London Belongs to Me

London Belongs to Me - 1948 | 112 mins | Drama, Comedy | B&W

The Production Team

Director: Sidney Gilliat.
Producer: Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder.
Executive Producer: J. Arthur Rank.
Script: Sidney Gilliat and J.B. Williams. (from the novel by Norman Collins)
Cinematography: Wilkie Cooper.
Editing: Thelma Myers.
Art Direction: Roy Oxley.
Makeup Department: Biddy Chrystal and Jim Hydes.
Costume Design: Beatrice Dawson and John Gudenian.
Sound Department: Jack Locke and Gordon K. McCallum.
Original Music: Benjamin Frankel.
Music Direction: Muir Mathieson.

The Cast

Richard Attenborough - Percy Boon
Alastair Sim - Mr. Squales
Fay Compton - Mrs. Josser
Stephen Murray - Uncle Henry
Wylie Watson - Mr. Josser
Susan Shaw - Doris Josser
Joyce Carey - Mrs. Vizzard
Ivy St. Helier - Connie Coke
Andrew Crawford - Bill
Hugh Griffith - Headlam Fynne
Eleanor Summerfield - The Blonde
Gladys Henson - Mrs. Boon
Maurice Denham - Jack Rufus

Plot Synopsis

A postwar comedy-drama about a group of ordinary residents in a rundown south London boarding house, whose sleepy life is punctured by the entrance of an exuberant young man Percy Boon (Richard Attenborough), and an elderly charlatan physic Mr. Squales (Alastair Sim). Aiming to prove to a young female Doris (Susan Shaw) that he has money, young garage mechanic Percy begins working on stolen vehicles to finance his social life and impress the girl of his dreams. One night Percy steals a car and uses it to drive his ex-girlfriend Myrna (Eleanor Summerfield) home, during the journey he passes a police checkpoint without stopping, his ex-girlfriend realises the car must be stolen and a fight ensues; resulting in her accidentally falling out of the car through a faulty door and being killed.

Bill (Andrew Crawford), a detective who met Doris during a night-club raid, is now dating her and becomes suspicious of Percy, so much so that he has him charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend. The residents of Mrs. Josser’s (Fay Compton) boarding house rally to his defence, Mr. Josser (Wylie Watson) even employing a solicitor to defend Percy. Next they begin a petition, and stage a march to call for Percy’s release from jail.