In a lower-class London community of small shops open-air vendors and flea-marketers Joe a small boy lives with his mother Joanne who works in and rooms above the Kandinsky tailor shop. Joe is innocently and earnestly determined to help realize the wishes of his poor hard-working neighbors. Hearing from Mr. Kandinsky the tale that a captured unicorn will grant any wish Joe uses his accumulated pocket change to buy a kid with an emerging horn believing it to be a unicorn. His subsequent efforts to make dreams come true exemplify the power of hope and will amidst... hardship.. [show more]
This is a surprisingly engaging, if quirky film, about the hopes and aspirations of a group of people in the east end of London
Little Joe (Jonathon Ashmore) believes these aspirations can be realised by his belief that his goat (kid) can grant wishes (it has a single horn).
With sumptuous Technicolor (unusual for a British film in the 1950s) and all round good performances from a stalwart cast, you can't help but be drawn into the characters and find yourself actually caring what happens to them.
A surprise find and well worth buying the DVD.
As an aside, Jonathan Ashmore is the son of actress Rosalie Crutchly.
"A Kid For Two Farthings" is a fascinating fable of childhood innocence colourfully set in Fashion Street in 1950's East End of London and features a bevy of outstanding acting from the cream of British talent flourishing at the time
Masterfully directed by Carol Reed,who gave us the unforgettable"The Third Man","Oliver"and "The Fallen Idol",the movie stars David Kossof,Celia Johnson,Diana Dors,Jonathan Ashmore and Joe Robinson and also has notable cameos from Sid James,Vera Day and Brenda de Banzie.
Actually photographed in London,s Petticoat Lane,this magical story of hope,love and fortune is a veritable treasure trove of enjoyment suitable for all your family members.
Diana Dors never looked more alluringly attractive as heroine Sonia and her promising perfomance led the following year to her supreme acting achievement in the bleak and highly dramatic"Yield to the Night"( a stunning example of British cinema at its zenith,which still curiously has had no official dvd release?)
The clever screenplay is penned by writer supreme Wolf Mankowitz and was deserving of every accolade which came its way on the film,s release in 1955.
Only recently released for the first time on region 2,
this charming little gem truly deserves a place in any self respecting dvd fan,s collection and is definitely one which I shall enjoy watching time and again and a disc of which I shall purchase extra copies for friends and family,s birthday and christmas presents.
Highly recommended!!!
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