Last of the Blonde Bombshells, The

Date: 2000
Director: Gillies MacKinnon
Production Company: HBO Films, British Broadcasting Corporation, Universal TV

Stars: Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Cleo Laine, Leslie Caron, Joan Sims, Billie Whitelaw, June Whitfield
Location(s): Aberdeenshire (Scotland), East Sussex, London

Region(s): , , ,

Storyline:

After her husband’s death, a widow tries to reassemble an all-girl swing band in which she played during World War II. JT

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by John Tunstill

 

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Cemetery. Good sized mausoleum rear left. Neil Rigby doesn't just restrict himself to streets, he even ventures into cemeteries if he has to, via YouTube. He has proven this to be Putney Vale cemetery, London SW15 3DZ (RL)

Peter Bywaters took a trip to the cemetery. (SJ)

Mausoleum and weeping lady on right. Putney Vale Cemetery, Stag Lane, London SW15 3DZ found by Neil. (RL)

Peter found the monuments intact. (SJ)

......and a Celtic cross. Putney Vale Cemetery, Stag Lane, London SW15 3DZ found by Neil. (RL)

Peter found that the Celtic cross is still there. (SJ)

.... and another fine monument. Putney Vale Cemetery, Stag Lane, London SW15 3DZ found by Neil. (RL)

Even the tree at the left looks a match. A final one from Peter. (SJ)

St Martins in the Fields, National Gallery on the left.

A similar up to date shot from Peter. (RL)

And inside the National Gallery is an ice-rink. Changed a bit since I was there! Not really, because this, ltbb007, ltbb008 and ltbb023 is Broadgate, 12 Exchange Square, London EC2 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Peter found the place.

....with a gallery for afternoon tea.

"Maybe the same corner" says Peter "But probably at a different level where access is not avaiiable when the Chinese restaurant is closed".

....and a gallery of shops. Perhaps this is where the trustees of the Nat. Gal. are flogging off our heritage...or could it just be somewhere else? Indeed it could, Broadgate, 12 Exchange Square, London EC2 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Taken from an elevated position looking over the circus. SJ

A church across the road? Opposite the pub/hotel in the next pic.

We are still not sure what it is but it is opposite the Crocker's Folly public house in Aberdeen Place, London NW8 says Neil Rigby. Revealed in ltbb010, 011 and 013 I knew the Google shot needed replacing as I passed but couldn't remember the other shots required. (RL)

.....the pub or hotel. A pub, Grade ll listed, called the Croker's Folly, 24 Aberdeen Place, London NW8 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Confirming Neil's identification but the planters do rather dominate the shot now. (RL)

Better view, which I am sure would have been of help to Neil. (RL)

I am not so sure now! (RL)

....another meeting with Sally Anne. This time at the Brunswick Shopping centre, Bloomsbury, London WC1 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Another of Peter's comparison shots.

....just one more time, to make sure. Thanks, Neil is now quite sure. (RL)

The background is visible through the "undergrowth". (RL)

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Arriving home. The junction of Lynton Road and Camilla Road, London SE16 (opposite ltbb015) says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Home sweet home. Church next door?

Neil Rigby narrowed it down with the help of Google to Lynton Road opposite Camilla Road, London SE16. (Opposite ltbb014) The church was St. Augustine's Parish Church, now converted into flats. (RL)

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Elephant and Rhino Pavilion at the Zoo, London Zoo?

Going into the tunnel, Blackwall, Mersey or another.

Yes, another, Rotherhithe Tunnel, London SE16, spotted by Neil Rigby who supports with the aid of Google Earth. (RL)

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The script suggests a prison, but perhaps just an industrial estate.

An old cinema identified by Peter as "The Cinema" or the Gaumont at 55 Pitfield Street in Hoxton N1. Closed as a cinema in 1956, the façade was meant to be saved but was demolished in 2016. Graham Kelly updates us that the Curzon cinema has since been rebuilt with faithful replica of the original façade and is now showing films again after reopened in 2021.

The scene "After developers realised it couldn’t be brought back to its former glory" captured by Peter.

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Could this be Bloomsbury in London? Well yes it could, Brunswick Shopping Centre, Bloomsbury London WC1 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

Well, could it? Yes, says Neil, actually it is the Brunswick Shopping Centre in Bloomsbury. (RL)

But Peter provides this image . . . . featuring the only plant that he could find!

Sally Anne and trombone. Neil spots the Territorial Army building in the background, Handel Street by the Brunswick Centre, London WC1 (RL)

Looking north from the elevated walkway of the Brunswick centre. SJ

Somewhere poshish. Sort of, Broadgate, 12 Exchange Square, London EC2 says Neil Rigby. (RL)

And Peter provides the proof.

Seaside, Hastings. A few other films were made here, as our search facility shows.

Now. Viewed from Hastings Pier. SD

Could this also be Hastings?

The same section of Hastings Pier now. Reconstructed after the fire in 2010. SD

Hastings? from the pier.

Hastings from the pier now. SD

Back in Bloomsbury? Yes says Neil looking down Handel Street with Marchmont Street in the background.Some recent development and an altered staircase. (RL)

The steps and walkways have been rebuilt but the arched doorway on Marchmont Street is still there in this picture from Peter.

......or is it somewhere else all together? No, same as ltbb029 (RL)

And Peter confirms it from behind railings.

Panning right. So it has to be Handel Street with the TA building in the background, thanks Neil. (RL)

Peter comments that this isn't quite the correct angle. "Needs another visit in the Autumn when the foliage dies down".

Nice house.

Neil Rigby found this "nice house" in Home Park Road, Wimbledon, SW19 in October 2016. This replaces his Google shot and was taken by Peter Bywaters. (SJ)

Nice street.

Peter B. took this across Home Park Road. (SJ)

Nice car.

Unusually car-free. A third shot from Peter who observes that many of the properties on this road have been razed and rebuilt, including the house next door to the left. (SJ)

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At last, a definitive location. Craigievar Castle, Kintocher, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to imdb.

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Font door of said castle.

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Garden wall, same place.

And even I got this one!

So did Peter! (RL)

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A school, or a housing estate posing as a school... Steve Randall has found Battersea County School, 101 Culvert Road, SW11.