Emil and the Detectives

Emil and the Detectives

1h 10m 5.0/10

Overview

Erich Kästner’s beloved novel has been adapted for film or television six times since its publication in 1929; this 1935 British version was the first in English. Believed lost for decades, it was recently rediscovered by the BFI and has now been restored. The film moves the action from Berlin to London, where Emil goes to stay with his grandmother and cousin. Thereafter, the tale of Emil’s adventures with a gang of streetwise London children faithfully follows the original plot.

Director

Milton Rosmer

Top Billed Cast

Marion Foster

Polly

Clare Greet

Clare Greet

Grandma

George Merritt

George Merritt

PC

George Hayes

George Hayes

The Man in The Boeler Hat

Mary Glynne

Mary Glynne

Mrs. Blake

John Williams

Emil

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

12/2/2024

6/10

John Williams is "Emil", a young lad who is the victim of a robbery whilst travelling on a train to visit his grandmother. Suspicious of the "Man in the Bowler Hat" (George Hayes) it falls to him and group of London street urchins to recover this quite substantial amount of cash. Some British cinema-goers may recall the Children's Film Foundation films, and this comes across very much as they do. Essentially for children, this adventure gives a collection of youngsters the chance to have some fun on screen and for the Saturday morning audience to join in. The oddly placed audio effects spoil it rather, but it is still a well produced little effort with a solid cast, a little scripted humour and Williams and Clare Greet as his grannie manage to keep this moving along quite well. Not really for the grown ups, but as an example of what kept us all amused almost a century ago, it is still worth a gander

Similar Movies

The Year of the Hare

7.3

The Year of the Hare

1977

Happier Times, Grump

6.4

Happier Times, Grump

2018

The Devil All the Time

7.2

The Devil All the Time

2020

Detective Conan: Full Score of Fear

6.9

Detective Conan: Full Score of Fear

2008

The Story of Qiu Ju

7.3

The Story of Qiu Ju

1992

Vampire Sisters 2: Bats in the Belly

7.1

Vampire Sisters 2: Bats in the Belly

2014

Beauty & the Briefcase

5.9

Beauty & the Briefcase

2010

Lilies of the Field

7.2

Lilies of the Field

1963

Welcome to the Quiet Room

6.7

Welcome to the Quiet Room

2007

The Robber Hotzenplotz

5.4

The Robber Hotzenplotz

2006

A Colt Is My Passport

7.0

A Colt Is My Passport

1967

HIT: The First Case

6.6

HIT: The First Case

2022

Dawn Wind in My Poncho

7.0

Dawn Wind in My Poncho

2017

Chinatown at Midnight

5.6

Chinatown at Midnight

1949

Chain of Evidence

4.6

Chain of Evidence

1957