To celebrate the upcoming release of long-awaited sequel The Railway Children Return, Lionel Jeffries’ 1970 classic The Railway Children will have a special one-day nationwide release on Sunday 3 July.
One of the most celebrated British films ever made, Lionel Jeffries’ The Railway Children is a big cinematic warm hug. Based on the 1906 novel of the same name by E. Nesbit, this charming and gentle tale of childhood was quite rightly included in BFI’s ‘50 films you should see by the age of 14’ list, but if the film has inexplicably passed you by, don’t feel that the age limit of that list should stop you. Here is a film that harks back to a simple time so affectionately and accurately that it is impossible not to be swept up in its loving embrace, no matter your years.
The film tells the story of three children who move to Yorkshire with their mother after their father disappears under mysterious circumstances. As they become fascinated with the local railway and faithfully wave to the line’s many passengers every day, they form new friendships and connections that may just help them solve the mystery of their father.
There’s something so wholesome about this film that it’s impossible to put any criticism upon it – everything about it is so well-natured and backed with good intent that you can’t really fault any potential issues because even those are made with love. This is just cinematic kindness that should be required viewing for anyone of any age, and StudioCanal’s one-day-only big screen rerelease offers a perfect opportunity to experience it in the best way. It of course remains to be seen if the upcoming sequel The Railway Children Return will even come close to the original’s spellbinding and timeless charm, but until then, there’s no time like the present to take a trip to the railway.
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN WILL SCREEN IN OVER 200 CINEMAS ACROSS THE UK ON JULY 3 2022. STUDIOCANAL WILL RELEASE THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL THE RAILWAY CHILDREN RETURN 15 JULY 2022.