| The Sky-Bike | |
| Director: | Charles Frend |
| Producer: | Harold Orton |
| Screenplay: | Charles Frend |
| Story: | Charles Frend |
| Music: | Harry Robinson |
| Cinematography: | John Coquillon |
| Editing: | Richard Mason |
| Studio: | Eyeline Films |
| Distributor: | Children's Film Foundation |
| Runtime: | 62 min |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
The Sky-Bike is a 1967 colour British children's film written and directed by Charles Frend (his last feature as director).[1] [2] It was produced by Harol Orton for the Children's Film Foundation. A novel based on the script was later published.[3]
Tom Smith, living in English suburbia, is an only child who dreams of flying. He spends a lot of time at an abandoned airfield and there he meets a man who has invented a flying bicycle, but it will not stay in the air. They decide to adapt it for two cyclists, to give greater power. Their aim is to win £5000 in a competition for the first man-powered flight. They have a rival team, also based at the airfield, and both are troubled by the security guard and his two Alsatians. Tom is aided by his friend Porker and his sister Daphne.[4]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "An agreeable and often imaginative children's film, a little weak on plot but making up for it with the splendid central idea of a competition for man-powered flying machines. The Sky Bike itself is a charming flight of fantasy, and it is to the credit of the producers that on what must have been a very low budget they have managed to get the machines into the air for quite long periods. Mechanically minded youngsters should find the whole thing very intriguing."[5]
TV Guide called it an "Imaginative children's adventure film ... not always believable, but this flaw can easily be overlooked given the high energy of the production."[6]