Directed by Carol Reed and written by Wolf Mankowitz, one day Kandinsky tells Joe that a unicorn can grant wishes, the hopeful young lad ends up buying a baby goat with one tiny horn, believing it to be a real unicorn. Undaunted by his rough surroundings, Joe sets about to prove that wishes come true. Starring: Celia Johnson, Diana Dors, David Kossoff, Joe Robinson, Jonathan Ashmore, Brenda de Banzie, Primo Carnera and Lou Jacobi.

Something that classic film is so good at, but we don’t see frequently today is a simple, wholesome, joyful charm and that’s exactly what A Kid for Two Farthings captures. Leading the way Joe (Jonathan Ashmore) is absolutely filled with energy, he’s endlessly enthusiastic and curious. He’s also hugely invested in the lives of those around him, almost invested more in their happiness than his own. That positivity makes it easy to be swept away by this story, it’s akin to a grounded fairytale.

However, that’s not the only thing it has to offer, to balance out that sweetness, Carol Reed also switches things up frequently in favour of drama and tension. Those choices are expertly reflected by the changing directorial style, when these practically musical-esque moments appear, the colour and movement changes to something tense and theatrical. Scenes which the restoration work serves excellently.

There’s also a great cast at work, they’re known but not faces you constantly see in classic film, which is often the case with British cinema. On top of the endearing performance from Ashmore, there’s bodybuilder Sam played by Joe Robinson and his sweetheart Sonia played by Diana Dors, the two of them make for a lovely couple. There’s a quality to them that’s a little bit messy for the sake of the story, to keep things interesting, and yet very down to earth, their connection is genuine. David Kossoff is also wonderful as Kandinsky, a wise philosophising older man, there’s a glass half full quality to him that’s effortlessly charming.

A Kid for Two Farthings is basically exactly what you want from a 1950s family-friendly feature. It’s utterly endearing, enthusiastic but never loses its grounded side, and filled with friendly characters with strong personalities. There’s a joy of an ensemble taking the screen, the story is touching and sweet and the direction is excellent and is only improved further by the restoration work.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10

New 4K restoration on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from 26 February