Whistle Down the Wind (1962)

I saw this film as a 7-year old child when it was first released and 46 years on, I still remember being enchanted by it.It looks at a world through children's eyes and when a bearded man (who is on the run from the police) is found by them hiding in a barn, the children believe he is Jesus Christ. That the man is actually a murderer is neither here nor there really - it is the children's innocence and their faith in the Bible that shows through in their actions in hiding and feeding the man, and which to me, is so touching about this film. Sadly the children of today would probably not be as trusting as those shown in the film or in that era. In the end, of course, the adult "real" world has to intrude into the children's world when the fugitive is caught and taken away.The theme music by Malcolm Arnold is a tune that I carried in my head for many a year (and only today have I been able to track it down and downloaded it!). Of course, the Andrew Lloyd Webber show of the same name gets confused with it.I heartily recommend this film. One could imagine Steven Spielberg doing a re-make of this as it is has similarities to E.T.

A truly beautiful, beautiful film. I'm in my 30's and would describe myself as an emerging film buff. I've seen all the classics, past and present, and have to say this really is up there as one of my favourites. Filmed nearly 45 years ago, set in the wonderful Lancashire moors, around the town of Burnley, England. This film will do nothing other than warm your heart. The innocence of the lead characters coupled with the respect shown in a bye-gone day, gives you that sentimental feeling, embossed with a sense of pride . I'll spare you the details of what you may watch, but give it a go, and imagine times nearly 5 decades ago, with a simple but interesting plot, and enjoy!

A thought-provoking film about childhood innocence and a clever satire on religious beliefs, the plot may not sound like much but it works very well. The visual side of the film is magnificent, carefully directed with an eye for lightness versus darkness and spatial relationships. The shots are all captured well by the cinematographer in simple but effective black and white. It is a tad too slowly paced, with the many non-dialogue sequences dragged out, and the mix of thick accents and whispering makes what dialogue there is difficult to understand at times. But if not perfect, this is still a wonderful piece of cinema. The child performances are generally good, and the satirical bits are genuinely amusing. It is definitely worth seeing if the premise sounds appealing.

I've watched this brilliant movie a few times and never get sick of seeing it. Hayley mills is a marvellous actress which we see in this film. Alan bated is a powerful actor, and his part in this film goes to show .more films should be made like this for viewing. the ending is very sad , but there was no escape for him. Hayley's dad in the film comes across a caring considerate father , looking out for his family. the little boy and his sister contributed to the performance , there face when they thought they had found Jesus in the barn was a look of astonishment. great viewing and a brilliant performance from all the cast.