User Reviews

This B&W film is "of its era" (1958) when bomb sites in London and elsewhere around England were still easily found, and people were still "doing it tough".

The name of the main character, the main 'innocent', the young orphan girl Lovejoy Mason (June Archer), is intended to convey a meaning about the bitter-sweet nature of the plot. She is the thread through the film, a real character, with a child's foibles, irritations, likes and dislikes. And, her character conveys love and joy to those around her. In so doing, the film also conveys the mood of the late '50s England that was just seeing the joy after 10 years of recovery from World War II.

Around this character are several well-crafted child and adult characters who will determine Lovejoy's fate: an institutionalised orphan or a child accepted in a family.

SPOILER: The interplay of dark and light created by this dramatic tension is brought out in the final moments when the (predictable but still unexpected) death of one of the adult characters creates the opportunity for 'redemption' by another adult, with the then inevitable 'salvation' of Lovejoy. The final scene is a mild 'come-uppance' of one of the child characters but, considering the austerity of the era and the film-making, the crowded and obviously positive mood street scene with many extras might have been done more cheaply in a quieter setting; however, this would have perhaps wasted the overall uplifting mood of the film.

Players: This is an 'ensemble' film, and the players come and go. June Archer (as Lovejoy) played another child part a few years later, and could have gone on to be a good actor, but did not. Flora Robson was in the middle of her incredible 50 year career (1931-1981) and gives an important though minor part a great lift. Similarly, Edward Chapman brings gravitas to his role, in the middle of his career. David Kossoff and Lyndon Brook were then both busy actors relatively early in their careers, and this displayed their talents.

Director Philip Leacock was learning his trade but not new at it, and here conveys a mood in B&W that was obviously well learned as he went on to a long career on both sides of the Atlantic.

It's 2018 and in London there's a new freeview channel TalkingPictures. This picture was in the schedule and I looked it up on IMDb. The reviews made me want to give it a shot and I'm very glad I did. The film has a lyrical quality and reminded me of others of its era between the very traditional style of the war years and the angry young men of the early 60s. Often centred on children, films like Tiger Bay or the Mudlark. A new realism and a less patronising take on the poor. It's not perfect,but the central character grabs you early on and lingers afterwards. Much to be enjoyed.

I love TCM! It's by far my most watched channel. Yet, I truly love it when it digs deep into its vaults and pulls up a forgotten gem that hasn't been seen in years. Philip Leacock's 1958 British film, "Innocent Sinners," is such a gem.

Set in late 1950's London which was still rebuilding itself from WW2, it's a Cinderella story complete with a "fairy Godmother." However, the Cinderella in this version punches, spits, swears, and steals.

The plot: a lonely and neglected adolescent girl, "Lovejoy Mason" (June Archer), finds solace in planting a garden in a bombed-out churchyard. During her relentless pursuit in creating her garden, she befriends others including the leader of the local boys' gang, "Tip Malone" (Christopher Hey), and a dying spinster, "Olivia Chesney" (Flora Robson).

Away from her garden, Lovejoy's home life is very unstable. Her usually absent mother (Vanda Godsell) is far more interested in her own show business career and the men it attracts than Lovejoy. A father is never mentioned. Instead, she has the kindly "Vincents," a middle-aged childless couple (David Kossoff and Barbara Mullen), as her de facto foster parents. However, the Vincents own and operate a restaurant with too many unpaid bills and no patrons. Thus, everything Lovejoy treasures: garden, friends, and home, could be lost.

The best thing about "Innocent Sinners" is the performance of its lead actress, June Archer, as Lovejoy. Skinny, short-haired, wearing shabby clothes that she's outgrown, and painfully aware that she's no longer "sweet" looking as she passes through adolescence, Archer's Lovejoy is no cutesy movie-kid. Further, "independent and cocksure," she's growing-up almost half-wild on the London streets. When frustrated or scared, her hackles rise and she punches, spits, and bites like a feral cat. Yet, when happy or treated with kindness her face just lights-up. The only drawback to Archer's performance is that she couldn't cry on cue and the scenes where she's supposed to be bawling don't really work. Overall, though, she's fantastic.

Ably matching her is young Christopher Hey as the tough but golden-hearted Tip. The son of Irish immigrants, Tip becomes Lovejoy's Catholic conscious as to some of her more egregious acts. Although poor Tip is going to have a tough romantic life due to how easily he's manipulated by Lovejoy.

I really enjoyed this relatively low-budget child character study. It really made you feel for its characters. I dreaded that terrible things would happen to Lovejoy and the Vincents. Kindly but impractical dreamer Mr. Vincent just makes you ache for him. However, some plot elements had me scratching my head such as "Angela Chesney" (Catherine Lacey), Olivia's meanie sister, being ad hoc appointed by the court to be a child supervisor. Still, I liked "Innocent Sinners" so much that I've re-watched it several times over the last few weeks.

"Innocent Sinners" was the debut for both June Archer and Christopher Hey. Yet, their acting careers never went anywhere. Hey never appeared in anything after 1958; and Archer's career ended in the mid-60's after a few small roles on British TV shows. It's surprising because they're both so good and memorable in this movie. I guess this movie didn't find an audience in 1958, and it and its stars were sadly and quickly forgotten. Thus, I'm thankful for TCM giving it a little bit of exposure because it and its cast deserve it.

I have just watched this film on TMC, a cable channel here in the U.S. It was very good and touching. Just wanted to know if anyone knows what happened to the lead players, especially June Archer?

The movie centers on LoveJoy Mason, a little girl of about 12 years of age. It is set in post-war England in the 50s. The little girl found a packet of seeds and makes it her mission to have a garden. She manages to make a small garden in the confines of a partially destroyed Catholic churchyard in London. She is a spunky, but lonely child who has few friends and a mother who has abandoned her. She is living with her Aunt and Uncle who are barely making a living operating a modest restaurant. A woman who has money befriends LoveJoy and sees to it that she is not sent away to a children's home for destitute children. After Lovejoy admitted stealing dirt from this woman's garden with her small band of misfits, the elderly woman realizes the worth of this child. After this woman dies, she leaves money for Lovejoy and her relatives to reunite this loving family and revitalize the restaurant.

Absolutely delightful film set in post-war London when there were bomb sites everywhere. I grew up in Pimlico and was disappointed to find that Passport to Pimlico WASN'T filmed there but over the river in Lambeth or Battersea. However, for years friends have told me that Innocent Sinners was–– and now I've found it and seen it. And the really big bonus is that it's filmed in my part of Pimlico: Lillington Street, Churton Street and Warwick Way Market. Apart from some wonderful nostalgia, the story is beautiful and features a fine cast of British 'greats'. June French as Lovejoy is a heartbreaker. A genuine classic.