Figure 1.-- A New Zealand reader writes, "I always believed the photograph here was from "A Kid for two Farthings" but after searching the internet I don't know. I have owned this picture for over 30 years after having obtained it from the estsate of my hairdresser who had it in his Barbers Shop long before I met him in 1963." Hopefully our HBC readers will be able to identify the boy and film.

A classic British film, much admired by film buffs. The film was dorected bu Carol Reed, who has several notable films, includig "Oliver!". You can see the same character development with the boy here that Reed used in "Oliver!" This film is about a sweet little boy named Joe who lives in the slums of London. Joe is nice played by Jonathan Ashmore. The actual London streets including small, street-front shops, street vendors, flea-marketers, period cars, ect. Joe and his mother Joanne live in modest circumstances in rooms above the Kandinsky tailor shop where she also works. Joe takes in the chatter of his neigbors and all their problems. He would like to help out. He is also enchanted by Mr. Kandinsky tales, especially when he mentions that a captured unicorn will grant wishes. So Joe buys a small goat, of course for two farthings. Joe is covinced that it is the kind of magic unicorn that Mr. Kandinsky described to him becase it has an emerging horn. Joe's dogged efforts to make all his dreams to help others comes true make this film an inspiring classic. Joe has a lovely accent and is quite precious in his role--although he hardly seems the kind of boy to grow up in the slums. I don't recall much about the costuming. I saw only a part of the movie and this was quite a long time ago. Joe was dressed in long pants which doesn't see quite right for the time period. Hopefully our British readers will tell us more about the film..