Although the film is brief, only 80 minutes, it is very intensive with a very crowded action all the way, from the seaside and cliffs of Brighton to idyllic family life with an aunt and two children, a suspected crime with the tragic loss of a mother, presenting a difficult trauma to deal with, a small love affair, some great performances with dummies of a ventriloquist, complications about a teddy bear getting knocked off and found again buried alive, some hoodlums gettting to work with dirty business and gangster procedures, hopes of a stranded American longing to get home with meagre prospects, the action is never relaxed but rather worrisome all the way, and Sam Wanamaker has reasons indeed to be worried, as he never intended to get mixed up with problems of controversial business. The children fly a kite that gets stranded, which ignites the greatest crisis of the film. What impresses about this film is the very eloquent direction, he brings out the best of all actors, also the non-professionals (as you suspect, because you never saw them in any other film,) and especially Sam Wanamaker, who is not good-looking but compensates this deficit by virtuoso acting, like in all of his films - "Give Us This Day" is one of the most unforgettable films ever made, which also presents a most worrisome situation for Sam Wanamaker. The music is also excellent, and the whole film gives a strong impression of authenticity - although the story probably is made up, it is made as real as any Italian neo-realistic feature. The children add to the treat by being perfectly themselves as children all the way, and in the end when all the troubles have been overcome, it's just to celebrate Christmas together with them.
