Terminus (1961) - extract

[shaftsbury94]

the kid avoids train stations to this day.

[OZTUBE100]

my dad worked on that film - He told me about the incident with the boy - It is on DVD - You can get it on Amazon - I think

[sweenaldo1993]

The little boy crying was actually staged, in that his mum was asked to leave him in front of the camera so they could film his reaction when he believed he had been deserted. I doubt they could do that today!

[mrmagicroundcircle]

@sweenaldo1993 how do you know??

[sweenaldo1993]

@mrmagicroundcircle Its on the DVD I think.

[Frates1]

@bertiedump You mean lbs !

[100percentgradeA]

boo hoo ya cry baby 

[coolcoolcoolest]

ahh! in the old days when kids his age didn't swear and were so well behave! i love the old days!

[icgriffin]

I totally agree with spilsby88. What they put this little boy through just to make a film.Both the director and the childs mother should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves by cynically using the little chap like that. But they are probably well dead by now

[jsilence418]

I think this kids name was Arnold Layne !

[jsilence418]

This kid also grew up to have one of the largest collections of stolen soiled womens' underwear in Britain, thanks mom !

[songblam]

The boy was an 'actor': grandnephew of actress Peggy Ashcroft. Schlesinger said "We needed him really bawling." He gave the boy a bite of chocolate, then withheld it when he wanted more. "That's when he cried the best." said Schlesinger. His mother was nearby.

[marcbletchley]

what great archive stuff i remember being in that same situation at his age on victoria station and was amased by hearing my name on the station tannoy calling for my grand mother.

marc in bletchley

[kenfig]

You see that ? Police Brutality that was ! ; dragging that little boy off by his arm and no doubt 'finding' some stuff on him later

[jsilence418]

That kid grew up to be peter sutcliffe the yorkshire ripper, thanks mom !

[theonlyantony]

So the lovely directoround that little boy up just to make a poncey film....that's how they used to do it ( See 'Cathy Come Home' for the same effect achieved with Carol White's kids...poor little mites)

Schleisinger should be ashamed of himself.Twat!

[CDPDPatrolUnit]

Why do kids in Europe wear shorts all the year round?

[1989wd]

They don't. This was 1961.

[bineees78xx]

@CDPDPatrolUnit because its fun!

[MrHalsalli]

erm, this was 1961 you realise?

[A60stock]

@MrHalsalli Actually the date is 1960. The boy was Schlesinger's nephew, Mathhew. Uncle John took Matthew to a chocolate machine and bought him a bar. Mother walked away while he was distracted by the chocolate. When the camera was rolling, uncle John snached the chocolate  from Matthew which caused him to cry. Nasty uncle John!. Afterwards Edgar Anstey (head of British Transport Films) sent Mrs Perry £10 for Matthew, a lot of money in those days, hoping that his distress was short lived.

[skcodyerrus]

Come along Sonny Jim, I saw ya `arf inch that comic!

[mikkifly]

doesnt your heart go out to that little boy

[ineabriate]

poor kids traumatized for life, flooozie penny grabbing mother!

[beigekever2007]

16-2-2009

What a nice video of the little boy Matthew. And what a great friendly way of help of the man.

Well done!

Hilly (from Holland)

[SAT9terminus]

NO one jumped the gun here. In this case it took an hour for this little one to see a serious reality; staged but an honest response. If a study were to be conducted with children of different backgrounds of understanding some children would have cried in less time, OTHERS would have lasted a great length on time before tears would come. Then there are those whom would have immediately gone to a railman.

Great u pload and share.

I hope ALL.. are patient to see an outcome.

[Rikkyhardo]

I made a vid using Rolf Harris' song I've Lost My Mummy ... the song is the view of a poor nipper like this one

[Rikkyhardo]

Never got lost at a station ... but me, me mam and me dad was on a train once ... going on holiday to the coast ... we stopped at a station and me dad got off for a cup of tea ... and the bleedin' train started off without him ... we saw him two hours later at the next stop ... and I shed a tear or twenty two

[jenRWfan]

LOL Our Parents clearly have scared us for life, my dad also used to get off to stretch his legs much to my horror!Bet your mam gave him hell!!!

[jenRWfan]

I hope she got payed well and gave him a split,Poor kid!

[spilsby88]

While in general I think most modern health and safety legislation is lunacy, what John Schlesinger put this little boy through was despicable.

[doctorwhom01]

@spilsby88 it made a good story though...

[spilsby88]

@doctorwhom01

Yes, a good story for some perhaps, depends on ones background; having had a childhood that was one long saga of beatings and abuse, I probably look at it differently. All water under the bridge now but when I see that little boys face crumple in to tears, mine start flowing too.

[doctorwhom01]

@spilsby88 

I am so sorry! If I had known... Yes, I agree with you enphactically...

[CALady1979]

Great clip I loved it!

[dvdhttn]

Poor little fella, all his reactions and tears. As has been said he was the only one not in on the act. I suppose now adays the film people would have been taken to court, because he was not acting he was reacting to be abandoned. Bless him.

[STILLAVRIL1]

Great music all the way through this film.

[NAleksander]

My memories of Waterloo station as a child were that they played music through the tannoy all the time - particularly military marches

[OrodesIII]

You will be glad to know that the boy was not really lost but he didn't know that. His mother, an actress, helped set up this scene. The film crew had to wait a full hour before the boy actually began to feel abandoned but he was at no time without the watchful eye of a bobby.

[DADRENO]

He was on TV as he is now, telling his side of the story. Poor little lad!

[Jonny7railways]

that could have been me, but just a few years earlier, I really felt sorry for the lad, but then, I would have been off like a ruddy bullet to the nearest steam locomotive to check it out, thank you for posting this fantastic reminder

[Snedger]

It's out on DVD along with "Nightmail" on Amazon.

[beldarluke]

Is there any chance of this being released for US distribution (NTSC format, region, etc.)?

[DADRENO]

Get yourself a BRITISH TV and DVD player!

[beldarluke]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to do that...

[Hexachloraphine]

i am sorry beldarluke I replied to dadreno by mistake.

anyway the reply was meant for you which contains usefull info for you.

I hope it helps

[Hexachloraphine]

probably all you need is a six digit code for your dvd player which you can get of the web then you can play region 2, and your american tv probably supports pal just as my modest little tv supports ntsc....

no need for large expenditure...good luck.

[moorlarkin]

Just a year or so before, Mr. Schlesinger was sacked by Ralph Smart, who was less than impressed with his second unit work on the first series of Danger Man!

[leanneworsley]

so glad this clip has been put up, im doing an assignment on the documentary. can you tell me where i can see the full version?