The Easter Sunday children’s classic “Hand in Hand” finally makes its debut on video, 50-years after its release in theaters. If you were a big fan of this film when it first debuted in theaters or when it was shown on television during the late ’60s and early 70’s and most recently on TV, you’ll be happy to know that “Hand in Hand” looks very good on DVD and is an enjoyable family film that still has relevance today. Definitely recommended!
© 1960, renewed 1988 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Hand in Hand
FILM RELEASE: 1960
DURATION: 73 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: 1:66:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, Black and White, Subtitles: English, English SDH
COMPANY: Affirm Films/Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
RATED: NOT RATED
RELEASE DATE: October 5, 2010
Directed by Philip Leacock
Story by Sidney Harmon
Written by Diana Morgan
Produced by Helen Winston
Associate Produced by Andrew Mitchell
Music by Stanley Black
Cinematography by Freddie Young
Edited by Peter Tanner
Featuring:
Philip Needs as Michael O’Malley
Loretta Parry as Rachel Mathias
Kathleen Byron as Mrs. O’Malley
Finlay Currie as Mr. Pritchard
Arnold Diamond as Mr. Mathias
John Gregson as Father Timothy
Barbara Hicks as Miss Roberts
Miriam Karlin as Mrs. Mathias
Barry Keegan as Mr. O’Malley
Denis Gilmore as Tom
Peter Pike as Harry
Susan Reid as Priscilla
Madge Ryan as George’s Wife
Derek Sydney as Rabbi Benjamin
Donald Tandy as Georg
Sybil Thorndike as Lady Caroline
When Rachel Mathias, a seven-year-old Jewish girl makes fast friends with her schoolmate Michael O’Malley, an Irish Catholic, they quickly become best pals and confidantes. Sharing a friendship so deep, they vow to become friends “forever and ever – and can’t be parted for never and neverâ€. But their relationship is threatened when their intolerant community makes Rachel and Michael aware of their religious differences. Can their friendship withstand the outside pressure? Is it so strong that it can survive anything? A story about prejudice as seen through the eyes of innocent children, Hand in Hand is a Golden Globe award-winning film for the entire family.
In 1960, the British film “Hand in Hand” was a film that captured the attention of many children who were raised Catholic or Jewish. The film won 14 international film awards including a special Golden Globe Award for “Best Film Promoting International Understanding” and director Philip Leacock (who would go on to direct many TV episodes for “Gunsmoke”, “The Mod Squad”, “The Waltons”, “Dynasty”, “Fantasy Island” and “Falcon Crest”) was a top 20 finalist for the 1961 theatrical motion pictures for “Best Achievement in Directing” by the Directors Guild of America.
For many children, the film was aired on television (on Easter Sunday) via CBS Children’s Film Festival between 1968 and 1972 and recently on TBN. Needless to say, the film is considered a classic for many children (now adults) who grew up with the film and now the film will be released on DVD 50-years after its theatrical debut.
“Hand in Hand” revolves around the friendship of two seven year old children.  Michael O’Malley (played by Philip Needs) is a boy raised as a Catholic and tends to get into a bit of trouble at school and Rachel Mathias, a girl with a beautiful voice and is constantly teased by Michael and his friends. She also happens to be Jewish.
The film begins with Michael who is drenching wet and running into a Catholic church and is telling Father Timothy (played by John Gregson) that he has killed his friend Rachel. Father Timothy doesn’t think Michael is capable of doing such a thing, so he sits him down and wants to know the whole story of what happened but first, starting off with who Rachel Mathias is and Michael then explains how he meets Rachel and how the two became good friends.
Michael and Rachel are two children who literally hit it off as friends. The two enjoy each other’s company so much that even Michael stops hanging around his friends to hang out with her. Both have their own dreams. Michael wanting to go to Africa to hunt down tigers and snakes, while Rachel wants to go to London and meet the Queen of England.
Their friendship and bond as friends are so strong until she finds out from her parents that she is moving 30 miles away. Fearful that their friendship will end, the two become “Blood Brothers” by pricking each others fingers and rubbing their blood together.
