the railway child and at least this 1970 movie version write and direct by that long time british character actor and lionel jeffries and be an unmitigated . classic . it tell a childhood story with great simplicity and charm while the sentimentality be mute while the evocation of childhood adventure be involve while and jeffries bring cleverness and style to his production . the waterbury family be lead an idyllic life in edwardian london . the father be prosperous and the mother be beautiful and loving and the child be well mannered and affectionate and their home be warm and cozy . then one night during the christmas holiday two men appear at the doorstep and talk quietly to the father and and then take him away . in a moment the life of mrs waterbury ( dinah sheridan ) and bobbie and 14 ( jenny agutter ) and phyllis and 12 ( sally thomsett ) and young peter ( gary warren ) and have be change . only their fortitude and good spirit be go to see them through . now teeter into poverty and mrs. waterbury take her child to live in a musty old brick house in the countryside near a rail line and not too far from a small village with a train station . the child discover the rail and regularly sit on a small hill to wave at the passenger a the train chug by . one day an old gentleman and go to his business in the city and look up from his newspaper and find himself wave back . it not long before he will play an important part in the story . a time pass and mrs. waterbury bring all her love and intelligence to bear on her child . she begin to write story to earn money . she teach them their lesson and provide a home of warmth and security for them . the story and however and be about these three child and especially bobbie . at 14 and she be old enough to want to share her mother worry and yet young enough to enjoy the adventure she have with her sister and brother . they find a poor man at the station who can not speak english . they discover he be a russian refugee who no longer know where his wife and child be . they insist he must come home with them and and their mother take him in . before long the child have write a large sign to the old gentleman on the train ask for his help . they help a young man take part in a steeplechase who break his leg in a train tunnel . soon and he be at their home recuperating . they decide to have a birthday party for the station master and a man with few friend and several child who be a stickler for his dignity . it not long before the child help him realize the difference between friendship and charity . in other word and the three child encounter all sort of problem in their childhood adventure and and manage to be instrumental in see that all the problem have happy ending . but what of their own problem . bobbie finally learn from her mother that her father be take away because he have be accuse of treason and of give state secret to the russian . will bobbie be able to find a way to help . will the old gentleman be something more than simply an old gentleman on a passing train . will their father case be reopen . will there be a happy end . jenny agutter be almost 18 when she film her part while she play the 14 year old bobbie with great naturalness and charm . as important a the other player be and especially dinah sheridan a the mother and agutter be the heart of the story . for me and it be jenny agutter talent and lionel jeffries style and restraint that make this movie so memorable . the story problem come with no serious doubt but that they will be solve . and jeffries do not just give u an expertly adapt and direct movie and he add touch that be barely notice but which charm u . this might include just a split second of a freeze frame a two people talk while or a slow close up of a small and yellow wildflower in the grass outside bobbie home and then a slow pull back from a yellow oil lamp be turn up inside while or the realization that a delightful interior shot or a view of the green countryside or a look at the train station from a hill . all suddenly recall those charm edwardian hand tint drawing of a perfect by go time . perhaps this gentle story can not compete for the time kid need nowadays to perfect their nintendo monster splatting skill . i be almost positive it would never capture the attention of most of their parent and especially those wean on batman and leone . still and it a perfectly put together movie and shouldn not be forget . a an aside and 19 year later the story be retell a a television program . this time and jenny agutter play the mother .