Johnny on the Run

In Edinburgh, Janek lives with his aunt and cousins but feels out of place and unloved. He struggles to fit in with the other children, setting up the social tension that frames his later decisions.

A group of boys taunt him about being Polish, sparking a street fight. The confrontation escalates as the pram rolls away and the crowd closes in, and his aunt arrives at the steps calling him a wicked boy.

Terrified, Janek runs through the city alleys and ends up on Princes Street, where a travel poster about Poland catches his eye. He enters a travel agency and learns that the cheapest voyage is a ship from Dundee to Danzig for £17.

Janek sneaks into the back of a removal lorry marked Dundee and is used by two thieves to help them gain entry to a house. They steal a brooch from a safe, trigger a phone call, and flee as a policeman arrives. The criminals drag Janek along north in the lorry, but their plan collapses when they quarrel and fall out.

The thieves take him to a remote cottage where an old man lets them sleep on the floor. In the middle of the night, Janek wakes and runs off, continuing his northward trek.

Janek finds shelter in a ruined castle, but the following day a group of local children discovers him and brings him to their special school in Perthshire. They start calling him Johnny, giving him a new name and sense of belonging.

The headmaster takes his photo, and Janek appears in a newspaper with the caption asking if anyone knows this boy, drawing attention to his story. The image marks a turning point as his whereabouts become public.

Back in Edinburgh, police see the newspaper photo and question his aunt about why she never reported him missing. The crooks also spot the article and decide to head north to find Janek, since they hid the brooch in his jacket.

The criminals travel north toward the Perthshire school and begin searching for the brooch hidden in Janek's jacket, rifling through the school safe for clues.

Janek leads a cross-country paper chase organized by the students, drawing attention from teachers and onlookers. The police arrive to interview the headmaster about the missing boy.

During the chase, the girls explore lockers and discover the brooch. A young Black girl decides to wear it, and Janek seems to feel warmth toward her.

The crooks join the race and corner Janek in a church with the girl who has the brooch. Janek rings the church bell as chaos erupts and police arrive to restore order.

Janek's aunt arrives on the scene, but he declares that he wants to remain at the school with the children. His decision signals a new home and acceptance among his peers.