Sky West and Crooked Review

4 star darkly charming coming of age drama.

Skywest and Crooked was originally released in 1965 and was very much a family affair. It was the only film directed by John Mills (Ice Cold in Alex, The Parent Trap), based on a story written by his wife Mary Hayley Bell (Whistle Down the Wind) who also wrote the screenplay along with John Prebble (Zulu, Bothwell). It also stars his daughter Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap). It is available now on Blu-ray courtesy of Network on Air.

“I play with them every day. Run up my arm, they do. Get in my dress and have a good look around.”

Brydie (Hayley Mills) is a troubled teenager, injured many years before in a tragic accident which killed her friend, but of which she has no memory. She has almost no help from her mother (Annette Crosbie – Eat Locals, One Foot in the Grave) who is permanently inebriated. Living in a small village in Gloucester, she is tolerated by the adults as being a bit simple, with the exception of Edwin Dacres (Laurence Naismith – Jason and the Argonauts), who blames her for the death of his son.

Although seventeen, she spends her time with young children, sharing with them her fascination with dead animals, starting a revolt in which all the dead animals in the village are rounded up and buried in the churchyard (including those destined for the dinner table). For many this is the final straw and they demand that Reverend Moss (Geoffrey Bayldon – Casino Royal, Catweasel) take action against her.

In the meantime, Brydie is beginning to grow as a woman, especially when she meets a young man, Roibin (Ian McShane – John Wick, Kung Fu Panda) from a nearby gypsy camp.

“Proper noise for her to be making, innit? Cuckoo, Brydie White, cuckoo. Ah, she’s all sky west and crooked.”

Sky West and Crooked is a charming film, bright and full of sunshine despite of the less than Christian attitudes of the adults in this small village towards a damaged young woman.

It is very much of it’s era and would probably be considered quite offensive today, using more honest lamguage than we are allowed to in modern times. The acting performances are brilliant and the cast reads like a who’s who of 60’s actors. The sense of drama and of building tension is almost palpable and although there isn’t a lot going on, the film is engaging right to the very end.

Lovely to see this film released on Blu-ray, what better way to spend an afternoon in front of the telly. Well worth adding to your retro collection.

“That’s your Sunday dinner. Take it back, we want whole deaders, not bits.”

Sky West and Crooked is available to buy now on Blu-ray.