Strange Affection

I really liked THE SCAMP, a late '50s slice of British social drama that seems to be unjustly forgotten by modern audiences. It tells of a young tearaway boy who's brought under the care of kindly Richard Attenborough, and the ways in which the boy's criminal family struggle to break up the friendship. The narrative feels very modern in the way that the story is surprisingly fast paced, with no slow spots or scenes that don't add to the overall picture.

THE SCAMP works so well because the characters are delightfully drawn. Child actor Colin Petersen could have been a brat in the hands of the wrong director, but superior B-movie helmer Wolf Rilla (VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED) gets a fine and sympathetic performance out of him. Attenborough is as sympathetic as you'd expect, but the supporting cast are also great: Terence Morgan (SVENGALI) stars in one of his most dastardly roles, and further down there are minor parts for the familiar faces of Geoffrey Keen, Charles Lloyd Pack, and Sam Kydd.