Trent’s Last Case

White Gables in Hampshire, home of wealthy businessman Sigsbee Manderson.

The camera moves to find gardener's boy Horace Evans (Kenneth Williams) trimming the lawn before he turns and spots Sigsbee’s body nearby.

A series of stock shots depict various European cities where newspapers carry headlines about Sigsbee’s death. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France seen from Palais de Chaillot on Place du Trocadéro.

Prinsengracht in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with Noorkirk in the right of centre distance and the spires of Posthoornkerk church on Haarlemmerstraat to the top right.

The news is in Italian and Manuel Gurtner identifies this as Rome's Piazza della Repubblica with the Fontana delle Naiadi in the centre of the square.

Stockholm in Sweden with the Parliament House in the left background, City Hall in the centre distance and Strömbron crossing Norrström to the bottom left.

Unable to replicate the height, Nick Boorman took this view with help from his son Austin which shows that there have been a lot of changes in the intervening 70 years.

In London, The Recorder's editor Sir James Molloy dictates the story. Fleet Street in EC4 with Ludgate Hill and St. Paul’s Cathedral in the distance. Similar views appear in many productions including 'Stop Press Girl', 'Strange Bedfellows' and 'Brothers in Law'.

A rare view as a block on the right has disappeared to be rebuilt. SJ

Given his assignment, Phillip Trent (Michael Wilding) arrives at Sigsbee Manderson's estate.

Trent pauses when he sees a crowd of Journalists at the closed gates where a Police Officer was preventing admittance.

Posing as Mrs. Manderson's brother, Trent gains access to the estate where he finds Burton Cupples (Miles Malleson) at the spot where Sigsbee’s corpse was discovered.

The inquest into the Manderson's death takes place. London Street in Chertsey, Surrey with the Town Hall to the right, the Crown Hotel next door and the tower of St. Peter’s church in the centre background.

A very similar view captured by Nick Boorman.

Outside the Coroner's Court the family's Rolls Royce comes to a stand. Outside the Town Hall in Chertsey, Surrey. The location features in ‘The First Men in the Moon’ as well as 'The Story of Shirley Yorke'.

Nick Boorman's shot reveals several safety features installed at the Town Hall to accommodate patrons at the restaurant that the building has become.

John Marlowe (John McCallum) helps widow Margaret Manderson (Margaret Lockwood) from the car. Looking out from the Town Hall towards buildings on the south side of London Street in Chertsey, Surrey.

John Harwood took this from the town hall... A bit tricky to find a match here. (SJ)

Following the verdict of suicide, Trent returns to White Gables.

Hearing Mozart being played, Trent enters the building to find Mrs. Manderson at the piano.

After speaking with Mr. Cupples, Trent makes his way back to his hotel. Church Square in Shepperton, Middlesex with the King’s Head public house on the right.

Nick Boorman found that changes have occurred over the last seventy years.

The camera follows the reporter into the building. Church Square with St. Nicholas’ church in the left background.

A clearer view of the scene as it appears now by Nick Boorman.

In his room, Trent types up his suspicions in a message to Molloy. The entrance to the Anchor Hotel in Church Square, Shepperton. The square and the hotel appear a number of times in other productions including 'Mysterious Island', 'The Set Up', 'The Dog Outwits the Kidnappers', 'Paul Temple's Triumph', 'Paul Temple Returns' and 'Glad Tidings'.

Nick Boorman found that the carvings on the pillars have gone.

Trent leaves White Gables after handing his report to Mrs. Manderson.

Burton Cupples and Margaret Manderson attend a Grand Charity Concert at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

Paul Lincoln took himself off to Bow Street, London WC2 to capture this shot of the Opera House some 70 years on. (RL)

Meeting Mrs. Manderson during the concert, Trent drives her home.