Review by Jennifer McKenzie
Stars Rel Grainer, Richard Palmer, Gillian Harrison, John Baily,
Robert Cawdron, Daga the dog | Based on the Famous Five books by Enid Blyton
UK certification U | UK RRP £17.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 127minutes | Directed by Gerald Landau
There was not nearly enough talk of picnics and ginger beer for my liking, but the Famous Five had more important things to worry about – finding the treasure hidden on Kirrin Island before those dastardly villains.
This re-released serial is beautifully shot in Dorset with the ruins of Corfe Castle acting wonderfully as Kirrin Castle, providing the picturesque setting for many scenes depicting the Famous Five being chased along the coastline. Although I doubt that many children nowadays would find this serial particularly interesting, it's a lovely, innocent and nostalgic experience for those who grew up with Enid Blyton books and subsequent TV series.
The cast is incredibly well chosen, with Grainer pulling off the feisty tomboy Georgina (George) in what seems to be her only acting role. Palmer gave a confident performance as the oldest and responsible group leader Julian and was especially good in the underwater scenes. Bailey brought plenty of humour to his role as Dick, with his continual interest in food, lightening the mood as the others became overly serious about reaching the treasure before their enemies. Harrison performs brilliantly and enthusiastically as Ann, my personal favourite. She adds the necessary feminine touch to the group, but doesn’t seem fazed by anything and coped rather well with all the kicks received from the others when she was about to blab a secret (which was alot). The final of the Famous bunch can't be forgotten, Timothy the dog! He gave a stunning performance, in particular was his spectacular fall down the cliff. But don't worry; no animals were harmed in the making of this series.
The two villains were hilarious in their borderline slapstick performance. They are indeed among the stupidest bad guys out there, but it all adds to their memorable performances; notably when Robert Cawdron chases Timmy around his antiques shop in the opening scene, lashing out everywhere and causing a horrific amount of unnecessary damage. Overall it's a brilliant watch, most probably suited for those with an existing love of the Famous Five looking for a trip down memory lane than for young children now, as they'll likely find it rather dated (it's not just the black and white picture that gives it away!).
EXTRAS None