My Childhood_
The first part of Bill Douglas' influential trilogy harks back to his impoverished upbringing in early-'40s Scotland. Cinema was his only escape - he paid for it with the money he made from returning empty jam jars - and this escape is reflected most closely at this time of his life as an eight-year-old living on the breadline with his half-brother and sick grandmother in a poor mining village.
Starring
Stephen Archibald, Hughie Restorick, Jean Taylor Smith
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
My Childhood was released 54 years ago in 1972.
Overview
The first part of Bill Douglas' influential trilogy harks back to his impoverished upbringing in early-'40s Scotland. Cinema was his only escape - he paid fo...
My Childhood is a Drama film with a runtime of 0h 47m.
CAST (11)
Stephen Archibald
Jamie
Hughie Restorick
Tommy
Jean Taylor Smith
Grandmother
KF
Karl Fieseler
Helmuth
Bernard McKenna
Tommy's father
Paul Kermack
Jamie's father
Helena Gloag
Father's mother
AS
Ann Smith
Jamie's mother
Eileen McCallum
Nurse
HR
Helen Rae
Bus conductress
JE
James Eccles
Man singing
STUDIOS (1)
BFI
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
47 min (0h 47m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.0/10 (51 votes)
Popularity
4
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is My Childhood about?
The first part of Bill Douglas' influential trilogy harks back to his impoverished upbringing in early-'40s Scotland. Cinema was his only escape - he paid for it with the money he made from returning empty jam jars - and this escape is reflected most closely at this time of his life as an eight-year-old living on the breadline with his half-brother and sick grandmother in a poor mining village.
How long is My Childhood?
My Childhood has a runtime of 47 minutes (0h 47m).
Who stars in My Childhood?
The cast of My Childhood includes Stephen Archibald, Hughie Restorick, Jean Taylor Smith, Karl Fieseler, Bernard McKenna.
What is the rating of My Childhood?
My Childhood has a rating of 7.0 out of 10 based on 51 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama
KEYWORDS (6)
scotland
coming of age
autobiographical
child neglect
animal cruelty
1940s