Rent Sky West and Crooked (1966)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Directed by John Mills and starring his daughter, Hayley, 'Sky West and Crooked' tells the story of an isolated, traumatised yet free-spirited young girl, who finds solace in a rather unusual pastime. Tension mounts in the West Country village in which Brydie White (Hayley Mills) has lived all her life. As a child, she witnessed the death of her friend Julian (Andrew Wicks), who was accidentally killed whilst playing with his father's shotgun. Brydie, wounded and left mentally damaged by the accident, has no memory of the event. But while the villagers have suspicions, Julian's father, Edwin (Laurence Naismith), holds her squarely responsible for the death. Ostracised and misunderstood, Brydie retreats from the adult world and finds companionship among a group of younger children with whom she pursues a new pastime - solemnly burying deceased animals in a sequestered corner of the churchyard. As the children's activities cause consternation in the village, Edwin Dacres' anger reaches boiling point. But there is yet more for the innocent Brydie to contend with: Roibin (Ian McShane), a handsome young gypsy, has fallen in love with her... - Actors:
- Hayley Mills, Annette Crosbie, Laurence Naismith, Geoffrey Bayldon, Pauline Jameson, Norman Bird, June Ellis, Hamilton Dyce, Judith Furse, Anne Blake, Jack Bligh, Michael Nightingale, Wyn Jones, Dafydd Havard, Cyril Chamberlain, George Selway, Fred Ferris, Grace Arnold, Margaret Lacey, Kay Lyell
- Directors:
- John Mills
- Producers:
- Jack Hanbury
- Writers:
- Mary Hayley Bell, John Prebble
- Aka:
- Gypsy Girl
- Studio:
- Network
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: John Mills
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 12/09/2022
- Run Time:
- 103 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, English Mono, English Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Brand-new interviews with actors Irene Bradshaw, Stephen Salt and Lola Payne, 1st assistant director David Tringham and 2nd assistant director Hugh Harlow
- Theatrical Trailer
- US Title
- Image Gallery
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Reviews (1) of Sky West and Crooked
Teenage Romance. - Sky West and Crooked review by Steve
Sweet romance about the first love of two inexperienced, lonely teenagers in an isolated village in rural Gloucestershire. Hayley Mills is a wild local girl whose prospects are limited by her learning disability. Ian McShane is an uneducated Romany traveller who is camped in the adjacent countryside.
And they fall in love. The film isn't realistic. It's a fanciful daydream which is made poignant by the heartfelt performances of the two leads, and not undermined by the cutes of the nonprofessional contributions by the local children. There's an aura of guileless optimism which admittedly wouldn't stand up to more cynical scrutiny.
This was a family affair for Hayley. Her mother (Mary Hayley Bell) wrote the sentimental story and script. It has something of the feel of her Whistle Down the Wind. And her father (John Mills) directs with sympathy for the solitary, rootless sweethearts. Though is susceptible to the odd visual gimmick.
Credit should also be extended to Hamlet the dog. The story conveys an impression that, in the context of the mysteries of life and the universe, all of us are like trusting children. And we should preserve our sense of wonder. It's a simple film, but with plenty of compassion for the lives of others.