Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
British wartime mystery drama has smoking, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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A Canterbury Tale
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In A CANTERBURY TALE, during World War II, when American G.I. Bob Johnson (John Sweet) accidentally gets off at the wrong stop on a train journey to Canterbury, he meets British soldier Peter Gibbs (Dennis Price) and Women's Land Army worker Alison Smith (Sheila Sim) on their own travels. As they walk together to register their visit, Alison is attacked by "The Glue Man," a local criminal who squirts glue into women's hair, and the three become embroiled in solving the local mystery.
Is It Any Good?
Set during WWII, 600 years after Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, this mystery drama sees its own group of travelers headed to the English countryside, each on their individual journeys. Referencing "The Pilgrim's Way" route of the original story, and showing great reverence for history and the location, A Canterbury Tale is rich with themes of miracles, nature, and renewal, even if the plot suffers from feeling a touch too sleepy and relaxed at times. Sim's Alison brings the most energy and spark to her performance, and Sweet, an American soldier based in England at the time who was "discovered" by writing/directing duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during a touring production, is warm and likable in the role of U.S. sergeant Bob—his first and only movie appearance. A Canterbury Tale is an entertaining film with an allegorical heart, but it doesn't quite hit the heights of Powell and Pressburger's finest work.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of miracles and renewal in A Canterbury Tale. Do you believe in miracles? How would you describe a miracle? What happened in each of the characters' lives that could be considered a miracle or a renewal of some sort? Did you think those outcomes were deserved? Why were they important to the characters?
The three central characters—Alison, Bob, and Peter—showed teamwork in working together to solve the mystery of "The Glue Man." Why is this an important character strength? How did it help them to move forward with their investigation? Can you think of times when you've shown good teamwork?
The film is set in Britain during WWII. How was the war portrayed? How was each character's life affected by war? How to talk with kids about violence, crime, and war.
How were drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Do you think our behavior when it comes to drinking and smoking has changed from when the movie was set and filmed?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 21, 1949
- On DVD or streaming : July 25, 2006
- Cast : Eric Portman , Sheila Sim , Dennis Price , John Sweet
- Directors : Michael Powell , Emeric Pressburger
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Criterion Collection
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Run time : 124 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : July 28, 2024
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