Geordie

I first saw this movie on late night TV as a youth around 10 years old.Luckily, I got to stay up late one night over the weekend and surprise! there was a film called "Wee Geordie" on late night TV. I still remember it to this day. Sentimental? yes, but as a full blooded Scot, that scene of the mountains back hame,and hearing the Bagpipes in "Big" Geordie's dream sequence, still brings a tear to my eyes after 42 years. That's an excellent film in my opinion and I would recommend it to anyone with a drop of Celtic heritage or anyone who enjoyed films like " Rob Roy" and "BraveHeart". Wee Geordie thankfully, is without all the "historic" violence. Still another great film that deserves to be mentioned here,is "Tunes of Glory" with Sir Alec Guiness.This film is definitely not as innocent as Wee Geordie in nature. But in my opinion, it also ranks as one of the best Scottish Army themed films ever made, and still is dynamic entertainment. Enjoy!

It is time that this movie was released on DVD. It has been at least ten years since I last saw it on PBS. The values extolled in this film are never ending, and perhaps even timely in this period of heightened violence in the world. Geordie has been a favourite for many years and, notwithstanding my like for all of the classic and modern hard-hitting western, war and other action films, the scene where Geordie tosses the hammer for a Gold Medal while he envisions his sweetheart coming over a hill through the heather is only one that remains stuck in my mind, even to this day.

Wee Geordie is an undersized lad who spends his savings on a physical culture course to increase his height and improve his strength. So successful is he that he is chosen in later years to represent Britain in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and as a consequence wins gold in the hammer throw.

Such a simple tale with a message to youngsters that a goal can be achieved through sheer perseverance. Bill Travers plays the lead role as Geordie with a dour expression which breaks into a winning smile when things go right for him. Jean (Nora Gorsen) his companion since childhood urges him to accept the Olympic challenge and provides the romantic interest. Alistair Sim as the laird does well in a comic character role (as always). Francis de Wolff as Samson who prepares the correspondence courses for Geordie is a loud and aggressive character who takes all the credit for Geordie's success. There is a genuinely funny scene at the railway station when he farewells Geordie on his trip to Australia.

The dialogue is very simple and unsophisticated. It is spoken slowly and clearly and fortunately the Scottish accent can be understood. The colour photography has a washed out look and shows how much the technology has advanced in the last 40 years or so.

A nice little family film that will gladden the heart of any wee laddie or lassie.

I watched Wee Geordie out of curiosity but found so much more than that. The story centres around a small rural Scottish boy who was teased and ridiculed at school because of his small stature and who took growth tablets to aid his physical development. He grows into a fine specimen of a man, tall and strong. His strength ultimately leads to him becoming a hammer thrower and representing Britain at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

The film is entertaining throughout. Bill Travers (of Born Free fame) is convincing and engaging as the grown Geordie Mac Taggart and Alastair Sims is a fine laird.

I thought that the movie might be based on fact (a la Chariots of Fire) but a review of the Hammer Throw results at the Melbourne Olympics reveals it as a work of fiction. No matter! It does not change the fact that the movie is a delight to watch.

The scenes of the final throw of the competition are captivating. Some competitors thrive on crowd support, others wilt under it. Geordie was a crowd favourite, thanks to his involvement in saving a man trapped under a car, but his nerves betray him under that pressure. When he shuts out the crowd and imagines his sweetheart back in the hills of Scotland - at the same time that she whispers into her wireless back home - a little piece of cinema magic is created.

There was some licence taken with the location. When Geordie is shown arriving in Melbourne by ship, there are 2 scenes of Sydney Harbour. But that is immaterial to the enjoyment of the film.

It is definitely worth the investment of your time and attention.

This movie is truly a classic... It is a classic story of a small boy who is tired of being small and rather than having sand kicked in his face, sends off for a "HE-MAN" mail order course... He then trains and dedicates himself to strength training and eventually grows to become an Olympic champion in the Hammer Throw, one of the Olympic strong man events... This movie is great and reminds us of days when Olympic champions were built from desire and hard work rather than todays steroids and other controversial techniques... A must see...