The Railway Children (1970)

The Railway Children (1970)

Dir. Lionel Jeffries

Children's Classics - each generation will find qualifying examples from its own era, but some stories are rediscovered time and again.

In Britain The Railway Children, based on Edith Nesbit's 1906 novel, is an enduring classic from yesteryear that never goes away; nor would I want it to. Set in Edwardian times, it's about a mother (Dinah Sheridan) and her three privileged "suburban children", Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter.

They're forced to move from their comfortable townhouse to a country villa in Yorkshire and live a poor life, without a father. Whilst there, they befriend a proud but kind-hearted station porter named Mr Perks (Bernard Cribbins). 

It's simple in construction but remains as welcome and warming today as it was all those decades ago. The lesson that kindness isn't dependent on social status or material riches is perfectly woven into every relevant part. The ending is a little mawkish, but the journey toward it is direct and smooth, like the train tracks that carry the focus of the faithful children's good nature into their collective midst.

Sheridan: Sheridan (2017)

Sheridan (2017)

Actors releasing pop albums isn't a new thing; it's often a forgettable thing, but every now and again there's an actual diamond among the dross.

British actress Sheridan Smith's début album is a varied collection of covers that went into bargain bins within a year of release. But don't equate price or the actions of clueless store managers with quality. Being at a reduced price just means that you'll get an even better deal, because the collection is really very good.

Her voice is soaring when needed, but equally good at being soft, playful, fragile and, at best, heartfelt.

Cilla (2014)

Cilla (2014)

Dir. Paul Whittington | 3 episodes, approx 45 minutes each.

I was born in the decade after the swinging sixties had swung their last, so my experience of Cilla Black while growing up was primarily as the red-headed woman on TV who said "lorra lorra laughs," and "Here's our Graham with a quick reminder..."

I knew her musically for having performed the emotionally stirring theme song to the film Alfie (1966), the UK version at least, but I knew nothing of how she rose from being a music fan to embracing fame as an actual singer, so watching the miniseries was a real eye-opener. It's also damn good; although that ought not to be too surprising given that it's from the same writer, producer and director team that made Mrs Biggs (2012).

It begins in 1960, Liverpool, the same year and location in which The Beatles formed. Cilla's own evolution runs parallel to theirs and even overlaps on occasion. As you'd expect, almost everyone speaks in a Liverpudlian accent. The hard 'g' and '–ckk' sounds are better performed by some of the cast than by others, but everyone is easily identifiable as being Scouse.

Mrs Biggs (2012)

Mrs Biggs (2012)

Dir. Paul Whittington | 5 episodes, approx 50 minutes each.

An ITV miniseries based on the life of Charmian Biggs (played by Sheridan Smith), wife to the most well-known of the Great Train Robbers, Ronnie Biggs (played by Daniel Mays). If you don't know the historical aspect, in 1963 Ronnie and fifteen other men robbed an English Royal Mail train that was carrying £2.6 million (approx £48 million in today's money) and they did it without using guns.

The series begins a few years prior to that event, though, in 1957. Charmian Powell is an innocent, dependable young woman who holds a steady job and has a strict, controlling father. Ronnie is a part-time petty crook, a Jack the Lad, Jimmy Chancer, etc, and also a bit of a charmer. The inevitable happens.

The journey from youthful innocence to reluctant accomplice avoids pure melodrama. It's often difficult to sympathise with a criminal and easier to have those feelings for a criminal's wife, but covering up the truth even for noble reasons is still an immoral act. The series doesn't force you to abandon the judgements you'd naturally have toward that kind of behaviour, so you're free to dislike Charmian's choices if you choose to and still enjoy the ride.

Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb (2013)

Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb (2013)

Dir. David Renwick | Approx 89 minutes

Jonathan's life has changed. He's retired from the crime solving business, but seems ill at ease in his new role and awkward in his new clothes.

I accepted the changes without much affront, but one thing bugged me: where the hell is the windmill? I'd never move out of a windmill, not for anyone!

When a dead body turns up and mysteriously disappears from a locked room on the same day, Jonathan's curiosity is piqued. How could he resist?

Joey Ross (Sheridan Smith) is on hand to both complicate and help, in equal measure. I really like Sheridan and she doesn't disappoint in the role. Her chemistry with Alan Davies is good and her eagerness is only equalled by her sassiness.

Jonathan Creek: The Judas Tree (2010)

Jonathan Creek: The Judas Tree (2010)

Dir. David Renwick | Approx 93 minutes

The Judas Tree had Jonathan's spirited opposite, Joey Ross, return for another of the feature-length outings that kept the series sporadically alive for years after the regular weekly format ended. The unlikely duo investigate a macabre mystery involving a ghostly apparition and an unexplained death.

The Adam Klaus character is once again shoehorned into the story but it's less forced this time.

However, I did get the feeling more than once that creator/writer/director David Renwick was overcompensating for something by filling the story with multiple twists and turns, some of which ask the viewer to make some sizeable leaps of faith and logic. Perhaps the BBC's decision to chop the budget had him worried? To his credit, though, he managed to not let that aspect visibly weaken the production; it looks just as good as what he had delivered previously.

Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man (2009)

Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man (2009)

Dir. David Renwick | Approx 118 minutes

A feature-length adventure (of two whole hours!) that saw the wooly-haired sleuth return to our TV screens after a lengthy five-year absence.

It's written and directed by series creator David Renwick, so the quality is high. The only dip is with the inclusion of an entirely superfluous subplot featuring magician Adam Klaus. I mean no disrespect to actor Stuart Milligan, but it goes nowhere interesting and serves no purpose other than to give the character something to do; its removal would've strengthened the pace of the main plot considerably.

When last we saw JC he was being tormented by Carla Borrego (Julia Sawalha), but she's moved on to graze in pastures new. What is it with the women of the series? They never stick around for long enough.