10 More Obscure Films You Must See
1. Whistle Down the Wind (dir. Bryan Forbes, 1961) 
I know that its over three months until Christmas, but when you do come to plan your festive viewing, this little-known British gem should be right at the top of your list. If nothing else, unlike a lot of Christmas films, this one is actually about the birth of Christ, rather than a half-arsed thumbs-up for commercialism. Whistle Down The Wind is set on a farm on the Lancashire moors, and follows Kathy (Hayley Mills), her younger brother and sister, and their father played by Bernard Lee (M from the Bond series). One day after Sunday school they discover a bearded criminal (Alan Bates) sleeping in their barn, whom they believe through a strange but believable plot contrivance is the second coming of Christ. What follows is a tenderly staged, dryly humorous retelling of the events in Jesus life right up to the crucifixion, as the children attempt to keep Jesus identity a secret from the cold-hearted adults in the world. Directed by Bryan Forbes, who later helmed The Stepford Wivesand produced The Railway Children, Whistle Down the Wind is a gut-wrenching, darkly comic, heart-breaking allegory which takes one of historys most spectacular events and retells it in the most bittersweet of circumstances. Its a beautiful depiction of the naivety of childhood, the importance of faith, and the erosion of both by the grim realities of the adult world. It gives The Green Mile a run for its money, reminding us of the power of faith and the need to see the world with the open eyes of a child. Rotten Tomatoes review The Movie Hour podcast: #47