It wasn't actually stepped, but a vicious prank gone bad that left young James Fox films with a guilty conscience and paranoid over every conversation that he hears. He has traded in a magnet for an alleged invisible watch, and gives it away to clear his conscience yet can't escape what he did. They are looking for him to give it back, thinking he's a poor waif, and he ends up on the run across the river in Liverpool, protected by a bunch of tough street kids, while his parents, Stephen Murray and Kay Walsh, search for him. It is very amusing having Fox listen to adults having conversations that have nothing to do with him and getting more guilt-ridden with every adult boys he hears.
Young James Fox, who would go on to great acclaim as an adult actor, is fabulous here, and it's amusing to see the young version the star who would grow up to teach Julie Andrews "The Tapioca" in "Thoroughly Modern Millie". The location footage is fascinating, truly gritty, and showing viewers locations they'll probably never see. The street gang is very funny, their tough talk at first bullying him then helping him out when they find out that he's on the run from the police, so he thinks. Papa Murray, who is a psychiatrist, is hysterical, making assumptions about Fox that aren't anywhere near true. So much to like about this movie, an Ealing comedy that deserves much more classic status and its achievement simply because of the variety of messages that it provides.
Young James Fox, who would go on to great acclaim as an adult actor, is fabulous here, and it's amusing to see the young version the star who would grow up to teach Julie Andrews "The Tapioca" in "Thoroughly Modern Millie". The location footage is fascinating, truly gritty, and showing viewers locations they'll probably never see. The street gang is very funny, their tough talk at first bullying him then helping him out when they find out that he's on the run from the police, so he thinks. Papa Murray, who is a psychiatrist, is hysterical, making assumptions about Fox that aren't anywhere near true. So much to like about this movie, an Ealing comedy that deserves much more classic status and its achievement simply because of the variety of messages that it provides.