Quincy's Quest (1979) User Reviews

Where is this gem

[lindee · 8/10 · 18 December 2019]

I seen this Christmas 1979 never seen it again should be with the great classics

A toy story

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 25 May 2015]

Tommy Steele was a popular entertainer when I was a kid. A pop singer, actor and frequent performer in musicals.

He had a trademark toothy grin but I was surprised how relatively few films he made.

In the late 1970s he branched out into television and made two Christmas Specials for ITV and Quincy's Quest was one of them. You might say it was the Toy Story of its day.

A live action extravaganza with plenty of blue screen. Steele plays Quincy an imperfect toy among group of rejected ones in a department store and are set to be destroyed. He sets outs in a quest to visit Santa in his grotto on the top floor in order to save these toys destined to be thrown into the fire. However a wicked witch is hellbent on stopping Quincy.

Quincy gets detoured along the way, a showman puts him on a wrong train which crashes, a damsel sends him to the army and then he battles giant robots.

Its really musical theatre with plenty of effects. Steele is in his element with the song and dance numbers, Mel Martin is very appealing and Gretchen Franklin (Ethel from Eastenders) is the witch.

The special effects have dated but its still an enjoyable show for kids.

HELP PLEASE - must get a copy as was part of my childhood

[Ogy · 3 June 2004]

I also have very fond memories of this film as a young child. I am determined to get a copy. I had this on video tape for a very long time as a child and know it word for word - even now I'd guess I could name the next line/screen. However, as this get played repeatedly in my house by me and my brother it eventually wore out! Finally when we moved house my parents used the opportunity to 'accidentally loose it'. Can you believe it? I was so pleased to find this notice board as none of my mates has ever heard of it. This is not just for me but to show my young children - to show them how we did things before animation!!! Please help if you know where I can get a copy of this wonderful oldie.

Should be put on dvd

[durane-110-907757 · 10/10 · 15 December 2018]

I first watched this aged 7 in black and white and cried. The next time I saw it was in colour and I cried even more lol. Heartbroken that I can't share it with my children and grandchildren

A Magical Christmas Musical

[ashwetherall1 · 9/10 · 5 August 2009]

There are a lot of people out there who don't like Tommy Steel. But if you asked them why , I bet they couldn't tell you the reason. Or if they could I bet they would give you some superficial reason. For instance his toothy grin, his cockney brogue when he sings and his full head of hair, Tommy the toreador?

The truth is it all comes down to a bit of petty jealousy. Tommy steel can sing, dance, act and he's been doing all these things well for over 50 years. He is also responsible for one of the best Christmas musical extravaganza's ever made for television. I first saw Quincy's Quest when I was 8 years old and I was blown away by it. Last year I managed to see a bootleg copy of it and it is as still as fresh as ever. The story of a broken toy left in the basement of a department store that goes on a quest to top floor to find Father Christmas and ask him to save the other broken toy's before they are incinerated. On his quest he has many adventures, finds love and has to battle and evil witch and her robot henchman. There are great song's along the way and a bit of anti war pathos that never gets preachy.

The special effects are old fashioned but are done very well. And all the performances are spot on.

The only problem is that its still not available on DVD and has never been shown on TV since the early 80's. I whole heartedly recommend Quincy's Quest for the whole family. Both Kids and Adults will love it.

The Greatest Story Ever Told

[Damian11 · 10/10 · 21 May 2003]

Quincy's Quest is quite simply one of the most moving interpretations of the story of man's triumph over tradgedy. It captures the upward struggle of a group of rejected toys (read bourgeoisie)in their upward journey of salvation over the toy story owners (read proletariat), with compassion and grace. If Eisenstein had worked in Hamleys this is the film he would have made. If you like this title you'll also appreciate Ben Hur and Birth of a Nation, although both pale in comparison to this masterwork. A timeless classic.

'Toy Story'? Forget about it.

[dan.taylor · 10/10 · 13 August 2003]

The Holy Grail. The Fisher King. Moby Dick. The quest motif is as old as story-telling itself, but never told so effectively or thought-provokingly as this 1979 masterpiece. Steele is solid, Franklin the stuff of childhood nightmares,but it is Reed's bold, sweeping directorial strokes that set this epic towering over its contemporaries. The fact it is set at Christmas lends it atmosphere but is immaterial - the themes are timeless, as valid now as they ever were. Essential.

Fantastic film, keep hoping to see it again or buy it if poss

[t-weir · 27 December 2003]

This is one of the best christmas films i have seen, my mother and myself hope each year for it to come on the TV. I would love to get it if anyone knows where i could buy it i would love to know. Please put it on again, Where is Tommy Steele these days any way???

My fav Christmas TV special!

[BadWebDiver · 10/10 · 28 May 2004]

I totally LOVE this story. Tommy Steele has a wonderful bright personality, and this role really showcases it. I love the songs in this, especially the one sung by the "perfect" dolls, and the stage number hosted by the ventriloquist dummy.

I also love the way that the various elements of the story really balance each other out. The comedy isn't too wacky, the romantic angle isn't TOO sappy, the action and adventure is balanced by the warmth and humour.

This is really top class fantasy storytelling for the child in all of us. I just wish there were more TV specials in this class.

Best Christmas Film

[carol-125 · 10/10 · 18 October 2005]

When my daughter was small we watched Quinceys Quest on television and she absolutely loved it. Every year she would ask if it would be on again but it never was.It was a lovely children's film for Christmas and I can't understand why it has never been repeated. I have kept trying to find it, either to buy or rent but have had no success. I have even tried to get in touch with Tommy Steele but have had no luck. Now that he is going to appear at the Palladium this Christmas in Scrooge I am going to try to contact him there to see if he can help. There is such a lot of rubbish on the television these days I am sure there are a lot of parents who would love to see a real family film like Quincys Quest repeated on the television.

Nostalgia

[pageantmalarkey · 10/10 · 3 October 2003]

Despite not containing any of the original cast of Quincy this still holds up as a classic film. It contains many scenes that may be considered disturbing to fans of Quincy and strays wildly from any of the situations the original Quincy would have ever come close to finding himself in. Regardless, the film has it's own charms, revolving around the "Quest" of "Quincy". Not much else can be said about this film except that it still enthralls and entertains the children I show it to today. Nostalgic and classic this film has legendary proportions and is still regularly discussed on websites such as friendsreunited and other nostalgia sites.

Scary

[clivegoodwin · 10/10 · 23 December 2020]

I remember this film scaring the life out of me when I was a kid. What could possibly go wrong with toys being thrown into a furnace. That said it's a classic but I fear the original recording has been lost.

Quincys Quest

[russellhale · 16 November 2005]

Quincy's quest - I barely remember it but keep hoping each year at Christmas it will appear in the radio times or TV listings but it never does !! Does Anyone know how to get hold of a copy -- or fill me in what happens - i know its about a group of toys about to be incinerated unless they reach Santa Claus but apart from that i got no idea what happened- i believe it was only shown once on TV and that was it.

For many years i thought i'd made this film up in my head !! Maybe i did who knows anyway i spent many times arguing with my family about this as they swear the thing never existed. I have even told some friends about it but they just laughed in my face - so I've resorted to silence and my own quest to find it.

i bet if this film was re-released using todays animations it would probably make a fortune.