A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

 

A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch 

British Film, Drama, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Cannes Film Festival, 1955- Official Selection

Directed by Carol Reed, the 1955 British film A Kid for Two Farthings is a charming and poignant portrayal of life in the vibrant, working-class streets of London's East End shortly after World War II. It's an adaptation of the novel by Wolf Mankowitz, who also penned the screenplay, imbuing the film with a distinctly local flavour and a touching blend of realism and fairytale fantasy. More on Wikipedia or mubi

A Kid for Two Farthings (1955): A Glimpse of Post-War London's Magic 

The film is primarily set around Petticoat Lane Market (Middlesex Street), one of London's oldest and most bustling street markets. Reed masterfully captures the kinetic energy and rich tapestry of this environment. The market becomes a living character in itself, filled with a diverse cast of struggling but resilient shopkeepers, street vendors, and residents. It is a place where hope is as readily traded as second-hand goods, and where dreams are often deferred but never forgotten. The cinematography, particularly the use of Technicolor, highlights the colourful clothes, the fresh produce, and the general clamour that defined this unique urban landscape.

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The Story: A Quest for a Unicorn

The narrative centers on Joe (played by Jonathan Ashmore), a young, imaginative boy living with his mother and his grandfather, Kandinsky (David Kossoff), a kind and philosophical tailor. Joe is convinced that a real-life unicorn is the answer to his family's and the neighbourhood's problems.

He spends his meagre savings—two farthings—on a scrawny, sickly kid (a young goat) with a small, rudimentary horn budding on its head. Joe believes this 'kid' is his magical unicorn, a creature that will grant wishes and bring good fortune to those around him. This central conceit provides the film's title and its emotional core, pitting the harsh realities of post-war poverty against the pure, unwavering belief of a child.

The Characters and Themes

The film features a memorable ensemble cast who represent the everyday struggles and simple joys of the community. Among them are:

• Sonia (Diana Dors): A beautiful and ambitious local girl working in a dress shop, whose story involves trying to secure enough money to marry her fiancé, Harry (Alfie Bass), a struggling boxer.

• The Punch and Judy Man (Sid James): A witty vendor who offers cynical commentary on the market's goings-on.

• Kandinsky (David Kossoff): The grandfather, whose gentle wisdom guides Joe and serves as the film's moral compass.

A Kid for Two Farthings explores themes of poverty, community, and the power of faith. It suggests that the true magic lies not in the actual existence of a unicorn, but in the collective hope and optimism that Joe's belief inspires in his neighbours. His 'unicorn' becomes a catalyst for the community to look beyond their difficulties, even if only for a brief, enchanting moment. The film is a beloved piece of mid-century British cinema, celebrated for its authentic setting and its tender, bittersweet story.

The Good and the Bad of A Kid for Two Farthings (1955)

The 1955 film A Kid for Two Farthings, directed by Carol Reed, is a unique and often divisive piece of British cinema. It combines post-war social realism with a delicate touch of magical fable, resulting in a movie that is celebrated for its atmosphere and charm, but criticized for its sentimentality and uneven tone.

The Good

• Vibrant Sense of Place: The film's greatest strength is its stunning, colorful capture of London's Petticoat Lane Market. Shot in Technicolor, it delivers a vivid, bustling, and almost theatrical portrait of the East End. The market is full of life, noise, and memorable supporting characters, providing an incredible time capsule of the area and its tight-knit Jewish community in the 1950s.

• Heartfelt Central Performance: The performance of David Kossoff as the kind, philosophical tailor Mr. Kandinsky is often singled out as the emotional anchor of the film. His gentle wisdom and the scenes shared with young Joe, where he spins his tales of unicorns and magic, provide the movie's most touching and memorable moments.

• Whimsical Charm and Humanism: The film embraces a warm, sentimental tone, a stark contrast to Reed's darker, more acclaimed works like The Third Man. It is a celebration of childhood innocence and the universal human need for hope in the face of poverty. Joe's unwavering belief in his 'unicorn' creates a genuine sense of good-natured charm.

• Strong Supporting Cast: The film is packed with wonderful British character actors, including a radiant Diana Dors in an appealing, down-to-earth role as Sonia, and Sid James as a raffish jeweller. These performances ground the fantasy elements in a convincing portrayal of working-class life.

The Bad

• Overly Sentimental and Uneven Tone: While the sentimentality is a positive for some viewers, it is also the film's main critical weakness. Critics often found the blend of gritty East End realism with the light, wish-fulfilment fable to be cloying or unbalanced. The film awkwardly swings between the romantic subplot of the boxer Sam and the pure fantasy of Joe's goat.

• Weak Protagonist Portrayals: The child actor, Jonathan Ashmore (Joe), while appealing in his earnestness, was often criticized for having an overly "stage-school" or middle-class accent that did not ring true for a boy growing up in an East End slum. Similarly, Celia Johnson (Joe's mother) felt somewhat constrained and less convincing in a working-class role compared to the more authentic supporting players.

• Simplified Jewish Context: The original novel by Wolf Mankowitz was deeply rooted in the Anglo-Jewish experience of Petticoat Lane. Some felt that director Carol Reed, in trying to make the film a more universal fable, deliberately diluted or removed too much of the specific Jewish cultural context and community dynamics. He lost some of the story's unique power in the process.

• Not Carol Reed's Best Work: Coming after masterpieces like The Third Man and The Fallen Idol, A Kid for Two Farthings was generally not considered to be on the same level of dramatic tension or cinematic craft. It is often viewed as a slight or less successful diversion in his distinguished career, lacking the memorable suspense he was known for.
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