John and Julie (1955)

Reviewer Jennifer Nicol from Vancouver states that Julie is played by Leslie Dunlop who later appeared in May to December. This is incorrect. Julie is played by Leslie Dudley, a completely different person, whose career did not continue much past this film.This part could have been served better by a more talented and engaging child actress, but the film has a lot more to carry it through to a satisfying conclusion.The stock footage of the coronation events is very interesting. I saw this coronation on television as a child and have always remembered it. The children's escapades are very innocent and this film could not be made today, as we don't approve of adults giving children rides in cars (for instance) without even asking where their parents are! This is a charming film of a bygone time and could be enjoyed by everyone. That it is filmed in colour is a bonus, as the English countryside is lovely.

I first saw John and Julie at the Double Bay Hoyts Theatre in the Sydney Harbour suburb in 1957 but not again in color till about ten years ago when I obtained the Video. It was a huge thrill to have a color copy after so long and be able to revisit the heartwarming film so many times since. The cast of excellent British actors and actresses brought humor and sensitivity to the characters and Colin Gibson and Lesley Dudley were ideally cast as the children. Good old Australian actor Vincent Ball also had a small part and Moira Lister, Noelle Middleton, Syd James, Megs Jenkins, Constance Cummings, Wilfred Hyde Whyte, Peter Sellers and others all added naturally to the proceedings. Briefly said,if you would like an enjoyable, satisfying and nostalgic look into the Fifties era of simplicity and wholesomeness, invite John and Julie into your life.One of my favorite films even today after fifty years.

"John and Julie" evokes memories of my own childhood, seeing this sweet, wonderful comedy on TV in the sixties. A simple story, of two British children, separated from their families while en route to London to see Elizabeth crowned, the film offers a wide variety of British performers (including Wilfrid Hyde-White and a young Peter Sellers), as 'typical', if often eccentric, countrymen who aid the children on their way. Colin Gibson and Lesley Dudley, as the children, are completely natural, and captivating (Dudley pouts so wistfully that you want to hug her!) With a beautiful score (highlighted by a trumpet solo), stock footage of the actual event blended in with the story, and a joyous finale that could turn the most dedicated 'Yank' into an Anglophile, "John and Julie" is a small gem, something the entire family will love!

In the summer of 1953 the world's attention turned to London, site of the coronation of young Queen Elizabeth. Two English children, transfixed by the spectacle, decide to run away from home and join the throng. Alone, without a plan or a penny, they journey 150 miles by horseback, bicycle, train and car through some of the most beautiful countryside imaginable. The film includes archival footage that conveys the thrilling spectacle of the British Empire united in one of its last great celebrations. Most of the cast turn in capable performances. Peter Sellers shines in a small early role, Moira Lister ably portrays Moira, the prostitute who briefly becomes a surrogate mother, and Sidney James brings life to his role as John's bitter working-class father. The only real sour note? Leslie Dudley, starring as Julie, is a singularly repellent child, continually pouting and crying. A fat, dour, whining brat, Dudley is woefully miscast in a pivotal role that demands sweetness and charm. Watch this film for the pomp and color of a vanished world, and try to imagine how lovely it could have been with young Haley Mills in the role of Julie.