The Uncle *** (1966, Robert Duncan, Christopher Ariss, Rupert Davies, Brenda Bruce, Maurice Denham) – Classic Movie Review 12,717

The 1966 British black and white drama film The Uncle is an amusing and heart-warming tale of two seven-year-olds (Robert Duncan, Christopher Ariss), one of whom turns out to be the uncle of the other, and their summer holiday adventures.

‘A little boy’s life is turned upside down by the unwelcome arrival of his nerdy nephew’.

Director Desmond Davis’s 1966 British black and white drama film The Uncle is an amusing and heart-warming tale of two seven-year-olds (Robert Duncan, Christopher Ariss), one of whom turns out to be the uncle of the other, and their summer holiday adventures.

Stalwarts Rupert Davies, Brenda Bruce and Maurice Denham contribute some adult interest, but the engaging young stars steal every scene. Also notable in the cast are William Marlowe, John Moulder-Brown and Ann Lynn.

The screenplay is adapted from her own novel by Margaret Abrams and director Davis. In the story, seven-year-old Gus Morton (Robert Duncan) has difficulties with his troublesome seven-year-old nephew Tom (Christopher Arris), who arrives to spend the summer holidays with his family.

It is a neglected little gem, made in 1964, dumped by troubled UK distributors British Lion, finally released in 1966, and then hardly distributed at all.

The cast are Rupert Davies as David Morton, Brenda Bruce as Addie Morton, Robert Duncan as Gus Morton, Ann Lynn as Sally Morton, Christopher Ariss as Tom, Maurice Denham as Mr Ream, Helen Fraser as Mary Ream, Barbara Leake as Emma, John Moulder-Brown as Jamie, Jane Ratcliffe as Susie, and William Marlowe.

The Uncle is directed by Desmond Davis, runs 87 minutes, is made by Play-Pix and Lenart, is released by British Lion Film Corporation, is written by Margaret Abrams and Desmond Davis, is shot black and white by Manny Wynn, is produced by Robert Goldston, and is scored by John Addison.

Release date: 18 July 1966.

Desmond Davis had just scored a hit with his first feature, Girl with Green Eyes (1964) and reteamed with its two stars Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave for Smashing Time (1967).

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,717

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