I admit to being a fan of Pat O’Brien and he was the reason we initially watched this film. In Australia the ABC channel often shows old black and white movies late at night.
The film starts with a child, played by Dean Stockwell, who refuses to speak and will not even give his name when he is brought into the police station. After a time Dr Evans played by Robert Ryan, elicits the story of why the shaven headed child, has run away. From there it goes back to events leading up to his flight.
Peter is an orphan whose parents died in the London Blitz. After this he is shunted from one relative’s house to another, until eventually he comes to live with Gramp Fry. Gramp is not his real grandfather but takes him in and gives him a home and treats him as though he were his own grandson. At this stage Peter does not realize his parents are dead. He thinks they are overseas helping other children. It is while he is involved in a school project to help raise money for war orphans, Peter finds out the truth.
The town is accepting of Peter until the day suddenly and inexplicably his hair turns green. Then all the petty prejudices in the town come out. And worse still no-one believes Peter’s claim that he is called to be different and his hair has turned green for a reason. No I’m not going to spoil the film and tell you what the reason is. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out the rest.
The part of Peter is played beautifully by Dean Stockwell with his innocent face. And I loved Pat O’Brien, with his magic tricks, song and dance act and the way he calms Peter’s fears of darkness. He’s the kind of grandfather most children would love to have.
This is a gentle, sensitively handled film that parents could watch with their children. It would provide plenty of talking points for further discussion. The theme of it is no less needed today than it was back when it was made.
For me the only negative was the signature tune that accompanies the film but ‘Nature boy’ has always been a song that I dislike.
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