Hijack! (1975 film)
1975 British children's film by Michael Forlong
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hijack! is a 1975 children's drama film directed, written and produced by Michael Forlong and starring Richard Morant, James Forlong and Tracy Peel.[1][2]
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James Forlong
Tracy Peel
| Hijack! | |
|---|---|
Opening titles | |
| Directed by | Michael Forlong |
| Written by | Michael Forlong |
| Produced by | Michael Forlong |
| Starring | Richard Morant James Forlong Tracy Peel |
| Cinematography | William Jordan |
| Edited by | Frederick Ives |
| Music by | Harry Robertson |
Production company | Michael Forlong Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 59 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
Three children are taken hostage by a man armed with a hand grenade and flick-knife. He takes them to sea aboard their father's yacht.[3]
Cast
- Richard Morant as Colin
- James Forlong as Jack
- Tracy Peel as Jenny
- Sally Forlong as Lucy
- David Hitchen as power boat driver
- Richard Kerrigan as power boat mechanic
- Derek Bond as power boat owner
- Robert Swales as policeman
Production
The film was sponsored by the Children's Film Foundation.[3]
Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Technically, this is one of the best CFF films yet made, with lively location shooting (under clearly difficult and cramped conditions) on board the yacht, excellently controlled colour and a fine narrative pace. Although the story rather obviously cashes in on current newspaper headlines, the predicament of the children is never exploited in a melodramatic way, and they respond in a realistic and spontaneous manner. Richard Morant as the fugitive (we never discover what he has done) has a more difficult task, starting off in a somewhat actorish style, but later investing the character with just the right degree of desperate confusion. The film again demonstrates how a resourceful director and cameraman can turn out a neat little film within a well-prescribed format."[4]
Robert Shail wrote: "The film is packed with enough detail to pass for a visual manual on how to sail a small craft at sea ... ranks as one of its best seafaring adventures."[5]