MovieChat Forums > The Railway Children (1970) Discussion > Bobby's birthday scene

Bobby's birthday scene

posted 16 years ago by finnbarius
13 replies | jump to latest

Much as I love this film, this scene where Bobby glides around the room (rather than walks) always gives me the creeps slightly.
Anybody else find this?

[–] wrenniejen 16 years ago

Yes it makes me uncomfortable! So do the trees 'walking down the banks' though. Just watched it again today - it is very different watching it as an adult than a child!

I shop therefore I am.

[–] Fellwanderer 16 years ago

The whole point of Bobbie gliding around in the birthday scene is to give it a dreamlike appearance.

[–] finnbarius 16 years ago

That may be, but it obviously isn't totally effective, as it appears to me to be creepy, not dreamlike.

[–] Jamesina_Bond_007 16 years ago

I wonder, was Jenny Agutter on a trolley for this scene? She glides around so smoothly!

[–] Fellwanderer 16 years ago

Yes, she was.

[–] phwbooth 14 years ago

I've always thought it was the perfect bit of the film - for its dreamlike quality.

[–] justkit 14 years ago

Not only did I NOT find it creepy, but it would never have even occurred to me to find it creepy! lol

How bizarre, the way different people experience the exact same scene so very differently. I always found the scene incredibly moving - and part of what made it so moving was the dreamlike motion.

For me, this film is as close to perfect as a film can be (within the genre) and I can't really find anything in it that I don't like...

Apart from...

The boy in the red jersey who breaks his leg. His hair really irritates me, as does his facial expression and acting when he's last into the tunnel and mugs annoyingly at the camera. His acting improves once he's hospitalised and watching puppet shows, but only slightly!

That is, however, a very nit-picky little detail in an otherwise flawless masterpiece. I watch the DVD more than once a year and it still works its magic.

[–] BraveLilToaster 14 years ago

Me and my sisters used to find that scene absolutely HILARIOUS. We used to rewind it and watch it over and over again because it was so ridiculous. Hahahahaaaa!

[–] coney_island_baby 13 years ago

Lol! Apart from the ending at the station, Bobby's birthday is my favourite scene! Ridiculously sweet and sentimental--I cry everytime, especially when Bobby says to her mother 'Wouldn't Daddy have loved this?' :')

[–] cobnut 11 years ago

I actually never noticed the 'gliding' when I was a kid, but watching as an adult it is soooo funny!! Especially the bit towards the end where she glides backwards towards her mother, it's like she's an alien and everyone there is acting like it's totally normal, lol!

The mirror... it's broken.
Yes, I know. I like it that way. Makes me look the way I feel.

[–] ridge-m-1 8 years ago

There is no "creepiness" or "hilarity" in this scene. If it doesn't tug at your heart strings, look in the mirror and discover the "creep" or the "hilarity".

[–] Gaylesyboo54 (43) 3 years ago

So agree with you. That scene is lovely and heartbreaking.

[–] CoriSCapnSkip (1563) 9 months ago

I was a little put off by the gliding but it's a lovely scene and wasn't ruined for me.