Charming and brutal

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I was 9 when I read my first Famous Five book, which I borrowed from a friend. It was the adventure of the scientist being held kidnapped in the old castle and the Five's troubles with the fairground people. From that day on I became an addict. Enid Blyton certainly had the knack for creating interesting stories with a great deal of suspense that kept you in tenterhooks. In a little over four years I managed to gather the entire collection of the FF books, 1980s hardback Spanish editions which I still own today. This series was first broadcast in Spain in 1978 -I was too young at that time but I remember it-, and then again in the summer-autumn of 1987, when I was 14 and had read all of the books. I loved it right away, although I found the contemporary settings with bottom-bell trousers, long-haired boys and the Ford Fiestas and Cortinas a little funny. Still, the kids' acting is all right, they had talent: George is the stubborn tomboy but quite likable, Anne (fortunately!) is a lot more mature than in the original stories, Julian is the same I-know-everything bossy type but still fine, and Dick (my favourite) is very much like in the books too, always in the background and under Julian's authority but yet he saves the day quite a few times. Michael Hinz makes an excellent Uncle Quentin, since he brings to the character some real-life maturity he has not in the books. I wonder why the screenwriters created the Rogers character instead of having Joan the cook, but I like him all right and his scenes are often comical since he is a bit of a fool. And then what a cast of guest actors to play the baddies: Ronald Fraser, Patrick Troughton, Brian Glover, the always posh James Villiers... You will never see a cast like this in a children's series nowadays.

At 18, I am a huge Enid Blyton fan. I have read a lot of her books, and have loved them to death. They are funny, charming and have a real sense of innocence and enchantment about them. That said, I absolutely love this show, it maintains all of the charm of the books and is just a lot of fun to watch.It is pleasant to look at, with crisp photography and the scenery is often gorgeous. The music is wonderful as well, the theme song is great to sing along to and the background music is beautiful, adventurous and haunting. The writing is touching and funny constantly, and the story lines are faithful in structure to the books and still have their sense of adventure and fun.Everybody acting wise are well cast, from lead down to supporting. Julian is still intelligent, Dick is gentle, Anne is actually more likable than she is in the books and George is suitably tomboy-ish. Aunt Fanny is an inspiring mother figure and Professor Kirren is fussy, strict yet caring and intelligent. The real star though is Toddy the dog as Timmy, I loved Timmy in the books, I adored him here, he is so cute and likable not to mention well trained as well.Overall, if you love Enid Blyton and love the Famous Five, I think you will like/love this. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The 1978 Famous Five series has always been a favourite with me. I was only 12 at the time it began, but watched repeats of it during my teens. I always loved Michelle as George, but I've heard that she died some time ago. This is very sad if true! It is lovely to think we have this series to remember her by. I'm glad that the rest of the 'Five' in this show are still living and doing well. I have most of this series on DVD now and even though I'm well out of my youth, still play the show once in a while. I liked Quentin Kirrin in this series and his wife, they were great and Quentin was very much like his book self, eccentric, short-tempered,yet gentle and kind. Although, I wish we had seen a little of Julian, Dick and Anne's parents-they did occasionally come into the books, but I can't remember much of them in the series, at all-if you watch the 1996 series you do see them with their 3 children, a little. I wish more of Enid Blyton's books were produced for TV, children still love them and read them today. The 1996 series of 'Five' is also a very good one for those who enjoy this Blyton series.

It's films I saw when I was young in french language. I appreciated the song and bought the films in video. I know there were later new films in 1996 but I didn't like more than the 1978 films. It's a part of my childhood