Flight of the Doves

The book on which this film was supposed to be based is a beloved story from my childhood. I purchased this film thinking it would bring the book to life. Not at all the case. This film is a poorly acted, non-sensical, unfunny, cringe-worthy adaptation that captures nothing of the charm and beauty of the original story. That the screenwriter and director inexplicably decided to take the story in the direction of a dumb comedy/bad musical is one of the great head-scratchers of all time. What a waste. My wish is that someday someone remakes this film and sticks to the original tone and personality of the book. That's a film I'd want to watch. This one is going in the trash.

Although the film at times feels like an over cooked tourist ad it would be unfair to overlook some fine moments.Ron Moody shows off all of his remarkable skills in a series of ham characters,while Jack Wild is better than usual as Finn.I have just seen this film not having watched it since the seventies and I really liked Tom Hickey as Garda Flynn.The film is well worth a look and kids would immediately empathize with the two runaways.It also features a Synagogue which is a rarity in an Irish based movie.The narrative is a standard fugitive adventure and no more with plenty of twists and turns but some of the set pieces are poor,such as the dire parade and the cringe-worthy scene outside the church when the tour bus pulls in.Noetheless,Moody as Hawk keeps the tension alive throughout.

As a 43 year old watching this film after over 30 years, it brought a tear to my eye. The beautiful music by Roy Budd (which is available on CD in Britain) reminds one of a totally different era that is part of my childhood. Watching the film and seeing the ancient cars on the roads, the clothes on the ordinary people in the background, the hairstyles and fashions ...... the sweet innocence of the little girl is something that's gone forever, but captured in this charming little film made in 1970 on location in Ireland. It makes me sad to realise that it is an age which I look back with fondness whilst remembering my own childhood. But what will my own kids have to remember? Despite my best efforts, they live in a world of wall to wall television filled with violence and sexual innuendo masquerading as comedy, computer cyberspace, street gangs and stress caused by modern life and expectations of them to perform and excel. As kids in the 1960's and 1970's we had none of that - life was so much simpler and immensely more enjoyable.

It is brilliant that this film is available on DVD for us to watch today. It deserves to be in the same league as those other classic British films made for family viewing at that period in British cinema history: "Oliver!", "The Railway Children", "The Amazing Mr Blunden", "Black Beauty" (1970 version!).

The film features British character actor Ron Moody who excelled at the multi-disguises villain with a soft heart, a type of role he would play again 10 years later on the HTV series "Into the Labyrinth". What a shame that Jack Wild (Finn) died earlier in 2006 of throat cancer. And whatever happened to the delightful Helen Raye (Derval)? She never acted in anything again, but she should have done as she was as good in this role as Georgie Henley is in the current Narnia film. Even Irish songstress Dana appears in the film (the same year she won the Eurovision Song Contest) as a gypsy girl to sing a hauntingly beautiful ballad in Gaelic and English.

My 9 year old daughter fell in love with this film when I showed it to her the other day. She still has that innocence, which I hold onto for as long as possible with her before she descends into the terrible tantrum-filled teen years that her brothers have already entered (and even they watched it and didn't moan!).

A great film for kids to watch, and a wonderful wallow in nostalgia for those of us over 40 years of age!!!

This British-made film cast from the Disney mold has a brother(Jack Wild) and younger sister fleeing their loutish stepfather in England to find their grandmother in Ireland. Along the journey they are assisted by a motley assortment of colorful characters, and are pursued by a menacing relative(an uncle, if I remember)who believes their appearance will deprive him of an inheiritance. The uncle, played by Ron Moody, affects a series of disguises to trick the kids, but always gets the shaft. A beautiful soundtrack score enhances the film. Not readily available, so catch it if you can on television.

I didn't grow up with this movie. As can be seen by the reviews here, many people did, and have very fond memories of it. This is a typical 1970s children's movie, made on the cheap, with bright colors, over-acting, greedy adult villains, cartoon-like bits, hippies, children in peril, really bad wigs and silly dialogue. I can see how children now would still love this, with the sweet and incredibly charming Jack Wild (my first crush - I would have lost my mind had I seen this as a kid - although his wig is horrible) and the adorable girl that plays his little sister and the happy ending. As for me, an adult, seeing it the first time: it's nice to see the Irish countryside in the 1970s. I've seen some reviewers say it's full of offensive stereotypes - it is a CHILDREN'S MOVIE and the characters are bigger than life and completely unrealistic, just like most kids' movies NOW. But the reality is that the only way you'll really like this movie now is if you grew up with it - which I didn't. One moment I did really love: the parade, with the song you don't have to be Irish to be Irish, which celebrates the diversity of immigrants who have contributed to the culture of the isle for a long while - it was refreshing to see in 2021. And it was nice to see Dorothy McGuire having fun.