Big Gamble,The

The titles appear over this view from a ship making its way along the River Liffey as it flows through Dublin. To the left is Sir John Rogerson's Quay with a gas holder belonging to the Alliance & Dublin Gasworks on Hanover Quay dominating the scene. The quay can also be seen in 'Rooney', 'Another Shore', 'Ulysses', 'Tim Driscoll's Donkey', 'The Quare Fellow' and 'Meet Simon Cherry'.

A much changed landscape!! Taken from the East Link Bridge by Pat Cleary.

City Quay is passed, looked over by the spire of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The ship prepares to dock. Custom House Quay in Dublin 1 with the Custom House to the right. The location appears in ‘The Quare Fellow’, 'Girl with Green Eyes', ‘Flight of the Doves’ and ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’.

Ropes secure the ship to its moorings as the passengers prepare to disembark. Custom House Quay in Dublin 1.

A change of picture ratio signals the end of the titles for this cropped version of a CinemaScope production. Custom House Quay with the Loopline Bridge carrying the railway south from Amiens Street station to Westland Row station crossing the top of the capture.

As she looks ashore for her husband, Marie Brennan (Juliette Gréco) is asked if she has anything to declare. Looking across the Liffey towards the gas holder of the Alliance & Dublin's works.

Seeing Vic on the quayside, Marie calls and waves. In the background stand buildings on George's Quay.

Victor Brennan (Stephen Boyd) pins a flower on his new wife's top to celebrate the arrival of the bride. Custom House Quay with the Loopline Bridge crossing to the top.

The couple catch a bus to Vic's family home. Winetavern Street in Dublin 8 with Christ Church Cathedral in the distance. The other end of the street is seen in 'Dublin Nightmare' and 'Johnny Nobody'.

As the bus turns, O'Meara's Irish House comes into view at the corner of Winetavern Street and Wood Quay. Aslo seen in 'Another Shore', The bar was dismantled in 1968, three years after appearing in 'Ulysses', and the site is now occupied by Dublin City Council’s offices . . . . .

. . . . as Tony Hanna's modern shot shows.

Looking along Wood Quay with O'Donovan Rossa Bridge crossing the River Liffey in the left foreground and Grattan Bridge Bridge further downstream.

The number 50A to Drimnagh approaches Vic and Marie's stop. Pat Cleary advises that this is Old Kilmainham in the Mount Brown area of Dublin where . . . .

. . . . the buildings on the left hand side of the street have since been demolished and replaced.

In a shot restored to the correct ratio, the couple alight from the bus and Vic points out "the ancestral home".

Vic and Marie cross to the dilapidated house where they hope Aunt Cathleen and the family will agree to loan them the money to start a haulage business in Africa. Old Kilmainham, Dublin 8 located by Pat Cleary.

Pat Cleary took this shot of where the 'ancestral home' once stood.

A Ford Anglia judders around a corner as Marie takes a driving lesson. Old Kilmainham with Auburn Terrace to the right identified by Pat Cleary.

Despite the demolitions and rebuilds along the street, in Pat's view Auburn Terrace to the right is still standing firm.

Marie begins her heavy goods vehicle lessons. Essex Gate in Dublin 2 at the junction with Exchange Street Lower to the left and Exchange Street Upper to the right. The junction is also seen in ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace’.

Pat Cleary found that the area is much quieter on a Summer Sunday morning.

Taking Samuel Brennan along to protect the family's investment, Vic and Marie say farewell to Aunt Cathleen and the rest of the Brennans.

Vic tells Marie to touch their lorry for luck.

The voyage to Africa begins. The freighter is passing Sir John Rogerson's Quay and the gasometer seen earlier.

In their pirogues, locals row out to meet the freighter when it drops anchor off the Ivory Coast. Using Manuel Gurtner's identification of the pier in the next capture, this is Sassandra, a town in the Gbôklé Region of southern Ivory Coast.

After the lorry is unloaded onto a large boat, Vic and Marie are rowed ashore. Manuel is certain that this is Sassandra Wharf, built in 1951, in the western part of the Ivory Coast. The iron pier with its four steam driven cranes and twin track narrow gauge railway was the main harbour until the Autonomous Port of Abidjan was opened.

The camera moves with the pirogue as it reaches the beach. Manuel Gurtner is sure that in the background stands Sassandra Wharf, Grand Quai, at the mouth of the Sassandra River in the Ivory Coast.

Watched by Marie, Vic storms from the Customs Office after finding out that Samuel dropped the lorry's import papers into the sea. Manuel Gurtner advises that this scene is filmed at Ancien Bassam, the former French administration district of the harbour town Grand-Bassam, lying about 40 kilometers east of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Guards take care of the impound Crossley truck.

The three dismayed adventurers enter the hotel where they find François, an old friend of Marie's who can help release the lorry. Still in the Ancien Bassam district of Grand-Bassam, Manuel found that it seems the then already abandoned "Palais Trianon" still exists, but has completely decayed over the intervening years, like the most of the properties.

Looking out from the hotel window the following morning, Vic is overjoyed to see Samuel Brennan (David Wayne) chasing children away from the truck.

With the three sitting abreast in the cab, the Crossley begins the arduous journey to Jebanda.

Customers make purchases in a market as the truck leaves the port.

In high spirits and singing as they go, the Brennans cross a river bridge. Manuel Gurtner explain "More precisely the lorry approaches the southern end of the Pont Général Weygand, completed in 1947, across the Sassandra river at Gaoulou.

The pace slows down as the lorry carefully passes along a narrow road through a small village.

A reverse point of view sees the Crossley leave the village.

A break is taken on the coast.

Negotiating mountainous roads, the journey continues.

Wreckage at the foot of cliffs serves as a reminder of how dangerous the trail is.

Vic brings the truck to a halt as the treacherous road ends.

Managing to return to the plains and becoming lost, the Brennans encounter the rum drinking Kaltenberg (Gregory Ratoff) who takes them to a village where they may find a guide.

After dismissing the dishonest drunkard, Vic picks a way across a rapidly rising mountain river. This is the Ardèche River in the now defunct Rhône-Alpes region of France.

Leaving dangers behind them, Marie takes over driving and begins to sing.

The lorry speeds up as the brakes fail to operate on a downhill section of road.

Escaping from the overturned truck, Vic, Marie and Samuel walk the last three kilometers into Jebanda.