Sylvia

Date: 2003
Director: Christine Jeffs
Production Company: BBC Films

Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Graig, Lucy Davenport, Jared Harris
Location(s): Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, London, New Zealand

Region(s): , , ,

Storyline:

Sylvia Plath falls in love with Ted Hughes along with plentiful poetry and heartbreak. SJ

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Paltrow cycling in Cambridge.

Trinity Lane looking towards Trinity Street. A similar cycling scene was seen also in the opening of The Theory of Everything. SJ

Trinity Lane to be precise.

Oddly this is further east away from her cycling direction. SJ

Arriving at the end of Trinity Lane at Clare.

A less summery scene. SJ

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Now we are at St John's further north.

And again.

New Court, St John's College, Cambridge looking through to the 'Backs'. Adrian Wild.

Punting on the Cam.

Clare College Bridge. Also seen in Nothing But the Best. SJ

Craig punts while Paltrow serenades cows with Clare College and King's College chapel in the background.

Now. SJ

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London?

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Nice big church. Craig and Paltrow wed. St Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin, New Zealand. (SR)

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Set in Massachusetts as Paltrow takes Craig home to meet Blythe Danner but could have been filmed elsewhere... Queen St, Dunedin, NZ filmed in the very chilly summer of January 2003, soon after Gwyneth's father Bruce's death, prompting Chris Martin to pen "Fix You" while they stayed at the then boutique hotel Corstophine House. This house was chosen for its Massachusetts look. Recently used as a bed and breakfast, follow this link: http://dunedin.ljhooker.co.nz/26J8GDS/504-queens-drive-belleknowes, with thanks to Kerrie Fenton

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Maybe New Zealand... Yes thanks to our NZ correspondent Kerrie who knows that this is Karitane New Zealand (about half an hour drive north of the city), a location to represent Cape Cod. Property was up for sale again and has recently sold again. https://www.edinburghrealty.co.nz/listing/DO10544

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And this beach could be NZ. Kerrie says Karitane.

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Another view of Karitane Beach.

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And this is definitely the University of Otago, Dunedin, which is why the above could also be New Zealand. Kerrie agrees with more detail with the building on the left being the music department building. Other scenes shot around the Geology building.

Back in London probably ... and in record time, under 24 hours, confirmed as definite by Greg, well done.

No. 10 (the dark blue door) and no. 11 (the red door) Wharton Street, Pentonville, WC1X 9PX. Looking north/northwest. Discovered by Greg Mishevski (13/10/2011): google shot now replaced by SJ

This sequence is set in Devon, so this could be the real thing.

Hilary Jackson recognised this from her dog walks. It’s actually on Bodmin Moor, not far off the A30, the St Breward turning. So not Devon but Cornwall. SJ

An inlet. Now looking more like the several possibilities in Cornwall.

Lionel Sear did the honours with this picture of Port Gaverne on the North Cornwall Coast immediately to the east of Port Isaac where the Doc Martin series was filmed.

Reverse pov of above with Paltrow. Cornwall or Devon... we now know Cornwall.

Looking inland from the beach at Port Gaverne. Image by Lionel Sear.

Another view of the beach.

Port Gaverne west side. Confirmation by Lionel Sear.

Paltrow going suicidal in fonrt of the maybe definitely Islington London houses seen above in 015.

The corner of Granville Street and Wharton Street, looking northwest towards nos. 10/11 (red door) Wharton Street, Pentonville, WC1X 9PX. Discovered by Greg Mishevski. Google now replaced by SJ