London Belongs to Me

Plot

The film concerns the residents of a large terrace house in London between Christmas 1938 and September 1939. Among them are the landlady, Mrs Vizzard (played by Joyce Carey), who is a widow and a believer in spiritualism; Mrs Josser (Fay Compton), Mr Josser (Wylie Watson) and their teenage daughter (Susan Shaw); the eccentric spiritualist medium Mr Squales (Sim); the colourful Connie Coke (Ivy St. Helier); and the young motor mechanic Percy Boon (Attenborough) and his mother (Gladys Henson).

Percy is in love with the Jossers' daughter and turns to crime to raise money to impress her with, but he bungles a car theft and finds himself accused of murder. Mr Josser digs into his retirement fund to hire the boy a lawyer. Mr Squales testifies against Percy, but in the process exposes to his fiancée Mrs Vizzard the fakeness of his claims to be able to contact the dead and to predict the future.

Percy is found guilty, but his neighbours rally to his defence. With the assistance of Mr Josser's staunchly socialist Uncle Henry (Stephen Murray) they gather thousands of signatures on 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.

The film includes the first screen appearance of Arthur Lowe, who makes a brief and uncredited appearance as a commuter on a train.

Patricia Roc was originally cast in the female lead, but pulled out because she did not want to keep playing cockney roles. She was replaced by Susan Shaw.

Reception

Trade papers called the film a "notable box office attraction" in British cinemas in 1948.

Television series

The novel was also adapted for Thames Television as a series, broadcast in seven one-hour episodes from 6 September to 18 October 1977. The cast included Derek Farr as Mr Josser, Madge Ryan as Mrs Vizzard and Patricia Hayes as Connie Coke.