Lovingly photographed by Denis Lewiston, this is an engaging if sometimes pedestrian adaptation of the Arthur Ransome children's novel. Director Claude Whatham clearly revels in the innocence of a 1920s summer, when the four swallows and two amazons embark upon their adventures, and some of his enthusiasm is clearly evident in the willing performances of his young cast. He also makes the most of the beautiful Lake District scenery, but the story stubbornly refuses to come to life and, sadly, few modern youngsters will relate to such old-fashioned game-playing.

On holiday with their mother in the Lake District in 1929 four children are allowed to sail over to the nearby island in their boat Swallow and set up camp for a few days. They soon realise this has been the territory of two other girls who sail the Amazon, and the scene is set for serious rivalry.