The Making of Swallows and Amazons (1974)

In 1973 Sophie Neville was cast as Titty alongside Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser and Suzanna Hamilton in the film Swallows & Amazons. Made before the advent of digital technology, the child stars lived out Arthur Ransome’s epic adventure in the great outdoors without ever seeing a script. Encouraged by her mother, Sophie Neville kept a diary about her time filming on location in the lakes and mountains of Cumbria. Bouncy and effervescent, extracts from her childhood diary are interspersed among her memories of the cast and crew as well as photographs, maps and newspaper articles, offering a child’s eye view of the making of the film from development to premiere – and the aftermath.Table of ContentsThe Cast and Crew of Swallows & AmazonsIntroduction – Serendipity1. Preparation for Filming2. First Days on Film3. On Wild Cat Island4. The Amazons Attack5. Away to Rio6. Rain, Smoke and Dangerous Wild Animals7. Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday8. Days to Remember9. In Houseboat Bay10. Going to War11. Last Days on the Lakes12. Swallows in Egham13. Studio Secrets14. A Storm of Publicity15. Reflections16. A Journey Back in Time17. Where Are They Now?18. What Sophie Did NextAbout the AuthorAcknowledgmentsBibliographyPicture Credits