Lionheart (1968) Poster

(1968)

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5/10
Lionheart
Prismark105 June 2021
Michael Forlong directed several films for the Children's Film Foundation.

This one stars his son James Forlong as young Andrew who spots a lion in the family barn.

James decides to look after it while the army on intent on finding and shooting dead the lion that has escaped from the circus.

James problem is finding enough food to feed the lion. He gets together with a few friends to get enough meat from the butcher.

Later he tries to contact the circus owner to take the lion back as the army close in.

The film does well with the kids bickering and falling out. However the story is just a bit too simple.

This film has a cast of well known comedy actors. Wilfrid Brambell, Irene Handl, Jimmy Edwards.

The main comic moments are from pop star Joe Brown as the inept Private Worms. It really is for the various army personnel to provide the comedy such as the blundering know it all Captain Harris.

Sadly several of the younger cast members died at a relatively early age. Louise Rush who plays Belinda died at the age of 56 in 2006.

James Forlong went on to become a well known television journalist. He committed suicide in 2003 at the age of 44 after he admitted faking a news report during the Iraq war.
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6/10
Standard kid's adventure
Leofwine_draca6 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A rather simplistic Children's Film Foundation story, although not without merit; it's chiefly of note for featuring famously large lion Simba and his trainer Nick Nyoka, who were well known on the scene throughout the 1960s and 1970s, latter holing up at Knaresborough Zoo. The plot is constructed around their presence and features a trio of kids trying to hide the escaped lion from the searching army soldiers, who plan to shoot it. Irene Handl brings huge character but isn't in it much, while the kids give indifferent performances. Not the worst, but it doesn't have the humour, action or quality that most CFF productions have.
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4/10
Sub-standard CFf film
malcolmgsw16 August 2021
This is one of the poorest CFF films I have seen. Short on action and long on lame comedy. Joe Brown is particularly bad with his inane grinning.

Lots of familiar faces. Best of all is the indomitable Irene Handel.
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