Heartwarming The Railway Children Return proves you don’t need flashy special effects for escapism

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN RETURN

(PG) 95mins

★★★★☆

IN the past, the thought of a British movie classic getting a remake was as welcome as another leadership election.

Modern versions of Get Carter, Alfie and The Ladykillers offer a firm case for never tinkering with beloved material.

But this sequel to 1970 family gem The Railway Children might have changed my mind.

This old-fashioned movie, starring Sheridan Smith and Jenny Agutter, has charm lacking in much 21st-century fare for kids.

This is so quaint, it doesn’t just turn the clock back, it puts it on a sundial.

Sparky urchins

Set in 1944, nearing the end of World War Two, three Manchester children are placed on a train to the West Yorkshire countryside to escape Nazi bombs.

With their mum having to stay behind, it is an emotional start to the film — evoking real-life scenes of separation in Ukraine.

Kids Lily (Beau Gadsdon), Pattie (Eden Hamilton) and Ted (Zac Cudby) are sparky urchins right out of a Charles Dickens novel.

There are plenty of high jinks, from nicking a chocolate bar to a flour fight, that hark back to the dramas of my youth. The beautiful, rolling hills, steep stone roads and steam railways add to the nostalgic feel.

Fans of the original will be delighted to see that Agutter, now playing Bobbie from the original film as a grandmother, is back and in excellent form. It is Bobbie and her daughter Annie (Smith) who take in the three siblings, unwanted by anyone else.

The writers stick to the themes that kept the 1970 movie on track, namely truth and justice. When Lily discovers a young black American soldier called Abe (Kenneth Aikens) is in trouble, she decides to help him — even though it puts her at risk.

Each of the children has a story to tell, all equally important. Some elements work better than others, though.

The plot occasionally shudders like much of the country’s ageing rolling-stock. But thankfully, the pace is quick enough for any clunkiness to be quickly forgotten.

And there is comic relief from the ever-reliable John Bradley, as a friendly stationmaster, to lighten any trickier moments. This is a heartwarming homegrown movie which proves that you do not need flashy special effects for escapism.

• GRANT ROLLINGS

McENROE

(15) 104 mins 

★★★★☆

YOU cannot be serious! Well, actually, it seems John McEnroe CAN be serious.

In this thoughtful look back at his life, the former Wimbledon champion tries to figure out why he was a superbrat on the tennis court.

While many stars make excuses for their worst behaviour, the New Yorker does not seek to put the blame on his childhood or anyone else. Instead he berates himself for being so rude to umpires and assaulting a drinks trolley.

The key ingredient for a good documentary is honesty and in that regard, McEnroe is a winner.

He admits taking drugs and messing up his first marriage, to movie star Tatum O’Neal, by being unfaithful. Some elements here have been discussed many times before, particularly John’s rivalry with Swedish star Bjorn Borg, which was the basis for the 2017 movie Borg vs McEnroe in which Shia LaBeouf played the American.

But the effect defeating Borg had on McEnroe’s career is fascinating. For reaching the top proved to be the beginning of the end for the racquet-wrecker.

A sports documentary to love.

• GRANT ROLLINGS

EXPLORER

(12A) 140mins

★★★☆☆

SIR Ranulph Fiennes is described as “batty” and “crazy” by friends in this documentary about the British explorer’s life.

And those are the compliments. The 78-year-old record breaker has made a few enemies along the way to legendary status.

He was thrown out of the SAS for plotting to blow up a film set and has taken great risks in his quests to come first.

This included completing seven marathons on seven continents in seven days – three months after having heart bypass surgery. Even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he continues to tackle mountains.

While most documentaries spin out noteworthy lives with supplementary material, Explorer faces the opposite problem. Director Matt Dyas has to brush over numerous adventures to leave time to examine the man himself.

Fiennes is an intriguing character, who is hard to pin down. The conclusion Dyas comes to is that behind every great man is a great woman. And it’s the love for his late first wife Ginny that gives this examination of the explorer so much warmth.

• GRANT ROLLINGS