The Home-Made Car

Fresh from winning an Academy Award for his short film 'Giuseppina' - which detailed the comings and goings around an Italian petrol station - James Hill came closer to home to Weybridge in the Home Counties to deliver this little bon-bon depicting the activities of a young lad labouring away in his garage like any self-respecting English eccentric on a vintage car.

Fondly remembered as a trade test colour film used to fill gaps in the schedules during the early days of colour television, the noisy little sports car driven by our hero's flashy adversary today looks as much a period piece as the home-made car of the title.

Saw this film years ago when first aired as a BBC2 trade test transmission. Managed to obtain copy of film 35 years later and was still as good,funny and British as I had remembered it all those years before. A credit to the British Film Makers. Greatly enjoyed.Tells story of man rebuilding car obtained from scrapyard. Lovingly restoring the car to its former glory. Much to the delight of all who are involved.Charming little girl helps in the rebuild ( What ever happened to her no names in credits )After Lots of laughs and even tender moments the car is complete. The man then then wins the attentions of the girl next door with good old fashioned manners. A brill film, with a happy ending. They don't make them like that anymore, more is the pity.

Its interesting to read comments on this film I veg tried to purchase this from BP Films but Im told its not available but maybe in the future I thought after all the comments read that there would be a market for selling this however there must be some problems .Reason for my interest I use to be a TV engineer in the 60's and watch all the trade test films then I suppose nostalgia brings me to want to watch it again after what 40 odd years.Good stuff.This film together with the BP 'Plastics'film is typical of the film presented for colour quality at the time I wonder if any one has a 16mm or VHS /dvd copy of this they know of for sale.Maybe I will have to wait until they are available on the open market.

My father-in-law owned - and still owns - the Morris Oxford car featured in this film. The chassis of another car he was restoring at the time - a 1916 Perry - was used in place of the Morris chassis, as he wasn't prepared to dismantle the car for the purposes of the film! He has a 16mm print of the film and also VHS tapes which were supplied by BP. For the preview of the film at Shell-Mex House in the Strand, the car was taken to London and displayed in the building. He is amazed at the number of people who are still interested in this film, its actors and locations, and is in touch with some of them. The car is kept in running order though not currently on the road.

I remember this film, which I saw many times, as my late Father sold colour T.V. sets & used to show prospective buyers the sets at our home in Bideford, north Devon. This film has a beautifully simple story, together with the traditional "man gets his girl" at the end! The slow mellowing of the little 10 year old girl from a complete pain in the neck to an enthusiastic helper is a joy to watch. I'd like to find out what happened to all these actors after this film; did they all have careers thereafter? Ironically, the girl next door's original boyfriend, although clearly not a "new man", drives what would be seen today as a truly classic car; an Healy 3 litre! Glad to see him get his just desserts at the end,though! Altogether a truly great film, with an excellent soundtrack.