Stern rural widower Tom Oakley (John Thaw – looking like Father Christmas and sounding like an Australian immigrant who came to East Anglia after spending considerable time in Wales) still broods over the death of his wife and small son while he was away in the navy during WWI, and grief has made him a surly hermit.
It’s 1940, and children are being evacuated from London to escape the German bombing, and – under protest – Mr Tom takes in a painfully quiet 10-year-old boy, William Beech (Nick Robinson), to his cottage in Little Weirwold, Suffolk.
Willie wets the bed and can’t read or write, although he is intelligent and shows artistic talent. He is constantly fearful and dreads going to hell. His back is covered in scars, and Mr Tom soon realises that his little boarder comes from a horribly abusive home.
The old man determines to provide the boy with a better one and sets about undoing the damage by teaching the youngster to read, write and draw.
All goes well until Willie’s abusive mother (Annabelle Apsion) summons her son back to London.
When Mr Tom hears nothing from the boy after two weeks, he can endure the loneliness and worry no longer.
He travels to London and rescues a severely beaten Willie from his mother’s house and takes him back to Little Weirwold. As the boy recovers, he begins to confront the trauma of what happened to him on his return to London.
Returning home one day, William finds some officials waiting in the house with Tom. They inform him that his mother has committed suicide and intend to take William to a children’s home.
Tom pleads for him to stay, arguing that William needs a loving family home rather than psychiatric treatment. After a private conversation, the Home Office official, Mr Greenway (Charles Kay), allows Tom to adopt William.
The made-for-TV movie was adapted from a prize-winning children’s novel by Michelle Magorian. Although the story is set in Suffolk, filming took place in the Buckinghamshire village of Turville.
Tom Oakley
John Thaw William Beech
Nick Robinson Mrs Beech
Annabelle Apsion Zacharias Wrench
Thomas Orange Dr Stelton
William Armstrong Vicar
Geoffrey Beevers Alice Fletcher
Mossie Smith Michael Fletcher
Peter England George Fletcher
Ivan Berry Edward Fletcher
Harry Capehorn Postmistress
Merelina Kendall Postmaster
Michael Cronin Mrs Webster
Marlene Sidaway Dr Little
John Cater Mrs Little
Denyse Alexander Mrs Ford
Avril Elgar Annie Hartridge
Pauline Turner David Hartridge
Thomas Russell Ginnie Thatcher
Stephanie Perry Carrie Thatcher
Tanya Perry Ralph Briggs
Geoffrey Hutchings Gladys Rigby
Mary Healey Dr Perry
Toby Whithouse Nurse Green
Caroline Lintott PC Charnock
Robert Oates Mr Greenway
Charles Kay
Director
Jack Gold
Video
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Willie wets the bed and can’t read or write, although he is intelligent and shows artistic talent. He is constantly fearful and dreads going to hell. His back is covered in scars, and Mr Tom soon realises that his little boarder comes from a horribly abusive home.
Returning home one day, William finds some officials waiting in the house with Tom. They inform him that his mother has committed suicide and intend to take William to a children’s home.
