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Reviews
Danger by My Side (1962)
An easy time filler with now historic settings.
It makes me wonder what some reviewers expect from the films they
comment on. Bear in mind the eras in which the films were made before damning them for simplicity of plots, locations, props. And why they were made. Just as now, they were made to make money, and to
put bums on seats while taking people's minds away from the 'drab, weary lives' they were living.
I've just watched it again on Talking Pictures TV. Having lived in west London, I was reminded of some of the places I knew. The boat was
by the Thames, at the old brick arch Walton bridge with the Bailey bridge duplicate beside it. Now both replaced by a single span reinforced concrete bridge.
Those who can, make films. Those who can't, review them.
Mystery at Monstein (1954)
Vintage transport scenes.
I have just watched this concise murder story on the UK TV channel Talking Pictures TV, which specialises in old films and TV series.
Mystery at Monstein includes footage of a single horse four-wheel carriage, a 'crocodile' electric locomotive hauling a local train, and a Series One Land Rover - with brief shots of a funicular railway. A nice collection of material for the transport enthusiast.
The Halfway House (1944)
Railway scenes.
The station where the travellers arrive by train is East Anstey, in north Devon. In the film it has the name Ynyscgwyn (if my reading of the station nameboard is correct), and is the junction station for Cwmbach - which station is not seen because the branch line train has already left. The shot of the signal dropping to the off position - when the train leaves East Anstey/Ynyscgwyn - was one of two very similar bracket signals at Tiverton Junction, just a few miles away.
Bond of Fear (1956)
A typical example of a British film of the 1950s.
As a Series Land Rover enthusiast, a railway enthusiast and someone who lived and worked in west London and Kent, and now living in Bournemouth, there were so many connections I made with this film. The film location website Reelstreets has info on Bond of Fear.
The shot of the steam hauled train taking John Sewell and his workmate home was a stock shot, on the Western Region of British Railways. Then came the Southern Region electric train that the two men and Dewar arrived home on.
The double decker bus has no company name on its side; only "Smith's" in flowing script on the back. The destination "Dudley Depot" and the route "5B" look painted on. Was the bus owned by the film company as a prop? Does it appear in other films?
The train at the level crossing is hauled by an ex-Southern Railway Maunsell U class 2-6-0 piloting an ex-LSWR Drummond T9 'Greyhound' 4-4-0. Possibly Surrey or even Hampshire.
The full tilt Series One Land Rover with the front folded back reminded me of my army days in Aden. Correctly removing the driver's seat cushion to open the fuel tank to fill it unnecessarily with the petrol the police motorcycle escort had brought from a garage was so correct. No steering lock ignition keys in those days. The NRT registration was from East Suffolk
The supposed blow-out was not supported by the still inflated offside front tyre, but never mind. And lifting the spare off the bonnet was so familiar.
The Fairholme model of caravan was almost certainly one of the Bluebird range, built in Bournemouth for many years. Photos of similar looking caravans by Bluebird can be seen on Flickr, etc.
One curiosity is the Northern Ireland registered car - IZ 5999 - standing beside the police Austin Cambridge at the Dover ferry terminal. Its front end has similarities with the Willys Jeep. Did someone take a Jeep and build a station wagon version? The 5999 number stands out.
All in all, a good simply made film with tension point after tension point. My childhood family caravan holidays were never so exciting. We did have a blow-out once, on the caravan, not on the Rover 105. A typical example of a British film of the 1950s.