Ealing Studios classic gets a new 4K restoration from StudioCanal.
Directed by Charles Crichton (A Fish Called Wanda), the film titled The Titfield Thunderbolt is a delightful slight comedy that fits neatly into the class of British comedy in the post-war era spearheaded by the illustrious Ealing Studios;
While this may not reach the heights of its studio pals – The Ladykillers (1955) or The Lavender Hill Mob (1951); this film does not feature a stand out performance such as one by Alec Guinness in both of those films or Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949). However, this film rests on the shoulders of the ensemble because this film is about the plucky underdog spirit of a small rural town.
A small town, Titfield is about to lose their branch line to Mallingford which keeps them connected to major cities; the train regulators threaten to shut them down so the town rally round to show that they the small community can run the line themselves. Given a deadline of a few months to prove their worth, they face obstruction by those working for the bus firm who want the train line to close and neighbours who do not believe in them.
Yet in a strange nod to current day events with trendsetting and influencers, the burgeoning hope the small town find in themselves to run the operation gains traction and acclaim by those eager to enjoy the novelty of the hometown run enterprise.
While not out and out hilarious as other Ealing entries or as sharp or biting in its satire, the film has a delicate lightness of humour running throughout reminiscent of good episodes of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ or ‘Only Fools and Horses’ excursions outside of Peckham – comedy built on characters and interaction, reacting to a situation rather than the plot being the main driver of action.
Featuring amongst the cast are Sid James (who would go on to wider acclaim in the Carry On franchise) and Stanley Holloway as the erstwhile and well meaning Mr Valentine who bankrolls the project. When a steamroller faces down his train, he cheers and fails to realise that it would cost him a fortune if the train was late. His response, ‘money is the curse of modern sport’ how right he was in that assessment. This film was produced in 1953 years before the birth of Match of the Day and Jimmy Hill scraping the maximum wage.
Shot beautifully by Douglas Slocombe (Raiders of the Lost Ark) no less, this picturesque postcard of the English countryside and amidst all that green and pleasant land there was and remains good people of good faith and heart.
The Ealing Studios works have long been admired but in this strange post-Brexit and global pandemic world there is a new longing for the nostalgia of a glorious past when life was simpler seemingly.
The glorious new 2-disc Collectors Edition is released on 15th June. Extras on the Collector’s Edition include a new segment on the railway that sparked The Titfield Thunderbolt with Tim Dunn, The Titfield Thunderbolt Pathé short, the Making Of, Douglas Slocombe on Charles Chrichton interviewed by Matthew Sweet, Douglas Slocombe 16mm footage & more. A 64-page booklet and poster of the original artwork are also included.
My thanks to Studiocanal UK for the review opportunity.
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