But the two realize that perhaps their bond is not so close when Michael’s mother forbids him to go to the Synagogue which Rachel and her family attend because it would be a sin. Meanwhile, a boy at school tells Michael how his father hates Jews because they are responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.
When Michael confirms it with his mother, he confronts Rachel and tells her that they can not be friends because she killed Jesus Christ. Rachel tries to explain to her that she killed no one and then Michael insists that Jews are bad people because they killed Jesus and that they can no longer hang out with each other. But when he sees Rachel sad, she tells him what about their promise to be “Blood Brothers”?
“Hand in Hand” is a film that examines friendships but also how people should not have a prejudice towards others for their religion and belief.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Hand in Hand” is presented 1:66:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Black and White, Dolby Digital and subtitles in English and English SDH.
The picture quality of this film shows features a good amount of grain, with a little mild flickering (common for a lot of older films) but for the most part, this is a very good print of “Hand in Hand”. Dust and scratches are there but it is not too noticeable unless you are really looking for them.  Overall, picture quality is very good!
As for audio quality, dialogue is clear and understandable and I noticed no major hissing, cracks or pops during my viewing.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Hand in Hand” comes with no special features but previews.
Having looked this film before watching the DVD, I can see how many people have loved this movie as it was a film that was shown during the late ’60s and early ’70s on television during Easter Sunday. And to see many people excited when it was re-aired on television via TBN. “Hand in Hand” is an enjoyable children’s film that captures the bond between friends but also the differences that people have of different religions.
The acting between the two children played by Philip Needs and Loretta Parry was well-done. The two seemed rather natural when portraying two friends who care for each other and what I liked were the little things that Michael would pick up on when it came to Rachel’s feelings. May it be Philip Leacock who wanted to capture that innocence and the emotions or cinematographer Freddie Young, needless to say, those little things made this film quite enjoyable. One scene features Michael being invited by his friends to play soccer and Michael just notices Rachel looking bummed out. We see the camera cut to his face looking at her back to her walking and it continues for a short while. That was a very good touch.
Also, the adventurous story featuring the two as they visit an abandoned mansion, finding a new hangout spot, hitchhiking and even riding in a raft on the river. There was one part of the film that may make a lot of sense to British viewers perhaps but it went over my head is when both Michael and Rachel are picked up by a very rich woman named Lady Caroline (played by Sybil Thorndike) who appears to be a character with a connection to royalty. The scene was quite touching but I wonder if I missed something significant during this scene, especially Lady Caroline’s actual status and if there was a relationship to the Queen.  I would imagine that the inclusion of actress Sybil Thorndike as Lady Caroline for “Hand to Hand” was to have the presence of a well-known actress from the silent era who appeared in films such as “The Scarlet Letter”, “Saint Joan”, “MacBeth” and who won an award for her role in the 1957 film “The Prince and the Showgirl”. But that is just a hunch.
But I really did enjoy “Hand in Hand”. It’s a very good family film and in many ways, this film is quite timely. Even with very young family members who was raised as a Christian who are now asking many questions in regards to the children who do not believe in religion and if where do they stand with God and so forth. And the same goes for my son, who has been asking many questions lately and so, I felt it was a timely release for both of us to watch it together.
As for the film being appropriate for children, the film is quite safe. There were a few things that parents may find themselves telling their children not to do.  For example, there is a scene when Michael and Rachel are hoping to hitchhike and travel to London to meet the Queen. And another scene where the two ride on a river via a raft unsupervised.  There are no scary moments in the film but my son had his hands over his eyes when the children were pricking their fingers to be come “Blood Brothers”. But that is the only scene in the film in which he didn’t want to watch.
“Hand in Hand” is a very enjoyable film and I’m really happy that Affirm Films/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have chosen to release this DVD, especially since many fans of the film have been waiting for a video release of this film for a very long time. The DVD is a bit barebones and it would have been great to have a featurette with the interviews with both talents from the film: Philip Needs and Loretta Parry. Considering the film had never come out in any form of physical media for the last 50-years and have only been seen on television during Easter Sunday or whenever it would be shown on television. So, I am well aware that there are many people who have been waiting for this film and the good news is that the picture quality and audio quality is very good for a film of its age.
Overall, “Hand in Hand” was quite enjoyable to watch and is definitely recommended!
