The Railway Children1970The Railway Children
1970
When their father is mysteriously taken away, Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis move with their mother to a cottage in Yorkshire beside the railway. They befriend Perks the porter and an old gentleman on the train, and set out to learn the truth about their father.
For children old enough to talk it through: sustained intensity, or language or sexual content that Common Sense Media rates 7–9.
Why it’s here
E. Nesbit's classic: children who help strangers, and a mother who carries on with grace. "Daddy, my Daddy!" is one of the great moments in family film.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
The father's wrongful imprisonment and Mother's illness may worry little ones, and the children face danger on the tracks (stopping a train, a boy with a broken leg in a tunnel). A maid slaps a boy, and a doctor hides a flask.
The Railway Children (1970)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why couldn't Mother tell the children where Father was?
- How did the children help the people around them?
- What did Bobbie do that took courage?
- Why was Perks hurt by the birthday gifts at first?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 9+: a maid slaps a boy; a broken leg with some blood; a father taken away and a mother ill; children in danger on the tracks; a doctor's hidden flask; a mild bedtime joke between spouses.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
The Railway Children Blu-ray
Blu-ray · June 15, 2021
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.