London Belongs to Me

London Belongs to Me
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sidney Gilliat
Produced by	Sidney Gilliat Frank Launder J. Arthur Rank (Executive Producer)
Written by	Sidney Gilliat J. B. Williams Norman Collins (novel)
Starring	Richard Attenborough Alastair Sim Wylie Watson Joyce Carey Fay Compton Stephen Murray Susan Shaw
Music by	Benjamin Frankel
Cinematography	Wilkie Cooper
Editing by	Thelma Myers
Release date(s)	1948
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

London Belongs to Me (also known as Dulcimer Street) 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.

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 Compton 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.

Production

The film was shot at Pinewood Studios. 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.

Cast

Richard Attenborough as Percy Boon Alastair Sim as Mr. Squales Fay Compton as Mrs. Josser Stephen Murray as Uncle Henry Wylie Watson as Mr. Josser Susan Shaw as Doris Josser Joyce Carey as Mrs. Vizzard Ivy St. Helier as Connie Coke Andrew Crawford as Bill Hugh Griffith as Headlam Fynne Eleanor Summerfield as The Blonde Gladys Henson as Mrs. Boon Maurice Denham as Jack Rufus Ivor Barnard as Mr. Justice Plymme Cecil Trouncer as Mr. Henry Wassall Arthur Howard as Mr. Chinkwell

John Salew as Mr. Barks Cyril Chamberlain as Detective Sergeant Wilson Aubrey Dexter as Mr. Battlebury Jack McNaughton as Jimmy Henry Hewitt as Verriter Fabia Drake as Mrs. Jan Byl Sydney Tafler as Nightclub Receptionist Henry Edwards as Police Superintendent George Cross as Inspector Cartwright Edward Evans as Detective Sergeant Taylor Russell Waters as Clerk of the Court Kenneth Downey as Mr. Veezey Blaize K.C Basil Cunard as Foreman of the Jury Wensley Pithey as First Warden Manville Tarrant as Second Warden

External links

• London Belongs to Me at the Internet Movie Database
• BFI article and resources on the film
• Seamas Duffy's article on the London Fictions site about the novel on which the film was based