The Amazing Mr. Blunden
Dir: Lionel Jeffries
1972
****
By 1972 Lionel Jeffries was a much loved comedy actor and thanks to his 1970 directional debut (The Railway Children), he was also a director both children and adults wanted to see more from. The Railway Children was a huge success and is considered a classic. My only grievance with The Railway Children, and indeed The Amazing Mr. Blunden, is that he doesn't star in it. A sensible move though, directing and staring in the same film rarely works and many of the instances whereby people think it worked, are down to the fact that ghost directors were generally used. The Amazing Mr. Blunden is a children's adventure film that has everything a child could want; a mystery to be solved, Ghosts and time travel (of sorts). It sounds like Scooby-Doo but it really isn't. It is a simplified version of Antonia Barber's novel 'The Ghosts', simplified mainly due to special effects constraints (although some of the effects are brilliant) but essentially it is the same story. It is a little bit twee at times but it is all in keeping with the time period. Laurence Naismith plays the Mr. Blunden of the title, at first glance you'd be forgiven for thinking it was Lionel Jeffries, which comes as a disappointment when it becomes clear it isn't but not for long. Diana Dors was a big name attached to the film and her character was quite a surprise considering what she was famous for and considering she was only 40 at the time. The film is also famous for being an early Lynne Frederick production, the doomed actress's performance is probably the best of the whole film. It is a magical adventure and the sort of thing my childhood was enriched by. I'm not sure how well it did outside of the UK but it is a bit of a classic in this part of the world.