Having been released in cinemas in April 1974, the original movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ was not accompanied by computer games but by puzzels, jigsaws and competitions. Here are a couple found recently whilst clearing out my mother’s house.
Few films are set in 1929, and yet it was that period, nearly a hundred years ago that gave the first film adaptation a certain style.
Graham Potter wrote saying: “I have just finished a DVD of S & A and found how much easier it is to see the details on the TV than in a cinema having to look from side to side. I was surprised to see how little sailing was shown and how the Amazons were not seen much. I think you were 12 or 13 at the time but looked younger. I have to to admit to enjoying the glimpses of the navy blue knickers in the opening scenes.”
was released in cinemas in 1974, along with a Puffin paperback
Graham goes on to say, “I was surprised to see how you carried all the exciting scenes: left alone on the island, finding the secret harbour , dealing with leading lights , capturing and hiding Amazon, dealing with Mother’s visit during the night sailing, giving Captain Flint a good telling off for blaming John for firework and not listening to his warning about potential theft at his houseboat. Then the great finale when you are able to present him with his stolen life’s work in the trunk. Perhaps it was planned that you didn’t have too many lines to remember, as it enabled a very young girl to contribute such a lot to the film.”
This is very kind but I believe the film was made by the fact that Simon West who played John and Kit Seymour who played Nancy were good sailors. You can tell when they are sitting in a moored boat. While Claude Whatham was an exceptional director, ahead of his time stylistically, the director of photography uplifted the film by insisting we waited for clouds to pass. What else? – a hardworking and talented crew put together by Nevill Thompson. Simple costumes that never dated. Natural, well cut hair and a lack of make up – all the facets of filmmaking that you are not meant to notice.
Maybe our spiritedness as children carries the original film on. We are all in our sixties now, but the characters we played have become imaginary friends to many. As Shakespeare wrote, ‘Our revels now are ended. These our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits and are melted into air, into thin air.’ The Tempest Would Ransome have agreed? I only know he discussed Shakespeare with Karl Radek.
I came across an essay in one of my school exercise books that I must have written aged twelve whilst on location. I was trying to explain that only about three minutes of what will be the finished film are captured during a long day’s filming on location. The piece is not well written.
We went on to learn about the Spanish Main, which may have been requested by Claude Whatham, the director of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ so that I would know what Titty was talking about. On 1st June 1973, I was on location in the Lake District filming in the capture of the Amazon in Secret Harbour on Peel Island.
Perhaps I should add these remenants to a future edition of ‘The Making of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974)’. You can order the illustrated paperback from libraries, find it for sale online, or listen to the audiobook:
Sophie Neville 
I did have to laugh reading the post above. The mention from Graham Potter and how he had enjoyed watching the film on DVD, and one thing he mentions is enjoying seeing your voluminous navy blue knickers! The cheeky devil, he shouldn’t have been looking!
I don’t mind. The crew called them ‘passion killers’. I originally wrote about the knickers in greater detail but had to take the jokes off the internet as it was inciting curiosity from dubious people in Japan. ‘Elasticaled navy blue knickers’ became a hit phrase on the internet and brought be a lot of hits, I decided it breached (breeched?) the spirit of Swallows and Amazons and took the words down.
Oh, ha ha ha, (breeched) I see what you did there! Who would have thought that some regulation underwear would bring such a rush of interest, and from Japan of all places? Do they not have ‘navy blues’ out there? I can remember some of the girls in my youth wearing such things. As a small boy they drew no interest, but it seems I have underestimated the interest from other parties! Who knew! I’m sure they killed their fare share of passion, one shudders to think what might have been said if had worn something more contemporary! Of course I am blushing now!
I may have missed a sales opportunity, but am not sure what the film distributors would have said about that. Our director had worn long woolen underwear himself and was keen on the authenticity. The Altounyan girls tucked their dresses into their over knickers, as I did as a small child. Vests were also seen as important – and probably were.
Indeed, and I do remember a lovely joke line in the film Holiday on The Buses, where Doris Hare’s character of ‘Mum’ was wearing a slightly shorter dress than perhaps her age group would approve of, and Reg Varney’s character of ‘Stan’ exclaimed something to the effect of: “It’s so short you can see your vest!” Ah, the halcyon days of British humour! I’m sure you were very sensibly dressed as little girl!
My grandmother sent me to school in the same underwear. We wore the same overknickers with a blue Airtex shirt for gym(nastics) at my secondary school – rather than a leotard. They were on the uniform list. I love your reference to the old film. Are there any others?
Oh, don’t get me started on old films! I love the British cinema and the now sadly out of favour humour that made us laugh so much throughout my youth, in the sixties and seventies. I will confess to being an avid viewer of the TV channel ‘Talking Pictures TV’ as they show so many wonderful memories. My dear late wife knew me so well, which is why I have the box set of the Carry On films, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, etc. The three ‘On The Buses’ films are a firm favourite too, but of course when they are broadcast now, they do cut certain scenes. I suppose we were lucky with Swallows and Amazons, with your character name being altered for later productions!
The humour in ‘Swallows and Amazons’ is subtle but refreshing and always appreciated by cinema audiences. I met the screenwriter and director Bill Forsyth last week. The dour humour in ‘Gregory’s Girl and ‘Local Hero’ has always appealed to me. I’ve ordered the DVDs to rewatch them. Does anything currently on television amuse you?