Daily Archives: March 17, 2014

Whistle Down the Wind (1961)

Made in 1961 and produced by then-rising star Richard
Attenborough, Whistle Down the Wind tells the story of
three children in a rural corner of Lancashire who find a
man hiding in their barn. While word gets around the
village of a fugitive on the run from the police, the
children, led by the oldest of them, Kathy (Hayley Mills),
think the man bears a resemblance to Jesus and decide
He must have been resurrected – so when the man asks
them to keep his presence a secret, the children agree
without question. But secrets aren’t always easy to keep,
and soon word has spread among the children of the
nearby village of the man in the barn, leaving Kathy
desperate to stop any adults from finding out as well. This
fine British drama is as powerful now as it was when it was
first released.

and

A Shine of Rainbows (2009)

This picturesque drama adapted from a novel
follows the story of timid young Tomas, who is
brought from his orphanage home to live on a
beautiful remote island off the Irish coast. Tomas
quickly forms a strong bond with his new adoptive
mother – loving, kind and colourful Maire – but
struggles to break the ice with Maire’s husband, the
strong and silent Alec. The boy’s arrival causes
friction between the couple as Alec makes his
disappointment clear: quiet, stammering Tomas is
worlds away from being the strong, independent
son he hoped for. Maire adores the boy, teaching
him the magic of the natural world, alongside
valuable lessons about personal strength.
Transformed by her love, Tomas blossoms:
befriending local children and even saving a
stranded baby seal. But just when he finally thinks
life is sweet, family tragedy strikes, presenting him
with his hardest challenge yet.