London Belongs to Me
Encyclopedia
London Belongs to Me is a 1948 British film
directed by Sidney Gilliat
and starring Richard Attenborough
and Alastair Sim
. It was based on the novel of the same name by Norman Collins
. The same story was made into a seven-part series by Thames Television
in 1977.
and Wylie Watson
, and teenage daughter Susan Shaw
), landlady Mrs. Vizzard (Joyce Carey
), the eccentric spiritualist medium Mr. Squales (Sim), the colourful Connie Coke (Ivy St. Helier
), and the young Percy Boone (Attenborough) and his mother (Gladys Henson
).
The misguided Percy is in love with the Jossers' daughter, and turns to crime to raise money to impress her. Unfortunately, he bungles a car theft and finds himself accused of murder. The ageing Mr. Josser (Wylie Watson
) digs into his retirement fund to hire the boy a lawyer.
Mr. Squales testifies against Percy, but in the process exposes his fakery (his apparent abilities in contacting the dead
and prophesying
are bogus) to his now-fiancée Mrs. Vizzard.
Percy is found guilty, but his neighbours rally to his defence. With the assistance of the Jossers' staunchly socialist
Uncle Henry (Stephen Murray), they gather thousands of signatures in a petition to gain him a reprieve. At the end of the film, Percy's supporters march through the rain to Parliament, only to discover just before their arrival that clemency has already been granted.
. The main street was an interior set, but additional location filming
took place around London and at Burnham Beeches
in Buckinghamshire
. It marked the first screen appearance of Arthur Lowe
who made a brief and uncredited appearance as a commuter on a train.
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
directed by Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat was an English film director, producer and writer.He was born in the district of Edgeley in Stockport, Cheshire. In the 1930s he worked as a scriptwriter, most notably with Frank Launder on The Lady Vanishes for Alfred Hitchcock, and its sequel Night Train to Munich , directed by...
and starring Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
and Alastair Sim
Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE was a Scottish character actor who appeared in a string of classic British films. He is best remembered in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film Scrooge, and for his portrayal of Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two St. Trinian's films...
. It was based on the novel of the same name by Norman Collins
Norman Collins
Norman Collins was a British writer, and later a radio and television executive, who became one of the major figures behind the establishment of the Independent Television network in the UK...
. The same story was made into a seven-part series by Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
in 1977.
Plot
The story concerns the tenants of a large terraced house in pre-World War II London. Among them are the Jossers (mother and father Fay ComptonFay Compton
Fay Compton was an English actress from a notable acting lineage; her father was actor/manager Edward Compton; her mother, Virginia Bateman, was a distinguished member of the profession, as were her sister, the actress Viola Compton, and her uncles and aunts. Her grandfather was the 19th-century...
and Wylie Watson
Wylie Watson
Wylie Watson was a British actor. Among his best known roles were those of "Mr Memory", an amazing man who commits "50 new facts to his memory every day" in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film The 39 Steps, and wily storekeeper Joseph Macroon in the Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!...
, and teenage daughter Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw was an English actress.Shaw began her film career in 1946 when she was signed to a contract by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation...
), landlady Mrs. Vizzard (Joyce Carey
Joyce Carey
Joyce Carey, OBE was a British actress, best known for her long professional and personal relationship with Noël Coward. Her stage career lasted from 1916 until 1984, and she was performing on television in her nineties. Though never a star, she was a familiar face both on stage and screen...
), the eccentric spiritualist medium Mr. Squales (Sim), the colourful Connie Coke (Ivy St. Helier
Ivy St. Helier
Ivy St. Helier was a British stage actress, composer and lyricist.On the stage, St. Helier played Manon la Crevette in the original production of Noel Coward's operetta Bitter Sweet , a role she reprised in the 1933 film version...
), and the young Percy Boone (Attenborough) and his mother (Gladys Henson
Gladys Henson
Gladys Henson was a British actress whose career lasted from 1932 to 1976 and included roles on stage, radio, films and television series...
).
The misguided Percy is in love with the Jossers' daughter, and turns to crime to raise money to impress her. Unfortunately, he bungles a car theft and finds himself accused of murder. The ageing Mr. Josser (Wylie Watson
Wylie Watson
Wylie Watson was a British actor. Among his best known roles were those of "Mr Memory", an amazing man who commits "50 new facts to his memory every day" in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film The 39 Steps, and wily storekeeper Joseph Macroon in the Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!...
) digs into his retirement fund to hire the boy a lawyer.
Mr. Squales testifies against Percy, but in the process exposes his fakery (his apparent abilities in contacting the dead
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
and prophesying
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
are bogus) to his now-fiancée Mrs. Vizzard.
Percy is found guilty, but his neighbours rally to his defence. With the assistance of the Jossers' staunchly socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
Uncle Henry (Stephen Murray), they gather thousands of signatures in a petition to gain him a reprieve. At the end of the film, Percy's supporters march through the rain to Parliament, only to discover just before their arrival that clemency has already been granted.
Production
The film was shot at Pinewood StudiosPinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, approximately west of central London. The studios have played host to many productions over the years from huge blockbuster films to television shows to commercials to pop promos.The purchase of Shepperton...
. The main street was an interior set, but additional location filming
Filming location
A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage...
took place around London and at Burnham Beeches
Burnham Beeches
Burnham Beeches is an area of 220 hectares of ancient woodland, located close to Farnham Common, Burnham and Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire. It is approximately 25 miles to the west of London, England.-Preservation:...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. It marked the first screen appearance of Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
who made a brief and uncredited appearance as a commuter on a train.
