The Titfield Thunderbolt

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DanTheMan 2 Hilariously depicting the community spirit and boundless enthusiasm that comes with running a heritage railway, The Titfield Thunderbolt is a portrait of a lost world, where people greeted each other in the street, where trains ran (on time) through villages and where cars did not rule every road. Eerily managing to depict everything that would come to fruition with Dr Beeching's massacre of the British rural branch lines a full decade prior, there's a beautiful warmth to Charles Crichton's delightfully uplifting film. It's filled with lovable eccentrics, who play cricket on the village green and drink mild-and-bitter in the local inn, striking a perfect balance between heartfelt moments and gentle comedy, with a real magic to its events, portraying the timeless theme of the little man fighting against the powers that be while offering us a nostalgic look at a bygone era. The wit is evident in the sheer level of care taken with both script and production, while the likeable characters and the gentle comedy easily entertain, where any setback, minor or major, can be overcome through sheer English fair play, where the romance of the railways is foremost, and villains are assured to get their comeuppance in the end. Fast paced, energetically acted, beautifully shot by Douglas Slocombe and directed with real brio, The Titfield Thunderbolt remains a hidden gem, offering a timeless and uplifting cinematic experience of a long departed, much simpler and idealistic age. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/19/25 Full Review Audience Member The best Ealing comedies combine charm and savagery: the satire has teeth. Without the bile they become - as here - whimsical and rather irritating. The mostly elderly parishioners of a bucolic English village are infuriated by the closure of their branch line, and decide - improbably - to buy the engine and run it themselves. Cue lots of arch jokes about vicars learning how to operate the signal box. It's nicely photographed and boring. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Just about the most charming and beautiful film ever. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Perfect sick day viewing. Mildly amusing tale of a branch line sticking it to the man in 1950s UK. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Classic British comedy - delightful!! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member (75%) A fine British comedy that is English as a rainy summer day. This really is a joy to watch with its fantastic pacing, eccentric characters, and a charming fun wit running right the way through. And despite this being incredibly twee with its chocolate box village, there is a rebellious spirit that bubbles to the surface that is present in many of these great Ealing films. It must be said this isn't what I'd call the funniest film of all time, or even the funniest Ealing film, but it's just so watchable and and likeable, with the brilliant line from Stanley Holloway: "Is it a pleasant prison?" all making this a very worthy watch. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Titfield Thunderbolt

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