The Way to the Stars

**jimsigs** · 27-10-04 08:00 PM

Hi All,

Just viewed this film this afternoon (seen it before) and what an excellent film it was.

Question : What is the location of the hotel/pub featured in the film. I saw a caption at the end of the film which stated that the film was made in Gainsborough Lincs and the name of the studio, but there is a striking example of a similar hotel in Letchlade near Swindon.

Regards

Jimsigs

**Rob Compton** · 27-10-04 10:29 PM

jimsigs

What's the name of the hotel in Lechlade?

rgds

Rob

**David Brent** · 28-10-04 06:51 AM

Hi Jimsigs,

I once did some research of my own regarding this films location & although i havn't confirmed it yet i believe it was filmed at Shipley nr.Wolverhampton. (Maybe Smudge can confirm this!)

The airfield in the movie is "Halfpenny Field" and in reality there is a village named Halfpenny Green situated near Shipley which in turn has a nearby airfield at Highgate Common.

Regards

Dave.

**ollie** · 28-10-04 08:35 AM

Halfpenny green is is either in or next to(depending on boundry's) a village called bobbington,often watch the light aircraft taking off and landing,me mate used to fly his microlite from there till he crashed it,owch! doh bawling

cheers Ollie.

**Jim** · 28-10-04 09:08 AM

Hi All,

Just viewed this film this afternoon (seen it before) and what an excellent film it was.

Question : What is the location of the hotel/pub featured in the film. I saw a caption at the end of the film which stated that the film was made in Gainsborough Lincs and the name of the studio, but there is a striking example of a similar hotel in Letchlade near Swindon.

Regards

Jimsigs

Yes Jimsigs, it is a good film. I have fond memories of it; even though I was only 5 at the time it was released!

The music never fails to moisten my eyes whenever I hear it. I made a mental note to record it and forgot to! I came down this morning to find my wife watching it. I asked why they were showing it so early in the morning and she said "it's a video, you muffin!" So I did have it after all. I'll watch it again tonight straight after 'A Matter of life and Death".

thumbs_u

**DB7** · 28-10-04 09:55 AM

David Brent:

The airfield in the movie is "Halfpenny Field" and in reality there is a village named Halfpenny Green situated near Shipley which in turn has a nearby airfield at Highgate Common.

Says on Military Aviation Movie List "This footage was shot at the 8th base of Grafton-Underwood with the 384 BG, during April-May 1945. (The only WWII "movie" footage shot by Hollywood with an actual combat unit)."

**Steve Crook** · 28-10-04 01:08 PM

JIM:

[snip]

The music never fails to moisten my eyes whenever I hear it. I made a mental note to record it and forgot to! I came down this morning to find my wife watching it. I asked why they were showing it so early in the morning and she said "it's a video, you muffin!" So I did have it after all. I'll watch it again tonight straight after 'A Matter of life and Death".

There are a few connections between those two films. I'll say more after you've watched them both.

Steve

**DB7** · 28-10-04 02:24 PM

The Boulting's Journey Together is perhaps the closest relation to Way to the Stars. (both Rattigan penned)

All three designed to promote the 'special relationship' to some extent.

**smudge** · 29-10-04 03:13 PM

Hi Chaps -

WTTS is a bit of a local legend. Many folk say that it was filmed here. The best way to tell is by the squadron markings on the Forts, and I think it is this that has lead to the Grafton Underwood connection.

Some sort of film WAS made here at Halfpenny Green/Bobbington, and at the time the Green was a beam-landing training school using Avro Ansons - the very plane that John Mills turns up in at the start of the movie. Hence some think STILL that some of the film was made up here.

Logistically it would make sense, as such an inland station would (one assumes) have been rather quiet. I have no local record of the pub in Shipley, I'm afraid.

The Green was certainly not big enough to be a Fortress station, even when it was just one runway.

Rattigan was (I believe) attached to RAF around the time and might have happened upon Halfpenny Green as a result of that work and simply kept the name in mind.

The Green does have other claims to fame - actor Michael Sheard did his National Service guarding the Green and in '74 (IIRC) it's the place where Prince William of Gloucester got tote in an air race smash...

As for the film, it seems that you pays your money and takes your choice, but it would be nice to keep the local legend alive.

SMUDGE

**DB7** · 29-10-04 03:38 PM

There were a few aborted RAF films during WWII. For example Carol Reed's 'Spitfire' never got off the ground. (boom boom wink )

**smudge** · 29-10-04 04:37 PM

bawling Owww !! That one HURT DB7 ! wink

Guy Green was 2nd Unit DP on WTTS, wasn't he ? He's still around. If only I could get the chance to ask him....

SMUDGE

**DB7** · 29-10-04 04:45 PM

Pop by John Mills' house...

**DB7** · 29-10-04 08:33 PM

According to RJ Minney's "Puffin Asquith" it was shot at RAF Catterick in the winter of 1944. The opening shot was captured after filming was completed.

**Rob Compton** · 30-10-04 12:13 AM

But...we still don't seem to be any nearer jimsigs question on where the hotel was

rgds

Rob

**smudge** · 30-10-04 05:31 AM

Pop by John Mills' house...

Bin there, done that, met the Guard Dog !

SMUDGE

**DB7** · 30-10-04 08:55 AM

This is my nearby airfield, not quite the effect Asquith was seeking methinks:

**DB7** · 30-10-04 10:10 AM

Rob Compton:

But...we still don't seem to be any nearer jimsigs question on where the hotel was.

I've a hunch where it is (Yorkshire again), does anybody have a hotel screengrab from the film they can post? Smudge?

**smudge** · 31-10-04 05:28 AM

Leave it with me, I'll see what I can do...

SMUDGE

**jimsigs** · 09-11-04 04:22 PM

Hello All,

Thank you so much for all the very interesting replies you made regarding the pub featured in the film "The Way to the Stars".

I have been away for a few days but was able to actually go out and take a picture of the pub I have in mind. It is called 'The White Hart' and is located in Cricklade near Cirencester. (not Lechlade that I was thinking of).

I have the photo in JPeg on the computer but do not know how to put it on this forum for all to see. Perhaps someone could help me.

Regards

Jim

**Steve Crook** · 09-11-04 04:52 PM

jimsigs:

Hello All,

Thank you so much for all the very interesting replies you made regarding the pub featured in the film "The Way to the Stars".

I have been away for a few days but was able to actually go out and take a picture of the pub I have in mind. It is called 'The White Hart' and is located in Cricklade near Cirencester. (not Lechlade that I was thinking of).

I have the photo in JPeg on the computer but do not know how to put it on this forum for all to see. Perhaps someone could help me.

Regards

Jim

Under the big box for your reply on this page there are 3 buttons. Click on the right hand one called "Full Reply Form".

Then you'll see another box for your reply with a whole load of buttons to do special formatting and other things in the reply. One of those is labelled "Image".

Click on that and it'll ask you which image you want to include in your reply.

Steve

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