The Uncle

Sensitive and exhilerating look at innocence of childhood, without the weighty psychology usual attached to such films. The biggest problem young Duncan has is being an uncle to Arliss, a boy of the same age. The other kids taunt him endlessly about this, even though there is nothing bad about this. It is just something to single him out. One of the best features of the picture is that despite the taunts and having to put up with the rambunctious Arliss, the next day any disagreements are forgotten and they all play together without any memory of what went before. The boy does have some pensive moments, visiting general store owner Denham, who he calls his best friend, acquiring a budgie as a companion. Mostly it is about the endless summe...

There's something really quite authentic about the efforts here from "Gus" (Robert Duncan) and his nephew "Tom" (Christoper Ariss). "Gus" is but seven years old, and "Tom" the young son of his elder sister. When the younger lad comes to live with them for the holidays, and attends the same school, it causes quite some upset for the boys and proves a cause of merriment for their teasing contemporaries who rapidly manage to imbue the word "uncle" with some pretty nasty and mischievous connotations - egged on by a manipulative "Jamie" (John Moulder-Brown). It's probably twenty minutes too long, this film, but it is still quite an effective observation of just how children interact with each other. Some are kind and friendly; others knowingly p...