Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Print
Normal Topic Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley. (Read 11,632 times)
Cinefan
Platinum Member
*****
Offline


BA Member

Posts: 1,116
Location: Britain
Joined: 19. Nov 2009
Gender: Male
Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
03. Oct 2010 at 21:08
Print Post  
I recently managed to obtain a DVD of 'Sorrell and Son' which was broadcast on ITV in 1984. I remembered the programme but never thought I would find it on a DVD. For those who don't know, it is the story of Stephen Sorrell, an ex-army captain from the First World War, who has a 13 year old son, Kit (Christopher). It centres on the man's sacrifices after falling on hard times in the 1920's to give his boy a good education. It follows the man's efforts through menial jobs to keep them both together. Richard Pascoe plays the father but, even of more interest, is the boy actor, Paul Critchley, who plays Kit. Unfortunately, Paul only appears in the first two of the six episodes. After that Kit is played by Peter Chelsom, who probably looked okay when he was younger!
Warwick Deeping wrote the book on which the series was based. In fact Deeping wrote many books, about one a year, but 'Sorrell and Son' was the one that caught on with the public. It is a touching tale of a father's devotion to his son and the love reciprocated by the boy. Paul Critchley is great in the part and the whole series is quite absorbing although it does drag a bit when the older Kit keeps meeting all these women.
What intrigues me is that there is no mention of the TV series on BA nor is Paul Critchley listed even. Something I trust that will be immediately corrected. Wink I'm sorry but I do not have the means to post a picture of Critchley otherwise I would do so.
Also of interest is the fact I had to buy this DVD online and then noted it came from an American source. This is also the case with the two BBC productions of 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' (1994) starring Michael Benz and 'The Prince and the Pauper' (1996) starring Philip Sarson. They make these TV series in the UK then don't seem to bother to capitalise on DVD sales. Odd.
Anyone remember 'Sorrell and Son'?

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
cal-Q-L8
Platinum Member
*****
Offline


Admin

Posts: 8,002
Location: Australia
Joined: 30. Oct 2001
Gender: Male
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #1 - 02. Jan 2011 at 14:10
Print Post  
I can't recall hearing about the series before now. I've found the series posted on Thebox.bz so I'll check out the first couple of episodes and respond further.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
diogenes
Platinum Member
*****
Offline


BA Member

Posts: 596
Joined: 20. Jul 2014
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #2 - 10. Oct 2017 at 00:00
Print Post  
(...Yes, I'm replying to a post made several years ago!...)

The reason Paul Critchley isn't in the database is probably that he's too old. His birthday was February 8 1964, so he was presumably 19 years old when he did Sorrell and Son (1984). I find this startling, because he looks very much younger (and has his voice even broken in this series? It doesn't sound like it....), but there you have it.

His first acting credit was in 1982 (an adaptation of Beau Geste). He died in 2013, aged 49.

All six episodes of Sorrell and Son can be viewed on Youtube (though the quality is not nearly as good as the DVD).
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
diogenes
Platinum Member
*****
Offline


BA Member

Posts: 596
Joined: 20. Jul 2014
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #3 - 11. Oct 2017 at 17:40
Print Post  
Oh, I've relented and added him anyway! He plays a 13-year-old in "Sorrell and Son" (and can very easily pass for 13 as well), so that's my excuse! I haven't yet got the discs of "Sorrell and Son", so have had to rely on YouTube, which is rather a poor quality picture. But when I get my DVD copy, I'll update the picture.

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Cinefan
Platinum Member
*****
Offline


BA Member

Posts: 1,116
Location: Britain
Joined: 19. Nov 2009
Gender: Male
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #4 - 03. Nov 2017 at 20:02
Print Post  
Thank you, 'diogenes', for adding Paul to the actors list although I had no idea he was around 19 when he played Kit in 'Sorrell and Son'. The series was once reviewed, I remember, as full of characters who were either very nice or bloody awful and none in between. I thought it was a very tender story of a love between father and son.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Boymoviebuff
Gold Member
****
Offline



Posts: 480
Location: Earth!
Joined: 07. Aug 2016
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #5 - 04. Nov 2017 at 17:04
Print Post  
Critchley was not so unlike David Bennent he was 19 during the production of Legend!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Boymoviebuff
Gold Member
****
Offline



Posts: 480
Location: Earth!
Joined: 07. Aug 2016
Re: Sorrell and Son: Paul Critchley.
Reply #6 - 04. Nov 2017 at 17:20
Print Post  
I think the biggest reason I love Dad and Son stories so much is because my sister's son grew up without a dad, we left our home state to get away from him, he was mean and abusive, my Nephew was only a year old when we moved away. Now he is a dad himself! and I can see in him, the love for his boys, that he never got from his dad, his boys are 8 and 5, and they are happy and healthy! in fact, his 8 y.o. just won the League championship for his Little Football team! ON MY BIRTHDAY! no less! Grin
After my parents divorced, my mom would always point out that she thought that a dad's love for his kids could never trump a mom's love! I don't believe it, just because a dad can't physically carry that baby inside him for 9 months, DOES NOT mean he loves that child any less! and I think these kinds of stories do a wonderful job of telling this. Smiley
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Print