Main dans la main

The acting of the children who play Michael and Rachel really make this 1960 British film work. Other characters appear to be stereotypical (i.e. the parents, the rabbi and priest) to a large extent, but the children's' performances are outstanding. It's a wonder they didn't do more with their careers after this film, particularly Phillip Needs, who played Michael. Watch his face early on, when he realizes that taunting the little girl at school is wrong. He backs away from the group, then grabs her and rescues her. And later, when he confronts Rachel angrily and yells "Why did you kill Christ?" She answers: "I didn't! I didn't kill anyone!" And it's true. The Romans executed Christ, not the Jews. Pontius Pilate could have always said "no", and left it at that. But of course, the scripture had to be fulfilled.

This is a film I love to show to my own children on a regular basis, to help them understand that God is love, not hate. I have wonderful memories of my parents renting this 16 mm film again and again from the local library in the 1960's when I was growing up. They would show it for the children in the neighborhood, who all came from different religious backgrounds. It was always a favorite and now is a favorite in my own library of films.

I am 45 years old, and I have NEVER been able to get this film out of my mind! I was a child of 10 when I'd first watched it, on a Saturday morning..and I am thinking it was on a morning children's film festival. Like a previous comment stated, this film HAS AN IMPACT on those who view it. I would love to find it on video and enjoy it over and over again. I recall feeling touched- very moved, and for a child of that age, for a television film to do such a thing, I believe is pretty much a rare occurrence. All this time and for a movie to remain in my mind? You tell me how great it must be!! It was wonderful to have the experience of seeing interaction between 2 children of the opposite sex and opposed religions. I cannot believe I found this site, and info about the film that has stayed in my heart for 35 years. Amazing!!!

As far away from biblical epics as you can get, Hand in Hand is definitively the most spiritual movie I have ever seen. I saw it in 1969 and cried and cried. The next time I saw it was in college in 1978 and I cried profusely again. The boy and the girl in the leads are absolutely perfect. The movie succeeds in conveying the enormity of the exploration they are doing. And how in the process, their sense of love blossoms, both for each other, but mostly for God.

I saw this movie in the early 60's. I was nine or so years old. It had a profound effect on me. You see, I was not brought up in the kind of family that practiced this kind of prejudice. So the story was both a revelation of something I didnt know about, and a lesson in life. My step daughter was in a college class that required her to ask questions on a survey. In that survey the participants were asked to say the first thing that came to their mind after each question. One of the questions was "What was the most influential movie you have ever seen."

My answer was "Hand in Hand."

It is amazing how powerful films can be to a child. Upon reading the numerous reviews and postings of the wonderful movie "Hand in Hand", it is interesting how many of the writers who are probably in the same age bracket and, at least in the U.S., remember this movie airing on the CBS Children's Film Festival on a Saturday afternoon. I guess one can thank CBS, Kukla, Fran (Allison), Ollie and Burr Tillstrom for introducing this powerful film on religious understanding and tolerance within the friendship of two young children.

I remember Rachel and Michael (Loretta Parry and Philip Needs). Even though the film was probably 7 or 8 years old when I first saw the movie on TV, I can relate to them as a child. Perhaps because of how they were raised and the different religions they were taught, the children were a bit suspicious but after a while they got to know each other. What still gets to me after so many years is how misunderstanding and seeing people just as what their were raised can get in the way of seeing others as human beings.

There is a sense of curiosity and wonder getting to know someone who was raised from a different religion and that curiosity begets friendship and, ultimately, understanding. As directed by Philip Leacock (who would later direct numerous TV shows including Route 66, Gunsmoke and The Waltons) and written by Diana Morgan (from a story by Sidney Harmon), Hand in Hand is a sensitive and powerful film.

I am not a fan of remaking great films. But consider the state of religion in the U.S. and the world and how many conflicts occur for the sake of religion. With the right screenwriter, director and cast, I think Hand in Hand could be adapted to the current day. Until then, I concur with others on releasing this wonderful film on DVD.