The Magnet (1950)

A boy steals a powerful magnet from a younger boy and gets him into all sorts of trouble.

Director:

Charles Frend

Writer:

T.E.B. Clarke (original screenplay)

Stars:

Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh, James Fox

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Murray	...	Dr. Brent
Kay Walsh	...	Mrs. Brent
James Fox	...	Johnny Brent (as William Fox)
Meredith Edwards	...	Harper
Gladys Henson	...	Nannie
Thora Hird	...	Nannie's Friend
Michael Brooke	...	Kit (as Michael Brooke Jr.)
Wylie Watson	...	Pickering
Julien Mitchell	...	The Mayor
Anthony Oliver	...	Policeman
Molly Hamley-Clifford	...	Mrs. Dean
Harold Goodwin	...	Pin-Table Attendant
Edward Davies	...	Delinquent Youth
Keith Robinson	...	Spike
Thomas Johnston	...	Perce

Storyline

A mixture of a psychological study of a ten-year-old boy, an English domestic comedy and a satire on psychologists finds young Johnny Brent, the only child of a pair of psychologists, trading an "invisible watch" to a much-younger child for a large magnet. His nurse/nanny accuses him of stealing and scolds him and he runs away. He soon convinces himself that the police are after him and following several unsuccessful attempts to get rid of the magnet, he presents it to an organizer of a fund-raising campaign for acquiring an iron-lung for the local hospital. The magnet is one of the auction items and finally is mounted on the iron-lung as a tribute to the unknown donor. Meanwhile, the father makes a completely inaccurate diagnosis for the mother of the boy's worries. In the end the boy meets the child he thought had died as a result of losing the magnet, and trades the boy back for the return of his "invisible watch" the gold medal the town mayor had given him for his part in the ...

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Plot Keywords:

psychologist | iron lung | mother son relationship | father son relationship | family relationships | 

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Taglines:

Someone stole it...then everyone went mad! (even the psychiatrist)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alba generosa

Filming Locations:

mersey tunnel Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

J. Arthur Rank Organisation, Ealing Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (recorded on) (Gaumont Kalee Sound System) (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: The events and characters portrayed in this film are fictitious and any similarity to any incident, name or individual is coincidental.

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Goofs

Near the start of the film, Johnny chalks a diamond shape on a gatepost. When a tramp appears moments later, the diamond is lower down and the corners are much sharper.

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Soundtracks

Juke Box Jumba
(uncredited)
Music by Jack Parnell

User Reviews

Lovely evocative movie.

This film is very much of its time, and evokes a more gentler, long gone age. In many ways it is a typical "Ealing" film, although much location work takes place on Merseyside and, in particular New Brighton. I remember seeing this film on the children's' matinée in the 1950's - I enjoyed it then, and it has lost none of its charm now. It's main theme of "cheats not prospering" was a fine ideal then, and still applies today. The comparison of the affluent, comfortable, public school lifestyle of the main character to that of the boys he meets when he crosses the river to Liverpool, is very well drawn and brings an excellent sense of realism to the film. The location shots are first class, and lend an authenticity to the proceedings. The characters are, in the main, well portrayed and it's good to see another bravura performance from that most underrated of character actors, Meredith Edwards. All in all a lovely, timeless classic of a movie!