The Sky Bike

The Sky-Bike
Opening titles
Directed byCharles Frend
Screenplay byCharles Frend
Story byCharles Frend
Produced byHarold Orton
CinematographyJohn Coquillon
Edited byRichard Mason
Music byHarry Robinson
Production
company
Eyeline Films
Distributed byChildren's Film Foundation
Release date
  • December 1967 (1967-12) (UK)
Running time
62 min
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Sky-Bike is a 1967 colour British children's film written and directed by Charles Frend (his last feature as director).[1][2] It was produced by Harol Orton for the Children's Film Foundation. A novel based on the script was later published.[3]

Plot

Tom Smith, living in English suburbia, is an only child who dreams of flying. He spends a lot of time at an abandoned airfield and there he meets a man who has invented a flying bicycle, but it will not stay in the air. They decide to adapt it for two cyclists, to give greater power. Their aim is to win £5000 in a competition for the first man-powered flight. They have a rival team, also based at the airfield, and both are troubled by the security guard and his two Alsatians. Tom is aided by his friend Porker and his sister Daphne.[4]

Cast

  • Liam Redmond as Mr. Lovejoy (Graves for business)
  • William Lucas as Mr. Smith
  • Ellen McIntosh as Mrs. Smith
  • Spencer Shires as Tom Smith
  • Ian Ellis as Bill (Porker)
  • Della Rands as Daphne
  • John Howard as Jack
  • Bill Shine as Wingco
  • David Lodge as airfield guard
  • Guy Standeven as Squadron Leader
  • Andrew Venn as Bert
  • Harold Bennett as old man (Drophead Charlie)
  • Harry Locke as cycle shop owner

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "An agreeable and often imaginative children's film, a little weak on plot but making up for it with the splendid central idea of a competition for man-powered flying machines. The Sky Bike itself is a charming flight of fantasy, and it is to the credit of the producers that on what must have been a very low budget they have managed to get the machines into the air for quite long periods. Mechanically minded youngsters should find the whole thing very intriguing."[5]

TV Guide called it an "Imaginative children's adventure film ... not always believable, but this flaw can easily be overlooked given the high energy of the production."[6]

References

  1. ^ "The Sky Bike". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  2. ^ SKY BIKE, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 35, Iss. 408, (Jan 1, 1968): 79.
  3. ^ Prows to adventure Wordsworth, Christopher. The Guardian 6 Dec 1968: 13.
  4. ^ "The Sky Bike (1968) - Charles Frend | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.
  5. ^ "The Sky Bike". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 35 (408): 79. 1 January 1968 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ "The Sky Bike | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.


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