The Finishing Line
Encyclopedia
The Finishing Line is a short film produced in 1977 by British Transport Films
, warning about the dangers children face on railway lines. Although it is not strictly a public information film
, it is often considered to be so by fans of the genre. It was broadcast in its entirety several times on television, but was so controversial that it was replaced less than two years later by the slightly less graphic Robbie
. It won at least two creative awards: Certificate of Appreciation (Top Category) and Oberhausen Mention at the Festival of Youth Paris. The film was also shown in several schools by invitation. It was directed by John Krish
and filmed in the vicinity of the then-closed Watton-at-Stone railway station
, Hertfordshire
.
-style sports event on the railway line. The rest of the film shows his imagined idea of what would happen, with children being split into four competitive teams to take part in different activities often carried out by young people trespassing on the railway. Three "games" are held, in which the children are challenged to break through the fence surrounding the railway line, play "chicken" with the trains and throw things at passing trains. Each time we see the tragic consequences of these activities, such as one scene where a driver's face is shredded by broken glass after a child throws a brick through the train
window. The final task is for the children to run through a tunnel, but after they enter, we see a train approaching. Only four children cross the end of the tunnel, each of them injured terribly. One boy who crosses the finish line collapses as the overhead speaker announces the final results. The film finishes as a group of adults appear and go into the tunnel to carry out the bodies of the dead and injured children, which are then laid out in a long line along the railway track. The camera pans out to show all the dead and bloodied children along the track before returning to the boy sitting on the railway bridge wall, who seems to be reconsidering the idea.
British Transport Films
British Transport Films was an organisation set up in 1949 to make documentary films on the general subject of British transport. Its work included internal training films, travelogues , and "industrial films" promoting the progress of Britain's railway...
, warning about the dangers children face on railway lines. Although it is not strictly a public information film
Public information film
Public Information Films are a series of government commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the UK. The US equivalent is the Public Service Announcement .-Subjects:...
, it is often considered to be so by fans of the genre. It was broadcast in its entirety several times on television, but was so controversial that it was replaced less than two years later by the slightly less graphic Robbie
Robbie (Public Information Film)
Robbie is a 13-minute long film made by British Transport Films in 1979 and revised in 1986. Although it is not strictly a Public Information Film, it is often considered to be so by fans of the genre...
. It won at least two creative awards: Certificate of Appreciation (Top Category) and Oberhausen Mention at the Festival of Youth Paris. The film was also shown in several schools by invitation. It was directed by John Krish
John Krish
John Krish is a British screenwriter and film director. He has also directed and filmed much archive footage and in particular Our School in 1962, showing the changing ways of Britain's school and the last few years of the 11-plus exam...
and filmed in the vicinity of the then-closed Watton-at-Stone railway station
Watton-at-Stone railway station
Watton-at-Stone railway station serves the village of Watton-at-Stone in Hertfordshire, England. It is on the Hertford Loop branch line between Hertford North and Stevenage and is served by trains operated by First Capital Connect.- History :...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
Plot
The film begins with a young boy sitting on a railway bridge wall. As he ponders on his thoughts, he considers the idea of holding an Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
-style sports event on the railway line. The rest of the film shows his imagined idea of what would happen, with children being split into four competitive teams to take part in different activities often carried out by young people trespassing on the railway. Three "games" are held, in which the children are challenged to break through the fence surrounding the railway line, play "chicken" with the trains and throw things at passing trains. Each time we see the tragic consequences of these activities, such as one scene where a driver's face is shredded by broken glass after a child throws a brick through the train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
window. The final task is for the children to run through a tunnel, but after they enter, we see a train approaching. Only four children cross the end of the tunnel, each of them injured terribly. One boy who crosses the finish line collapses as the overhead speaker announces the final results. The film finishes as a group of adults appear and go into the tunnel to carry out the bodies of the dead and injured children, which are then laid out in a long line along the railway track. The camera pans out to show all the dead and bloodied children along the track before returning to the boy sitting on the railway bridge wall, who seems to be reconsidering the idea.