The Amazing Mr. Blunden

A very good family film; its only flaw is that it's a bit too long. The film takes place in England, in approximately 1916. A widow and her three children are left destitute on the husband's death. The mysterious Mr. Blunden shows up and offers the mother a caretaker's position at an old country mansion which was partially destroyed by a great fire decades ago. The family goes to live in a small cottage on the estate. The two oldest children, Lucy and Jamie, are drawn into the unsolved mystery that surrounds the old fire. They find out that the two heirs to the estate, a boy and girl, were killed in the fire, but it might have been murder and not an accident. The film takes a fanciful twist at this juncture, sending Lucy and Jamie back in time to save the two orphaned kids. Will they succeed? And what will it mean to their own lives if they do? What does Mr. Blunden have to do with all this and why does he need Lucy and Jamie's help? I can only say, rent the movie and find out. It has a nice late Victorian air to it, and is steeped in atmosphere. Older kids and adults will enjoy it; my entire family loves this movie.

I first saw this film at the cinema in 1972, and thought at the time it was the best film I'd ever seen - in fact I watched it twice that day! Now, all these years later it's still one of my all-time favorites.

Directed by Lionel Jeffries as a follow-up to his very successful 'Railway Children' movie 2 years' before, it's also a charming period piece set in the Edwardian era, but this time with very a clever plot concerning time travel and ghosts.

His direction is first-class, despite obvious budget restrictions, and it seems a pity this movie wasn't so well-received at the box-office as his previous film, as I think it's even better. Once again the casting and performances are perfect too.

There is excellent brooding atmosphere about the derelict mansion the family are mysteriously hired to caretake by the Amazing Mr Blunden... he has placed them there in order to right a terrible wrong of 100 years' past. The suspense builds up to an exciting climax with the terrible fire of 100 years before played out again - and we are left to wonder if history really has been changed this time.

The music score is fantastic too - one of the best ever in my view, and one of the film's many highlights is the unforgettable performance of Diana Dors as the awful and scary hag-like housekeeper Mrs Wickens.

This is simply an excellent family film that leaves a lasting impression. I showed it to my son when he was 7, and he was absolutely captivated by it - just as I had been in the cinema all those years ago. He actually calls it 'The Ghost Children' - a title that I feel would have served the film better, and perhaps would have maybe drawn attention more to its supernatural elements.

Like many films made by the British film industry at it's nadir in the 1970s, the Amazing Mr Blunden could be overlooked, but those willing to make the effort will find a gem. There's the wonderfully English setting of the film, mixing the nostalgia of a Georgian England of Mr Blunden and Langley Park, with the Edwardianism of Jamie and Lucy's world. Mixed with good background music and wonderful setting amongst a stately home and a traditional village and the film is playing to all the traditional strengths of British film and drama. Adults will perhaps prefer these aspects to the plot, but children will enjoy the 'good vs. evil' aspect of the children's fight to save the lives of Georgie and Sara against Mrs Wickens (played excellently by Diana Dors who steals the film). Sadly, the film misses much 'fun' that could be made out of the stark characters of Mr and Mrs Wickens and the rest of the cast (particularly the dandy-ish uncle played by James Villiers). There's also one cringe-worthy moment too - when all the actors and actress wave goodbye at the end. They don't make things that this anymore....

This movie takes me back to my childhood, remembering how I used to sit in front of the tv and watch it.

I recently watched it in dvd and I live it just as much as I did then.

It's a child's ghost story, and all ages will love this movie. Shame they don't make movies like this now.

Saw this film when I was a child, and it still gives me the same lil shudders and I STILL giggle in the right places... its a good old story with the sweetest ending EVER.

It really encapsulates the film genre of the 1970's and the old way of telling ghost stories which seems to have been lost in modern films.

This film is good for the whole family and actually deals with death and the afterlife in a manner that makes you talk about it afterwards