Tributes Paid To The Architect Of A Yorkshire Film Classic

The entertainment industry has recently been paying tribute to the well known film director, producer, actor and novelist, Bryan Forbes who died on the 8th May.

Residents of Yorkshire have particular reason to harbour fond memories of him, because, although it seems that he never visited the county, he was responsible for the running of the company that resulted in one of the most iconic films made in the area.

The Railway Children was written in 1905

The film in question was “The Railway Children” adapted in 1970 from E. Nesbit’s classic children’s story written in 1905 about the Waterburys, a well to-do family who fell on hard times.

The film was made by Lionel Jeffries who was a successful actor before he turned to film directing. He had despaired of finding the £350,000 funding to make the film until Bryan Forbes, in his capacity as manager of Associated British at Elstree Film Studios decided to back him.

Forbes had rather fallen into things at Elstree,  ostensibly attending a  meeting about a three-picture deal for the studio just after it had been taken over by Lord Delfont and EMI. “Many conversations later,” recalled Forbes, “he offered me the running of the whole thing.”

The studio was in crisis, along with the majority of the British film industry, and although Forbes signed an initial three year deal to run Associated British, he left after only two years following a tremendous (and mean-spirited) mauling by the Press and industry observers who accused him of meddling when he should have been managing.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of what happened, we are left with his legacy, namely one of the greatest children’s films ever made. The endearing story of the Edwardian Waterbury family is one whose happiness is shattered when their father leaves their home one night accompanied by two mysterious strangers.  When penury forces them to relocate to rural Yorkshire the three children, Roberta, Phyllis and Peter become fascinated by the nearby railway.

Part of the success is down to the strong cast that was assembled including. Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett, Gary Warren, Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins and William Mervyn. But the undoubted star is the wonderful Yorkshire backdrop.

The 80-strong cast and crew of the film began work on Sunday, May 10, 1970 at Oakworth Station under the keen eye of Bob Cryer, the chairman and a founder member of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society and later the Labour MP for Keighley.

Bryan Forbes  bravely created a set of circumstances in which a fledgling director with a vision was given free rein to make the film he wanted. That film was The Railway Children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Railway_Children_%28film%29