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It's Great to be Young, (1956) is a narrative of a co-educational school and its pupils excepting their rights. Look further into the sub-text to find it is more about an evolving education system. Moreover it is a comment on the grammar school system. In this era, as is the case nowadays, the grammar school system was designed for more academically able pupils. In other words, a school for the children of the middle class who can avoid paying the education fees of expensive private schools at the expense of the tax payer.

In this film it is notable that the boys are asked questions by the teachers on the subjects of history, Latin and music, whilst overlooking the girls on such questions. Instead girls are encouraged to pursue romance and domestic duties, such as knitting.

Overlapping this dark side of the British education system is the upbeat, energetic, effervescent feel to it, with great performances, good acting and a fine cast of players, including the great Sir John Mills, and a very young Richard O'Sullivan.

It is in many respects a time-piece of traditional school teachers, and education, with corporal punishment and conservative attitudes verses the post-modern jazz, the pre-rock 'n' roll era.

A film that is upbeat, if a tad cheesy, with its dark comments on the British education system.

"I need a holiday, I need time in my hands" (sic), are the words of Hercule Priorot with the acute if not astute observance of a famous detective renowned for his excellence in detecting. Accordingly, it seemed, Priorot ate my words as that was my sentiment as I went to see this film adaptation of the classic Agatha Christie novel at the cinema recently.

The film's cinematography laid bare the scenery through which the steam train chugged through snow clad mountains. The film set left, it seemed, nothing amiss, and the attention to detail, from the decor to moustaches to hairstyles of the period, was perfection itself. And yet, such extravagant a visual feast seemed worthy of more than the modern day cinema with its minimalist theatre and pop corn munching audience.

And while the period was given attention to detail, the director, Kenneth Branagh, who also plays the Belgian detective, forgot that in a freezing cold setting we should see breath belching from the mouths of the characters during the outside scenes in the frozen isolation of the mountains, where the Orient Express runs aground. Likewise none of the characters appeared cold, or shivering. This is especially given that they are all suspects in the murder case.

The suspects are played by such a rarity of an all star cast with none other than Kenneth Branagh, Johhny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dame Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Willem Defoe and Penelope Cruz to name a few.

And so if you love murder mystery, and Agatha Christie and plush, period settings and snow covered mountains, then take a look at this film.

This film is perfectly cast, with Joan Crawford at the helm, playing out her trademark histrionics. She was accustomed to this typecasting, and accordingly played it to the hilt in The Story of Esther Costello. This melodramatic on screen persona is a far cry from her early work, in such films as Rain (1932) where she plays a prostitute.

Crawford's melodramatic persona was a safe bet for her since Mildred Pierce (1945) for which she won the Academy Award. This was the making of Crawfod as well as the breaking. She seemed to be stuck in the character of Mildred Pierce from then on in.

As for her co-star Rossano Randi, it was a brave move for him to take on the part of the slime ball rapist, embezzler, and exploiter. It was a risk for his career as an actor, and it could have the affect of stereotyping people from Latin extraction.

The part of the title role; as in Esther Costello, was played exceeding well by Heather Sears. All of her acting was conveyed through emotion and gestures alone. This was especially played well in her vulnerable scenes, such as that of the rape victim.

The fact that Esther overcomes many of her obstacles, the narrative of the story turns victimhood into survival. A powerful theme with a message of hope. However the end of the film, where Esther recovers from her disabilities, is too much.

If the viewer can overcome the melodrama of this film, it has some powerful messages in it. For that reason it's worth a look at.