station whistles and flags. Dairy cattle lowing and the sound of birdsong throughout. Never has a film been such a rich shade of green. This was Ealings first comedy to be produced in technicolor and what a success it is.
"The Titfield Thunderbolt" was filmed in the valleys of the Cam and Midford brooks on the Eastern end of the Camerton & Limpley Stoke Railway near Bath. I live not far away from there, and can say that this was and still is the ideal location to capture the quintessence of the beautiful English countryside.
I recommend this film to you unreservedly. Sit back, relax, and be transported to a less complicated time. A time when people had less than we do today but seemed so much happier. If you are like me you might have a nagging feeling you were born in the wrong era.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A classic film from Ealing Studios focusing on the glorious bygone days of British Railways.
The Titfield railway is up for closure. Mortified, the local community propose to run the railway themselves, competing with the local bus company. Superbly shot in the beautiful West Country in glorious technicolour and with steam trains and the atmosphere of the tranquil branch line galore. A bit strange in places, especially when we are expected to believe a steam engine can run off the rails, however, this is Ealing and nothing should be taken too seriously.
As this film centres around a railway closure, could this have been one of Dr. Beeching's favourites?
First class!!
The Titfield railway is up for closure. Mortified, the local community propose to run the railway themselves, competing with the local bus company. Superbly shot in the beautiful West Country in glorious technicolour and with steam trains and the atmosphere of the tranquil branch line galore. A bit strange in places, especially when we are expected to believe a steam engine can run off the rails, however, this is Ealing and nothing should be taken too seriously.
As this film centres around a railway closure, could this have been one of Dr. Beeching's favourites?
First class!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Old Film Fan!
Excellent Stanley Holloway Film purchased as a gift for my Husband. Anyone with a love of steam trains would love this!
Received promptly & well packaged.
Received promptly & well packaged.
Published 3 months ago by joyspens1950
Classic Steam Engine Comedy
Great film bought to entertain my 3 year old steam train enthusiast grandson. He wants to watch it every week when he is at my house, loves the trains and finds it funny. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Starburst
Love every second
A Golden age of British Film, if you`ve got any hint of a liking of old trains, village life, great characters, a fight for rights, times gone and sometimes rightous anarchy then... Read more
Published 9 months ago by dayvmaff
Yes, yes, she'll run. She's as good as she ever was. I'll stake my...
It's almost impossible for me to write a review of substance for The Titfield Thunderbolt, such is the love and unadulterated joy I have had with it for nigh on 40 years now. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Spike Owen
'The Titfield Thunderbolt'
This is an Ealing Studio classic. It might not be everyones cup of tea, but for the price of a rather dear pint you can sit back and enjoy a 'good old film'. Read more
Published 12 months ago by H. J. Leach
The Titfield Thunderbolt
I loved this film since I first watched it.A perfect combination of nostalgia of the community spirit,now lacking in modern
society,and my love of railways. Read more
society,and my love of railways. Read more
Published 14 months ago by merv
The Titfield Thunderbolt DVD
A really superb older film, which I bought for my friend for Christmas, as we had seen it on TV, and she loved it so much she wanted to be able to watch it at any time. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mrs. Carol J. Gamblin
A pleasing little English comedy from the middle of the Ealing pack
With a little stretching, Ealing Studios traces its origins to a studio set up in London in 1896. An Ealing Studios currently exists and is boasting, even as I write this (in... Read more
Published 21 months ago by L. E. Cantrell
classic comedy
one of the best of the Ealing comedies. Gentle humour, with plenty of jokes and asides. The scene in the police station where the constable reads out the list of charges is... Read more
Published 21 months ago by block
An enjoyable return to my childhood
I remember watching this at Christmas time as a child and being enthralled at the story, the fight between a steam roller and a steam train and the chaos of a steam engine driving... Read more
Published on 11 May 2010 by Andrew West
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