DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD (1989) *** Gavin Millar produces horror flick levels of suspense, from the everyday scenes of some guys who live in a gypsy cart. Roald Dahl's books have a lot of messages for kids, most of them revolving around the central one: Don't fall for the bullshit concept they'll try and pass off as right and wrong. It's overly simplistic, doesn't cover most situations, and isn't nearly as easy to comprehend as the real one. So fine stories like this replace the standard "never lie, never cheat, always do as you're told" schlock that the already-defeated hobble their own children with. Of course, there's more to a great film than a bunch of moralizing, or the shriller religious leaders would be busier during the week. Here Jeremy Irons teaches his son Samuel the joys, aesthetic proprieties, historical justification, and utilitarian appeal of poaching. One lesson learned leads to another and before long they've engaged some very sleazy establishment types by drugging and stealing a bunch of pheasants. They are, of course, applauded in a nearly (! that's the best part, not quite!) universal manner. Dahl usually has an upstanding drinker, smoker, or eater in the pack of adults, and Lionel Jeffries is absolutely brilliant as the glorious head teacher who saves the school in the film, and would be fired by the ones outside your window. Teaching's not about following rules, either, it's about loving children and wanting them to learn. No time to expound on that if you need it, try sticking your head in a washing machine during the rinse cycle. The rapport between Jeremy and young Samuel is tremendous, and you have to believe that some of that love and respect wasn't acting. Ronald Pickup is a spectacularly great policeman, and if you believe that he lacks either interest or ability in bringing villains to justice, you're probably not worth deprogramming.
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