Jump to content
 

Titfield Thunderbolt


Londontram
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Ah yes, its seems to be Ealing comedy week at that time this week, the lavender Hill Mob is on later in the week too....

 

Andy G

  • Like 1
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • RMweb Gold

With news of Rapido's Titfield Thunderbolt film tie-in for the upcoming 70th anniversary of the film and Hornby's attempts to crash the party with Lion, there has been some jokey discussion of a remake.

 

So, purely in fantasy land, imagine that a well-funded production was going ahead with the intention of making a really great film that's worthy of, and in the spirit of, the original...

 

A thoughtful casting director is assembling the best cast that he or she can put together, money no object.

 

Who would those actors be? People available for filming next year and who could bring charm and sensitivity to their parts:

 

Cast list

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway.

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar.

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commuter.

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open.

E. Bishop of Welchester.

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper.

G. Dan, old engine driver.

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver.

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour.

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm.

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick.

 

(List cribbed and slightly amended from Simon Castens' book.)

 

---

 

First suggestion: E. Bishop of Welchester - Stephen Fry ?

 

 

Edited by Harlequin
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll caveat this by saying that I would hope this would never be remade, but on the basis of casting it with a free hand for a remake I couldn't stop:

 

Cast list

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway - David Haig

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar - Jim Broadbent 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commuter - Robert Bathurst 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open - Dominic West

E. Bishop of Welchester - Roger Allam

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper - Una Stubbs 

G. Dan, old engine driver - Trevor Harrison

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver - Philip Glenister

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour - Tamsin Egerton 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm - Daniel Mays 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick - Stephen Graham

 

To be filmed at Chinnor.

 

To be honest I think I probably would watch that.

Edited by Helmdon
  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
19 hours ago, Helmdon said:

I'll caveat this by saying that I would hope this would never be remade, but on the basis of casting it with a free hand for a remake I couldn't stop:

 

Cast list

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway - David Haig

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar - Jim Broadbent 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commuter - Robert Bathurst 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open - Dominic West

E. Bishop of Welchester - Roger Allam

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper - Una Stubbs 

G. Dan, old engine driver - Trevor Harrison

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver - Philip Glenister

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour - Tamsin Egerton 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm - Daniel Mays 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick - Stephen Graham

 

To be filmed at Chinnor.

 

To be honest I think I probably would watch that.

 

Some very good choices there!

:thankyou:

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Now.........thats provoked some thought. 

From the sheep then......and not to be treated as an endorsement of a remake....

 

 

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway. - Stephen Fry ( think of the scene where he produces his cheque book in the pub)  

 

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar. - Rowan Atkinson......

 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commute. - Martin Freeman. 

 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open.- Simon Pegg. 

 

E. Bishop of Welchester- Martin Clunes.

 

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper.- Julie Walters. 

 

G. Dan, old engine driver. Paul Whitehouse. 

 

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver. -Jerome Flynn

 

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour. Kate Ashfield. 

 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm- Hugh Laurie. 

 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick.- Mark Williams. 

 

 

Rob. 

  • Like 2
  • Agree 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
  • Round of applause 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Then again...

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway. - Stanley Baxter

 

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar. - Stanley Baxter

 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commute. - Stanley Baxter 

 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open.- Stanley Baxter 

 

E. Bishop of Welchester- Stanley Baxter

 

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper.- Stanley Baxter 

 

G. Dan, old engine driver. Stanley Baxter 

 

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver. - Stanley Baxter

 

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour. Emma Watson / Sara Martins / Josephine Jobert. 

 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm- Stanley Baxter. 

 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick.- Stanley Baxter. 

  • Funny 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
13 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Then again...

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway. - Stanley Baxter

 

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar. - Stanley Baxter

 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commute. - Stanley Baxter 

 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open.- Stanley Baxter 

 

E. Bishop of Welchester- Stanley Baxter

 

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper.- Stanley Baxter 

 

G. Dan, old engine driver. Stanley Baxter 

 

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver. - Stanley Baxter

 

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour. Emma Watson / Sara Martins / Josephine Jobert. 

 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm- Stanley Baxter. 

 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick.- Stanley Baxter. 

 

 

You've clearly thought about this. To be fair he was exceptional in Zulu. 

  • Like 1
  • Funny 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

You've clearly thought about this. To be fair he was exceptional in Zulu. 

Exceptional indeed, he even played every Zulu warrior, awards to the cinematography and special effects team to merge all his characterisations on screen at once.

 

Even today his Michael Cain is revered over actual Michael Cain.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 11/04/2021 at 13:42, Helmdon said:

I'll caveat this by saying that I would hope this would never be remade, but on the basis of casting it with a free hand for a remake I couldn't stop:

 

Cast list

A. Valentine, the bibulous financier of the railway - David Haig

B. Reverend Weech, the train obsessed vicar - Jim Broadbent 

C. Blakeworth, the cycling town clerk and regular commuter - Robert Bathurst 

D. Squire Gordon, everyman who wants the railway to remain open - Dominic West

E. Bishop of Welchester - Roger Allam

F. Emily, Reverend Weech's elderly housekeeper - Una Stubbs 

G. Dan, old engine driver - Trevor Harrison

H. Hawkins, traction engine driver - Philip Glenister

I. Joan, barmaid and Hawkins' paramour - Tamsin Egerton 

J. Crump, dodgy boss of coach firm - Daniel Mays 

K. Pearce, Crump's sidekick - Stephen Graham

 

To be filmed at Chinnor.

 

To be honest I think I probably would watch that.

Well I'd reverse your choices for Valentine and Weech.  I can see David Haig as the railway mad man of the cloth and Jim Broadbent in a loud suit as Valentine!!  My choice for the squire would be a different West - Samuel West.  For Dan the engine driver I'd have gone for Trevor Peacock but he has unfortunately recently died.  For Crump and Pearce why not the Mitchell brothers from East enders!!

This film has a particular soft spot for me as it was the film my parents went to see on their first date.......so without it I wouldn't be here!!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...