Carrie's War (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Coky Giedroyc

Writers:

Nina Bawden (novel)
Michael Crompton (writer)

Release Date:

1 January 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot Keywords:

Wales | Evacuation | Eccentric | Will And Testament | WWII

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Keeley Fawcett	...	Carrie Willow
Jack Stanley	...	Nick Willow
Karen Meagher	...	Mrs. Watkins
Eddie Cooper	...	Albert Sandwich
David Prince	...	Billetting officer
Lesley Sharp	...	Louisa Evans, aka 'Aunty Lou'
Alun Armstrong	...	Mr. Samuel Evans
Robert Page	...	Minister
Pauline Quirke	...	Hepzibah Green
Jamie Beddard	...	Mister Johnny
Geraldine McEwan	...	Mrs. Dilys Gotobed
Hermione Gulliford	...	Nick's teacher
Marlene Griffiths	...	Mrs. Jenkins
Nigel Whitmey	...	Maj. Cass Harper
Daniel Roberts	...	Frederick Evans

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Caerau Road, Newport, Newport, Wales, UK

Company:

BBC Wales

Movie Connections:

Remake of "Carrie's War" (1974)

A romp in the welsh countryside

I'm not sure what a Welsh children's drama (from a novel by Nina Bawden) is doing in a prime Sunday night TV slot but this proved to be watchable. Partly it was because in shows of this kind it is the children who are normal and the adults who are grotesque or just plain odd. What with the severe and slightly potty Mr Evans the grocer, his older sister Mrs Gotobed, Hepzibiah the homely housekeeper, Johnny the handicapped boy and Lou, Evans' younger sister, there's more than enough for an analyst.

Carrie, the centre of this story about two children sent to the country to escape the blitz, is oddly likable. The great thing about her is she does not let the strangers and strangeness intimidate her; she tackles things on her own terms. She also gives her younger brother the support he needs almost automatically. It's a very fine performance from Keeley Fawcett.

A good supporting cast is essential in this sort of tale, and we are treated to some fine performances. Alun Armstrong as Samuel Evans stays just this side of caricature and allows us to see that the fearsome bible-basher has a softer side. As Hepzibiah, Pauline Quirke is everybody's warm-hearted mum and Eddie Cooper as Alfred Sandwich is a wonderfully querilous adolescent. Jamie Beddard was pretty realistic as the disabled Mr Johnny – Beddard himself has cerebral palsy, though that has not stopped him from becoming a successful actor.

I suppose this story is partly autobiographical; it does seem to give from the child's point of view the experience of evacuation. It also makes the point that for a child, the imaginary terrors are as real as the actual dangers; 20 years later it is the imaginary ghosts that haunt the adult.