SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS


UK, 2016, 96 minutes, Colour.
Rafe Spall, Kelly Macdonald, Andrew Scott, Jessica Hynes, Harry Enfield, Fenella Woolgar, Orla Hill, Dane Hughes, Seren Hawks, Teddie- Rose Malleson, Hannah Jane Thorpe, Sophie Wardlow, Bobby Mc Culloch.
Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe.


Swallows and Amazons is based on a popular children’s novel by Arthur Ransome. The 1975 film version was set in 1929. The setting for this version is the mid 1930s, echoing tensions in Europe, and especially between Britain and the Soviet Union.

Kelly Macdonald portrays the mother of the Walker family, the husband absent in Hong Kong with the Navy. The family goes to the Lake District, the four children eager to sail out to an island in one of the lakes. There are two boys and two girls, the oldest, John, in charge, the youngest, Roger, causing some troubles. The two girls act very sensibly.

On the train to the north, they encounter a strange man who goes into the carriage and escapes from the train through the window, two men in pursuit. It is assumed that the man being pursued is the villain – but, it turns out that he is not, has a sister and two nieces at the Lake (the nieces becoming the Amazons, rivalling the Walker family, the Swallows). The two men in pursuit are Russian agents.

There are various adventures, the children losing their food while camping on the island, the threat of the Amazon group, charcoal burners wanting to warn the pursuit man – and his being caught, taken on a plane but escaping. Rafe Spall is the hunted man, Andrew Scott the leader of the pursuers.

The film is something of a family holiday story along with the kind of adventure that John Buchan wrote about in the 1920s and 1930s – like The 39 Steps.

1. The popularity of the original novel? The children’s readership? Adults?

2. Changes in the characters and plot? The basic theme, the family, the holiday, the pirates, the adventure?

3. England, 1935? Home, travel on the train, the Lake District, the mountains, the lakes, the countryside, the island? The musical score?

4. The introduction to the family, the mother with the four children, organising them for the holiday, the father in the Navy, his absence in Hong Kong? Contact with the family? The telegram about their sailing? The presence, the gift of the knife, the glasses, the notebook?

5. The strength of character of the mother, with the children, careful about their adventures, trusting them, wanting them to experience life? Interactions with each of the children? Roger learning to swim? John and his responsibilities? Her concern about their actions, hearing of Roger in the water, the interactions with Jim Turner? His accusations? The experience on the train? The bond with the Jacksons? Her final pride in her children?

6. The family, John being the eldest, sense of responsibility, sometimes losing his temper, his father trusting him with a knife, his ability in sailing? Susan, next in age, bonds with John, clashes with him, her responsibilities? Tatty, genial, in the adventures, fishing with John, her keeping guard at the end, taking the boat? Roger, his age, young, wilful, easily upset, leaving the chicken coop door open, learning to swim, as a lookout? Upset about the knife? Losing it? His being reprimanded by John? Falling into the water, the rescue?

7. On the train, Jim Turner and his coming into the carriage, stern demeanour, escaping? On the island? The men in pursuit? His jumping off the train? His nieces and sister? Audiences assuming he was the villain? His boat, the search, his accusations against John, John’s apology? Audiences later realising that he was of the villain? His boat being searched, the plans, the Russians taking him, in the plane, getting loose? Reconciliation with everyone? Playing the pirate games with them?

8. The Russians, in pursuit, on the train, on the roof, tracking down Turner? With the shop proprietor? The personalities of the two, in pursuit of Turner, speaking Russian? Searching the boat? Roger dropping the knife and their getting it? Leaving it in the boat? Trapping Turner? The confrontation, the plans, taking Turner, the plane, the children tying the rope, cutting the rope (with the knife)? Captured? Russian- British tensions in the 30s?

9. The supporting characters, the Jacksons, their concern, the owner of the boat, the two old men with charcoal on the island and a warning to Turner? The shop owner and the touch of the flirt?

10. The two girls, Amazons, the boat, declaring war, the competitiveness, the challenge, their rating the camp, the walkers and their taking the boat, Tatty on guard and winning, the truce? The final games?

11. The British children’s adventure and its appeal?