I was talking to Granny on the phone last weekend and we realised we didn’t have much to talk about. Her art groups were all cancelled and I was just working everyday, and there is only so much farming economics an individual can take. That is when I proposed an idea. I asked her to look at her TV pages and pick out a film for us to both go away and watch. After assuring her I didn’t mind how old the film was and that I just wanted to watch a film I hadn’t seen before, she settled on the Titfield Thunderbolt, a film I had never heard of. At the time of writing, I don’t even know if she stuck to her end of the bargain and watched it (I’m not spoiling it, she doesn’t have internet). However, I did my duty and what I found was a charming comedy film with everything you love about yesteryear.

The rural village of Titfield (don’t laugh) is shocked to discover their train service to Mallingford is going to be closed down. In response, two trainiacs get some financial backing from a wealthy local in an attempt to run the line not for profit. They are told by the transport ministry they have a month to prove they can run the line. However, the bus company will do everything they can to stop the train company continuing as they want monopoly power over their rivals (You need to get those abnormal profits somehow). This goes from emptying water barrels to stealing trains.

The whole film is rather slapstick with typical drunkards, Cruella DeVille-esque villains and that poor old butt of the jokes who gets their moment. Tonally, the film is consistent and full of hope throughout, rarely leaving me feeling down. I laughed a few times and by the end I had a wide smile on my face. While there are antagonists, that is in the loosest sense of the word. They are much more like the Dursleys than Lord Voldemort and you don’t especially have any reason to dislike them. The story focuses a lot more on hope and community spirit than any fight between good and evil.

The setting is idyllic. With swathes of green fields as far as the eye can see and consistently good weather only furthering the aforementioned tone, it really does feel a dream-like rural existence. You certainly don’t need to be a train fan to get anything out of this film.

Summary

This is very much the definition of a feel good film. A story about a small rural community overcoming the odds to run a train service is incredibly simple. Yet, the fun spirit of the characters, plot and setting will leave you smiling. A fantastic isolation film which doesn’t take itself seriously. [Grade: B]