Hue and Cry (1947) location

[spinalman]

Hi,

I watched Hue and Cry yesterday and intrigued by the extensive use of London locations, particularly the evocative bomb sites.

One scene caught my eye, a terrace of bombed houses, single window on each floor, 2 storey, roofed behind parapets and what appears to be space opposite the terrace, to the East. In the far distance two chimneys that look like Battersea. A chance conversation yesterday with a friend who had explored Battersea Power Station told me that it was built originally with just two chimneys.

So assuming it was Battersea, and with my trusty GoogleEarth I worked out the geometry and bingo, I think I have found the street. It seems to align, and the close ups look consistent. Anyone in London care to have a look? I don't have stills from the film, although I see Reelstreets have (shot 4,5,12):
Reel Streets - Hue & Cry

Here is Sloane Court East, off Turks Row, adjacent Chelsea Bridge Road:


and here is the wider one to confirm the geometry (terrace top left, power station bott. right):

[John Clive]

The locations of the early postwar movies are fascinating. I'm thinking of Hue & Cry, The Blue Lamp and passport to Pimlico. There is a wonderful documentary to be made here. Shoot in the actual locations, using the same camera positions, using the stock to compare then and now. Find some either assciciated with the movie, or perhaps someone still living nearby who remembers the film being made.
It's a long shot, but a kid living there at the time would never forget that.

Do a series of documentaries, each one focusing on one of the film of that time, and you have a wonderfully nostaligic series, plus it traces the ttimes and the changes in our social patterns. Anyone out there...? John Clive

[spinalman]

Originally Posted by John Clive The locations of the early postwar movies are fascinating. I'm thinking of Hue & Cry, The Blue Lamp and passport to Pimlico. There is a wonderful documentary to be made here. Shoot in the actual locations, using the same camera positions, using the stock to compare then and now. Find some either assciciated with the movie, or perhaps someone still living nearby who remembers the film being made. It's a long shot, but a kid living there at the time would never forget that. Do a series of documentaries, each one focusing on one of the film of that time, and you have a wonderfully nostaligic series, plus it traces the ttimes and the changes in our social patterns. Anyone out there...? John Clive

Hi John, Yes a great idea, and of course it taps into nostalgia, and celebrity (that'll keep the BBC commissioning editors happy). The BBC did a lacklustre programme a few years ago, "Movie Locations" or something, but it was a lightweight, fluffy vehicle for Ben Fogle and hardly scratched the surface of a rich vein (to mix my metaphors). They highlighted Brief Encounter, Whislte down the Wind, Dambusters etc.

Hue and Cry would be a good starter, Harry Fowler the ideal choice. The Chelsea(?) Mansion Block and staircase where his character meets Alistair Sim would be a good find. Likewise the riverside bombsite for the ending.

Brighton Rock would be fairly simple to do- most of the locations exist. - Sir Richard Attenborough maybe

Blow Up would be a another.

Another film worth researching would be the Long Memory with John Mills. The Pool of London locations still exist at Shad Thames (now executive apartments) as well as the very evocative Gravesend Marshes.

I'd love to shoot it... but getting things commissioned these days must be difficult given the broadcasters' pre-ocupation with ratings, youth and celebs. (in that order).

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by John Clive The locations of the early postwar movies are fascinating. I'm thinking of Hue & Cry, The Blue Lamp and passport to Pimlico. There is a wonderful documentary to be made here. Shoot in the actual locations, using the same camera positions, using the stock to compare then and now. Find some either assciciated with the movie, or perhaps someone still living nearby who remembers the film being made. It's a long shot, but a kid living there at the time would never forget that. Do a series of documentaries, each one focusing on one of the film of that time, and you have a wonderfully nostaligic series, plus it traces the ttimes and the changes in our social patterns. Anyone out there...? John Clive

Passport to Pimlico wasn't made in Pimlico - there's no railway there and a few of the scenes show a railway running along a viaduct/bridge with part of the wall blown out so that you can see the trains.

Much of it was made across the river in Lambeth.

Steve

[David Brent]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Passport to Pimlico wasn't made in Pimlico - there's no railway there and a few of the scenes show a railway running along a viaduct/bridge with part of the wall blown out so that you can see the trains. Much of it was made across the river in Lambeth. Steve

Hi Steve,

Hercules Road, Lambeth to be more exact. With other location shots taken around Lambeth and Vauxhall.
The Holborn Viaduct, Holborn, London was also filmed in 'Passport To Pimlico' and again was used in location shots for 'Hue and Cry.'

Would that tie in with your street locations Spinalman?

Dave.

[spinalman]

Originally Posted by David Brent Hi Steve, Hercules Road, Lambeth to be more exact. With other location shots taken around Lambeth and Vauxhall. The Holborn Viaduct, Holborn, London was also filmed in 'Passport To Pimlico' and again was used in location shots for 'Hue and Cry.' Would that tie in with your street locations Spinalman? Dave.

Hi Dave,

From what I have seen of Hue and Cry, the locations appear to be predominantly North of the river. Chelsea for the bombsite houses, Holborn area for some street chases - although I have not investigated seriously - especially as the bombsites are extensive without too many landmarks left. Passport to Pimlico has the tell-tall South of River railway viaducts in many scenes - so a little easier.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

Spinal,

I watched Hue and Cry over the weekend and recognised immediately a couple of locations, both in the final chase. There's a shot of the children running through St Paul's Church Covent Garden and one of them haring down the steps at Waterloo Place. This last one shows the film makers' ingenuity as logically if they carried on running they'd hit the Mall, not the bomb site in the film. I think I've also been able to identify the place where they attempt to hail a taxi to follow the villain's moll but this needs a little more research. Sadly, I haven't nailed the offices of The Trump yet, although it does look familiar.

Sonny

[howard 65]

Does anyone know where the 'moll's' house location was; some leafy suburb.

Ealing, perhaps!

[palazzo]

I think you'll find that the moll's house was in Hampstead.

The big finale fight on the river is between Cannon Street Station and the next bridge up, which I think is Southwark.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

This shot about 50 minutes into the film shows 44 and 46 Kingsway from the west side looking east. The Britannic Assurance Co had an office at 46 Kingsway for several years





And this one shows the clock at what used to be the Halifax Building Society on the corner of High Holborn. It's taken from Kingsway looking north. The Lyons Corner House behind Harry Fowler is next door, or next door but one, to the entrance to Holborn Tube Station

[kelp]

Hi everyone. Sorry to interupt, but I am new to this, and just wanted to say I am enjoying reading all the information about locations, especially as I well remember "Hue & Cry", and its very young cast. Excellent film. keep up the good work. Meanwhile I shall get back to playing catch-up .....brilliant website. Thanks.
kelp.

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by John Clive The locations of the early postwar movies are fascinating. I'm thinking of Hue & Cry, The Blue Lamp and passport to Pimlico. There is a wonderful documentary to be made here. Shoot in the actual locations, using the same camera positions, using the stock to compare then and now. Find some either assciciated with the movie, or perhaps someone still living nearby who remembers the film being made. It's a long shot, but a kid living there at the time would never forget that. Do a series of documentaries, each one focusing on one of the film of that time, and you have a wonderfully nostaligic series, plus it traces the ttimes and the changes in our social patterns. Anyone out there...? John Clive

Hi John, I had a similar thought recently when we were discussing To Sir With Love, there must be a programme here, with some of us on this forum collabarating.

[stevie boy]

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