No Love for Johnnie – Captures 20 & 33

Christopher Matheson believes these two Captures to be elaborate studio sets.

“In the No. 20 scene the set displays that ‘eerie’ studio lighting and every so often a sort of ‘cut out’ bus and car travels along Westminster Bridge in the distance with no pedestrians in sight. No. 33 is the set again, with eerie lighting, and clearly not the real riverside terrace with the cut out traffic appearing again.

Sadly, when the film’s producer Betty E. Box wrote ‘Lifting the Lid’, 2000, she mentioned this film but didn’t say quite the bit we want: ‘We built exact replicas of the House of Commons Chamber and the Cabinet Room on the stages at Pinewood.’ Pages 212-13. They must have build the terrace too but she doesn’t mention it. Also they wouldn’t have been allowed to film on the actual terrace, of that I’m certain.”

It has taken over five years for positive support to Christopher’s view to come to our attention……but we did agree with him! Nearing the end of 2023 Brigitte Grundy brings to our attention an article in The Sphere of 28th January 1961 that is both interesting itself and irrefutable confirmation that Christopher was absolutely correct.

We have gained the agreement of the copyright holder(s) to reproduce the article here: