Goodnight, Mister Tom (1998)

Interesting facts

Goodnight Mister Tom is a 1998 British film adaptation by Carlton Television of the novel of the same name by Michelle Magorian. The film is set during World War II and is about a young evacuee named William Beech who is placed in the care of a reclusive widower, Tom Oakley, in a rural English village, where he gradually finds love and healing after escaping an abusive home. It was Jack Gold's final film as a director.

Production

Although the story is set in Suffolk, the Buckinghamshire village of Turville was chosen as the filming location for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Its proximity to London made it economically viable, while its "untouched and rural" appearance, as noted by producer Jack Gold, closely resembled that of a pre-war English village.

The crew took care to ensure historical authenticity, replacing modern furnishings with 1930s-era props and furniture. The house used as Tom's residence was taken over by the crew, with the owners temporarily relocated to a hotel. The local community were highly cooperative, offering their homes for filming and even appearing as extras. Funds received by the village for hosting the production were used to help restore the church.

Filming took place during April and May 1998, though persistent rain made it challenging to create the illusion of hot summer days. Loughborough Central railway station on the preserved Great Central Railway was used to portray London, however the Severn Valley Railway station Arley portrayed Little Weirwold station.

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