Cast
- Richard AttenboroughRichard AttenboroughRichard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
as Percy Boon - Alastair SimAlastair SimAlastair George Bell Sim, CBE was a Scottish character actor who appeared in a string of classic British films. He is best remembered in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film Scrooge, and for his portrayal of Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two St. Trinian's films...
as Mr. Squales - Fay ComptonFay ComptonFay Compton was an English actress from a notable acting lineage; her father was actor/manager Edward Compton; her mother, Virginia Bateman, was a distinguished member of the profession, as were her sister, the actress Viola Compton, and her uncles and aunts. Her grandfather was the 19th-century...
as Mrs. Josser - Stephen Murray as Uncle Henry
- Wylie WatsonWylie WatsonWylie Watson was a British actor. Among his best known roles were those of "Mr Memory", an amazing man who commits "50 new facts to his memory every day" in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film The 39 Steps, and wily storekeeper Joseph Macroon in the Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!...
as Mr. Josser - Susan ShawSusan ShawSusan Shaw was an English actress.Shaw began her film career in 1946 when she was signed to a contract by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation...
as Doris Josser - Joyce CareyJoyce CareyJoyce Carey, OBE was a British actress, best known for her long professional and personal relationship with Noël Coward. Her stage career lasted from 1916 until 1984, and she was performing on television in her nineties. Though never a star, she was a familiar face both on stage and screen...
as Mrs. Vizzard - Ivy St. HelierIvy St. HelierIvy St. Helier was a British stage actress, composer and lyricist.On the stage, St. Helier played Manon la Crevette in the original production of Noel Coward's operetta Bitter Sweet , a role she reprised in the 1933 film version...
as Connie Coke - Andrew Crawford as Bill
- Hugh GriffithHugh GriffithHugh Emrys Griffith was a Welsh film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Griffith was born in Marianglas, Anglesey, Wales, the son of Mary and William Griffith. He was educated at Llangefni County School and attempted to gain entrance to university, but failed the English examination...
as Headlam Fynne - Eleanor SummerfieldEleanor SummerfieldEleanor Summerfield was a British actress.Summerfield was born in London in 1921. She received her acting training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In the mid-1960s, she played P. G. Wodehouse' character Aunt Dahlia in the BBC One's World of Wooster. She was a team member on BBC Radio 4's...
as The Blonde - Gladys HensonGladys HensonGladys Henson was a British actress whose career lasted from 1932 to 1976 and included roles on stage, radio, films and television series...
as Mrs. Boon - Maurice DenhamMaurice DenhamMaurice Denham OBE was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 television programmes and films throughout his long career.-Life and career:...
as Jack Rufus - Ivor BarnardIvor BarnardIvor Barnard was an English film actor. In 1929 he appeared on stage in "Bird In Hand" at the Morosco Theatre in New York City. He appeared in 84 films between 1921 and 1953. He appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film The 39 Steps in 1935. In 1943, he played the stationmaster in the Ealing war movie...
as Mr. Justice Plymme - Cecil Trouncer as Mr. Henry Wassall
- Arthur HowardArthur HowardFor other people with this name, see Arthur Howard Arthur Howard was an English film and television actor.-Life and career:...
as Mr. Chinkwell
- John SalewJohn Salew-Selected filmography:* The Silent Battle * Sailors Don't Care * Once a Crook * One of Our Aircraft Is Missing * The Day Will Dawn * Secret Mission * It Always Rains on Sunday...
as Mr. Barks - Cyril ChamberlainCyril ChamberlainCyril Chamberlain was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early Carry On, Doctor in the House and St. Trinian's films....
as Detective Sergeant Wilson - Aubrey Dexter as Mr. Battlebury
- Jack McNaughton as Jimmy
- Henry HewittHenry Hewitt-Selected filmography:* School for Scandal * Stamboul * Madame Guillotine * The Written Law * Betrayal * Admirals All * Rembrandt * The High Command * Old Iron...
as Verriter - Fabia DrakeFabia DrakeFabia Drake OBE was an English actress whose professional career spanned almost 73 years during the 20th century.Drake was born in Herne Bay, Kent...
as Mrs. Jan Byl - Sydney TaflerSydney TaflerSydney Tafler , was a British film and television actor, first appearing in London's West End in 1936, after two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, with Sir Seymour Hicks in The Man in Dress Clothes....
as Nightclub Receptionist - Henry EdwardsHenry Edwards (actor)Henry Edwards was an English actor and film director. He appeared in 81 films between 1915 and 1952. He also directed 67 films between 1915 and 1937...
as Police Superintendent - George Cross as Inspector Cartwright
- Edward EvansEdward Evans (actor)Edward Evans was a British film and television actor.During World War II, he served with the British Army in Italy and North Africa, reaching the rank of captain....
as Detective Sergeant Taylor - Russell WatersRussell WatersRussell Waters was a Scottish film actor.Waters was educated at Hutchesons' Grammar School, Glasgow and the University of Glasgow. He began acting with the Old English Comedy and Shakespeare Company then appeared in repertory theatre, at the Old Vic and in the West End. On screen Waters generally...
as Clerk of the Court - Kenneth Downey as Mr. Veezey Blaize K.C
- Basil Cunard as Foreman of the Jury
- Wensley PitheyWensley PitheyWensley Pithey was a South African character actor who had a long stage career.Pithey was born in Cape Town, South Africa. A graduate of the University of Cape Town where he studied music and drama, he travelled to England in 1947...
as First Warden - Manville Tarrant as Second Warden