Gentle Sex, The
Date: 1943
Director: Leslie Howard and Maurice Elvey
Production Company: Two Cities Films, Concanen Productions, Derrick De Marney
Stars: Joan Gates, Jean Gillie, Joan Greenwood, Joyce Howard, Rosamund John, Lilli Palmer, Ronald Shiner
Location(s): Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cumberland, London
Region(s): London E-G, North, South East E-L
Storyline:
The stories of seven British girls who decide to ‘do their bit’ and help out during World War II.
Additional Information:
Jimmy Snow, special effects technician, for whom we have a fulsome summary of his career written by his granddaughter Brigitte, together with her memories of him, worked on this film. All that she has shared with us can be read here.
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We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 'Now' required
A studio set . . . Victoria Station, London? No says Steve Boulding . . . this depicts Waterloo and adds "Firstly, there's the famous four-sided clock, as seen in John Schlesinger's 'Terminus', and many other productions, but also, more interestingly, there's a couple of frames four or five minutes from the start of the film which show the train destination board above the platform gate reading "Weybridge, Woking, Reading and Basingstoke", which indicates the South Western division of the Southern Railway, of which Waterloo is the London terminus."
- Capture 2
- 'Now' required
The sign says Southern Railway . . . provided by the props department.
- Capture 3
- 15 Apr 2021
Tree lined road, can't be too many of those in the UK. But, there is a clock tower at the far end. Contributor Andy Hunt makes a convincing case that this location appears to be in Dunstable, Bedfordshire on High Street South, looking Northwards towards the High Street North. In the distance is the tower of the Old Town Hall (which was demolished in 1966).
Andy Hunt also provides a good clear updated location image.
- Capture 4
- 31 May 2017
And a level crossing. Not many of them either in UK some seventy years ago. Location, humph, dead easy! This and the next capture are, I am told, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, William Shelford tells us.
Lionel and Cynthia Sear found that there was nothing much to match with the original but found an account of a terrible crossing accident in the 1920s and a picture taken at the time shows the building on the left of the film capture. (RL)
- Capture 5
- 31 May 2017
Same crossing, a bit closer.
A "now" from Lionel and Cynthia showing the changes. (RL)
- Capture 6
- 26 Apr 2015
Nice steel bridge. Di Davies identifies this as the railway bridge at Chalvey in Slough, then in Buckinghamshire, on the line from Slough to Windsor.
Di supports with a photo that she took some three to four years ago. The central height is still 13' 6" or now, 4.0m and (RL)
- Capture 7
- 22 Apr 2021
War memorial and a church spire, dead giveaway? Linslade, Buckinghamshire, the junction of Old Road, Leighton Road and Wing Road. The War Memorial was moved to its current location, Mentmore Road, Linslade in 1955 due to increasing levels of traffic at the junction.
Replacing an earlier Google image, Antony Blair visited the same location to grab this view with All Saints Church spire in the centre of the shot.
- Capture 8
- 31 May 2017
A road junction. Mmmmmm? ... This is Linslade, west of Leighton Buzzard, looking the other way from the previous image. Detail from William S.
Taken by Lionel and Cynthia from the traffic island that replaced the war memorial. Here looking left, away from Leighton Buzzard towards Linslade. (RL)
- Capture 9
- 31 May 2017
Hump-backed bridge and three chimneys, but where? This is the bridge over the canal on B488 from Leighton Buzzard to Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire (looking south). Absolutely spot on. William again with thanks.
Lionel and Cynthia have been under this bridge many times during their canal holidays and over it quite a few. It is bridge No. 123 in the canal numbering system. (RL)
- Capture 10
- 30 Apr 2018
Thurnam's? Library? far right and a statue of a local, and probably long forgotten, dignitary, middle left. Lionel and Cynthia Sear have provided the location, Market Place in Carlisle, Cumberland supported by an old postcard showing the dignitary and Thurnam's. Ferret advises that Thurnam's is now "Paperchase". (RL)
Lionel and Cynthia go one step further and provide a shot of their own to support their identification. (RL)