La vergine di ferro

The team of Peter Rogers & Gerald Thomas were getting into their stride when they tried to do a 'Genevieve' and to that end they splashed out on colour, rural locations, a mainstream leading man and cleaner jokes (although there's the inevitable one about "her big end".

Carry On' regulars are thin on the ground, apart from Joan Sims as Mrs Sam Kydd with Cyril Chamberlain representing the old and Jim Dale the new.

Michael Craig remains the film's biggest liability as he's far too abrasive for such a whimsical subject and never for one moment seems like the sort who'd have a penchant for traction engines.

Technically weak, but then I'm an anorak. Delightful story, and invaluable film of the early steam preservation movement in the UK. It is good to see so many traction engines and steam rollers Did I mention the "Safety Valve"? To those in the know I don't need to, the throbbing, sweaty looking brass thing in front of the driver is supposed to be a safety valve, it is in fact a lubricator and clouting it with a hammer would make no difference whatsoever. (Also it is in totally the wrong place!) At the time of filming The Iron Maiden (or Kitchener to give her her proper name) was owned by a gentleman called John Crawley who actually doubled for Anne Helm for some of the driving shots. The Iron Maiden (yes, the name stuck) is still around today and can regularly be seen at various steam rallies around the countryside. All technical inaccuracies aside, just enjoy, they don't make 'em like that any more.

THE IRON MAIDEN is a film that feels for all the world like the producers were able to hire a traction engine for a month or so and decided to write a script around it. What follows is a typically genteel British comedy full of the usual hijinks and appearances from familiar faces; it's hardly classic material, but it remains a fun if slight feature from beginning to end.

The film was made by the director/producer team of Gerald Thomas and Peter Rogers, best known for their long-running CARRY ON series, and indeed they throw in a couple of cameos for Jim Dale and Joan Sims early on in a bid to hammer home the similarities. Unfortunately the script is saddled with a couple of stiffs for the lead roles, but the supporting cast is much more enjoyable and includes parts for the familiar likes of George Woodbridge and Sam Kydd. Best of all is the alluring Anne Helm, impossibly glamorous as the female lead.

Ten years after Genevieve, the film makers tried to repeat the success with this story of traction engines. Where Genevieve had several things going for it, like a good story, interesting characters, and the London to Brighton rally, This story just doesn't work. Michael Craig plays Jack Hopkins, an aircraft designer who's hobby is traction engines. When he, after some early sparring , falls for the daughter of an American airline owner. The rest of the story is set at the usual British summer settings, the Henley regatta, and the Woburn Rally, but the story falls flat. John Standing, Ronald Culver, and the Duke of Bedford give good support. One flaw in the story, is that the passenger aircraft Craig has designed, is shown as one of country's V bombers from the 1960's, hardly big enough to fly hundreds of passengers.

I LOVE it! It's a classic British movie in the same guise as "Genieve", "True as a Turtle" and "Dads Army". I rarely pay much attention to movie experts and critics, because inevitably if they love a movie, I'II hate it and visa versa! .... and all the reports I've heard over the years about this movie only acknowledge my thoughts!

The Iron Maiden is just a good Saturday afternoon style movie with no violence, loud music or crazy film affects ..... I like to sit back and just enjoy it for the entertaining classic it is.

The Traction engines in the movie are a bonus, but what a bonus as is the cars and the scenery in general! It takes me back to a time when things were simpler and more basic and comedy was something that you instantly laughed or snickered at without having to think about it first!

I'd have to say it's one of my favorite British movies of the era.