How old-fashioned this story seems amidst the coarse and expedient ways of today!
Though the movie is called "The Winslow Boy," it's less about the 14-year-old kid than courage and persistence of his family. When the lad is falsely accused of stealing a five-shilling postal order, and gets ejected from British naval school, it's considered impossible to challenge the decision, but they do it anyway, to their great financial detriment.
All kinds of bad economic things happen to the clan, but they stay the course, almost to the point of firing their unswervingly loyal housekeeper of a quarter-century.
There are wonderful performances here by Robert Donat (so sadly to die at only 53) as the dapper, bewigged lawyer who defends the accused, Cedric Hardwicke as the brave and perspicacious patriarch, and Margaret Leighton as the elegantly feminist daughter in the brood. She's not exactly besieged with marriage offers, but takes her knocks with sagacity. Her final scene with Donat is exquisite!
The message of this film is timeless and important. How many of us sacrifice our principles when they become inconvenient! Here's a reminder to stick with the plan, and deal with the pain.
And eating away at the edges of the tale are signs of nascent technology -- i.e., the gramophone and cinematograph -- offering gifts but heralding our cultural erosion.
So very, very much to appreciate and think about here...
Though the movie is called "The Winslow Boy," it's less about the 14-year-old kid than courage and persistence of his family. When the lad is falsely accused of stealing a five-shilling postal order, and gets ejected from British naval school, it's considered impossible to challenge the decision, but they do it anyway, to their great financial detriment.
All kinds of bad economic things happen to the clan, but they stay the course, almost to the point of firing their unswervingly loyal housekeeper of a quarter-century.
There are wonderful performances here by Robert Donat (so sadly to die at only 53) as the dapper, bewigged lawyer who defends the accused, Cedric Hardwicke as the brave and perspicacious patriarch, and Margaret Leighton as the elegantly feminist daughter in the brood. She's not exactly besieged with marriage offers, but takes her knocks with sagacity. Her final scene with Donat is exquisite!
The message of this film is timeless and important. How many of us sacrifice our principles when they become inconvenient! Here's a reminder to stick with the plan, and deal with the pain.
And eating away at the edges of the tale are signs of nascent technology -- i.e., the gramophone and cinematograph -- offering gifts but heralding our cultural erosion.
So very, very much to appreciate and think about here...