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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Carol Reed
UK 1955

 

Carol Reed's last film for the legendary Alexander Korda and his first in colour is the whimsical tale of a young boy, Joe, who buys a small goat in the belief it's a magical unicorn that will grant him and his friends wishes. Counter-balancing this is the equally childlike romance of Sonia (Diana Dors) and her body-building boyfriend Sam (Joe Robinson), and the latter's misguided involvement with crooked wrestling promoter Blackie Isaacs (Lou Jacobi).

A very rare example of an Anglo-Jewish film, it was partly shot on location in Petticoat Lane in London's East End, at the heart of what was still a thriving Jewish community.

***

Six year-old Joe knows a unicorn when he sees one. His downstairs neighbour Mr Kandinsky has told him all about these mythical creatures, and there isn't anything in the world that this wise tailor doesn't know. So when Joe sees a little white goat amidst the singing birds, salted herrings and hokey-pokey ices of a Whitechapel market he has to have him. He knows it's just a matter of time before the tiny bump on the unicorn's head becomes the magic horn to grant his every wish.


For in the embattled working-class community of 1950s East End London, there are plenty of people in need of good fortune. The only thing Mr Kandinsky wants is a steam press for his shop; his assistant Shmule, a wrestler, just needs to buy a ring for his girl; and all Joe and his mother wish for, more than anything, is to join his father in Africa. But maybe, just maybe, Joe's unicorn can sprinkle enough luck on all his friends for their humble dreams to come true.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 5th, 1955 (Cannes Film Festival)

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Distribution BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:30:28.583        
Video

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,421,504,952 bytes

Feature: 25,010,473,536 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Southbank Interview:

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
BFI

 

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,421,504,952 bytes

Feature: 25,010,473,536 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Sales Pitches: London Street Markets in Archive Film: archive films of Petticoat Lane and London Bridge market (14:01)
London After the War: the post-war period is evoked in archive films celebrating the city and its people (1:02:23)
On The Ropes: a strenuous selection of archive films about wrestling and boxing (14:13)
All in a Day's Work:actress Vera Day recalls A Kid for Two Farthings and her 1950s film career in a new interview (16:55)
Interview with Joe Robinson (2006, 27:26, audio only plys to the film): the actor recalls A Kid for Two Farthings in this archive interview recorded on stage at BFI Southbank
Image Gallery (13:09)
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new writing by Matthew Coniam and Dr Josephine Botting. Also includes extensive notes on the included archive films by the BFI's Vic Pratt and Ben Stoddarr

DVD


Blu-ray Release Date:
August 19th, 2019
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: BFI Blu-ray (August 2019): BFI have transferred Carol Reed's last film for Alexander Korda A Kid For Two Farthings to Blu-ray. The film is notable for its Technicolor. The transfer is on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate but the colors do seem to vary in sequences of the film, sometimes appearing bleached and other times extremely rich and deep. This actually becomes more consistent as the film runs. There is some decent detail and minor depth. It looks quite pleasing in-motion with impressive textures. I suspect this is the best it has ever looked on digital. Some many question the 1.33:1 aspect ratio as the 'intended' ratio was 1.66:1.

On their Blu-ray, BFI use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is authentically flat with an upbeat score by Benjamin Frankel (notable for composing the music for the British version of Night and the City, plus some Noirish titles like Libel and The Man Who Watched Trains Go By, Mine Own Executioner, Footprints in the Fog as well as The Iron Petticoat and The Importance of Being Earnest) There are optional English subtitles (see sample below) on this Region- 'B' Blu-ray.  

Extras include some archival films starting with Sales Pitches: London Street Markets which constitutes four archive films of Petticoat Lane and London Bridge market running just over 14-minutes. London After the War shows the post-war period is evoked in three archive films celebrating the city and its people running over an hour. On The Ropes is 1/4 hour's worth of six archive films about wrestling and boxing. All in a Day's Work spends 16-minute with actress Vera Day as she recalls A Kid for Two Farthings and her 1950s film career in a new interview. There is also a 27-minute, audio-only, interview with Joe Robinson from 2006 where the actor recalls A Kid for Two Farthings recorded on stage at BFI Southbank. There is an extensive image gallery of black and white stills and for the first pressing purchasers get a fully illustrated booklet with new writing by Matthew Coniam and Dr Josephine Botting which also includes extensive notes on the included archive films by the BFI's Vic Pratt and Ben Stoddarr. There is also a second disc DVD included.

A Kid for Two Farthings has a bit of everything from childhood innocence and fantasy to survivors seeking slice-of-life dreams in a tight-knit community. There is quite a varied cast from Celia Johnson to Diana Dors, from Primo Carnera to Sidney James. It's Carol Reed and a beautifully made film - one that I am very happy to have seen on Blu-ray. Surely to revisit. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze

 


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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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