Sky West and Crooked (1966 John Mills)

A real family affair from John Mills' production company, he directing (his only time) daughter Hayley in mum Mary Hayley Bell's story (which John Prebble co-screenwrote). And Hayley is absolutely terrific, note-perfect, the best I've seen her - you wouldn't think she's acting for a minute. (Naturally she wasn't even nominated for a single acting award.)

Unusual in its focus on the private world of the kids and the 'deaders' - in fact the whole film looks back to Jeux Interdits and forward to Wrony. Also features a truly sympathetic (and useful) vicar, played by Geoffrey Bayldon. Good script helps cast catch the right note of village politics. With Annette Crosby, Ian McShane, Laurence Naismith, Pauline Jameson, Norman Bird, Judith Furse etc. Hamlet the Dog seems to be obeying directions as he charges past the camera at full pelt at any given moment - that's probably because he is the Mills' own dog!

A not altogether straightforward story either - at the end we feel that probably both the girl and gypsy have been ostracised by their own communities, pointing to a difficult future.

Photographed in Gloucestershire by Arthur Ibbetson, jaunty music by Malcolm Arnold.