Swallows and Amazons

Time Out says
The classic tale of plucky kids foiling skulduggery at the Lake District is good clean family fun
This new film version of Arthur Ransome’s much-loved children’s novel offers a cosy fantasy of England in 1935: all steam trains and wholesome outdoorsy kids dashing the plans of dastardly foreign spies. The five Walker children are on holiday in the Lake District when they find a dinghy, the Swallow. They persuade their mum (Kelly Macdonald) to let them sail to the island on a nearby lake and camp out for the night, clashing with the elusive ‘Amazons’ – two local sisters playing at pirates. The kids also become involved in the mysterious goings-on between a boat dweller who claims to be a travel journalist (Rafe Spall) and a sharp-suited mystery man (Andrew Scott), who speaks Russian and comes with his own moustachioed ruffian sidekick.
The film’s pleasures are simple – soaring landscapes, old-school DIY adventure and some sweet performances by the child actors. It makes for a charmingly old-fashioned family adventure – one that you can imagine several generations of a family gathering to watch on a rainy grey Sunday afternoon.
Details
Release details
Cast and crew
Andrew Scott
Rafe Spall
Harry Enfield