Rough Cut

An anniversary party is in progress at a large house. West Wycombe Park, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Also seen in 'The Hippopotamus'.

Today's daytime view.

Jack Rhodes, (Burt Reynolds) scales the walls of the building to find Gillian Bromley stealing diamond jewelry. This doesn't match the architecture of West Wycombe... The rear of Heatherden Hall (SJ)

Gillian is acting under the direction of Chief Inspector Willis who knows Jack is a diamond thief and wants to catch him in the act. New Scotland Yard, 10 Broadway SW1, now demolished. Also seen in several other films including ‘Columbo: Dagger of the Mind’, 'Frenzy', ‘The File of the Golden Goose’, ‘Don’t Open till Christmas’ and ‘Hennessy’.

Paul Lincoln was faced with a dilemma given the changing profiles and angles that redevelopment had presented to him but he seems to have handled it very well. (RL)

The camera pans upward. New Scotland Yard on Broadway SW1.

So as in the film, Paul panned up. (RL)

Meeting at a pub, Gillian (Lesley-Anne Down) feeds Jack with information about a diamond shipment. The Bedford Arms in Chenies, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

Antony Blair took this view 44 years later which shows no room for cars today with all that alfresco seating on the forecourt.

As the couple speed away, through the windscreen we see the courtyard of Pednor House, Chartridge in Buckinghamshire.

The walls and gatepiers at Pednor House.

As police chase the speeding couple, they pass over an unidentified bridge. Not unidentified for long, as both Michael Lost and Alan Bourke recognised the bridge over the River Chess on Stony Lane, Latimer, Buckinghamshire. Stony Lane also features in 'Postman's Knock' and the bridge in 'How to Murder a Rich Uncle'.

Malcolm Tinnelly took a slight diversion from an afternoon walk to capture the scene today. He adds that The traffic direction priority sign is no longer there and fencing/foliage has altered a bit, but the bridge structure remains much the same.

Jack and Gillian pull off the road to hide. This is the entrance to what is now the Latimer Park trading estate on Latimer Road between Chenies and Chesham, Buckinghamshire, found independently by Michael Lost and Alan Bourke. Latimer House, which also appears in 'A Yank in Ermine', can be seen on the hill behind.

Rubbish is dumped over the car to conceal it. Michael and Alan confirmed that this is now inside Latimer Park trading estate.

The couple make their escape. Latimer Park again. Michael and Alan both provided Street View confirmations of the locations. Thanks to both.

Jack drives Gillian home and says goodnight. Christ Church Cottage, Kynance Mews, Kensington SW7. The Mews also features in 'The Black Windmill', 'Crooks Anonymous', 'Twinky', 'Scandalous' and 'The Big Sleep'.

Paul Lincoln made his first visit to Kynance Mews and was duly impressed...a 'pied a terre' perhaps? (RL)

Jack and Gillian dine at a roadside restaurant. Location as yet unidentified.

A view down the street as the waiter serves the food, could provide a second chance at identification.

Back at New Scotland Yard Gillian receives further instructions. Text on the pillar confirms the location.

All that courtyard has been built on and the background has changed too but at least the trees gave Paul a point of consistency. (RL)

Gillian exits the car across the road from her house. 29 Kynance Mews SW7.

Paul had to do battle with foliage and lost, avoid trespass, that he did, to settle on an angle for this shot. He should have been grateful that he wasn't having to park that car now. A further complication was that the house in the original capture is presently no. 31. To the left of it is no. 30 and to the left of that, further down, is no. 28! So there is now no number 29, it looks as though no. 28 has bought it and incorporated it into one house. (RL)

The couple take a trip to watch tennis at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon SW19. A similar view appears in 'Nobody Runs Forever'.

The view looking back at the Centre Court entrance at The All England Club in Wimbledon.

John Harwood was quick off the mark here, discovering that a guided tour was £125 so he took this from the road. (SJ)

Jack and Gillian exit Wimbledon through a crowd of people. These gates can also be seen in 'Nobody Runs Forever'

Jack and Gillian walk in West Wycombe Park, passing the double arched south bridge.

Today's view, slightly off-angle to show the bridge, as the trees have spread.

Jack eventually gets invited in to Gillian's place. Kynance Mews SW7.

Horticulture abounds in this comparative shot from Paul. (RL)

The plan gets underway. Jack meets up with ex-Luftwaffe pilot Ernst at Osthofen airport - in fact Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, Surrey.

Jack meets up with Gillian in Paris. Casino de Paris,16, Rue de Clichy, in the 9th arrondissement

Boulevard de Clichy, facing west with Le Chat Noir Pigalle restaurant in centre frame.

The Moulin Rouge. 82, Boulevard de Clichy 75018 Paris.

The action moves to Amsterdam, with a shot of a canal bridge. Lijnbaansbrug, Amsterdam.

Mathieu Prinz captures the scene today. He adds "The name of the bridge is called this way because it’s an extension of the alley Lijnbaanssteeg. It’s also the intersection of the canal Singel, prominent in the picture, and the smaller canal Blauwburgwal."

A street in the red-light district, actually a set created in Amsterdam.

Chief Inspector Willis awaits developments from his home, Antony Blair confirms this as 2 Pinewood Close, Iver, Buckinghamshire.

Today the property is up for sale. (SR)

Jack and Gillian meet their accomplice Nigel (Timothy West). Blackbushe Airport, Surrey.

Jack and Gillian head for a Dutch windmill to await the shipment of stolen diamonds. Unidentified location.

Accomplices Ernst (Patrick McGee) and Ferguson (Al Matthews) kit out a plane to transport fake diamonds to Antwerp. Blackbushe Airport.

Nigel leaves home to join in the fun. Albany Mansions, Albert Bridge Road SW11.

This is the entrance to 64-70 Albany Mansions with, to the left, an unusual rectangular blue plaque to the writer Norman Douglas who lived at no63. SJ

Panning right as Nigel drives away. The intersection of Albert Bridge Road and Parkgate Road, in Wandsworth SW11, facing the Prince Albert pub.

The telephone kiosk has gone but the pub remains for the time being. SJ

The diamonds start their journey bound for Antwerp. Bush House, 30 Aldwych WC2.

Best I could manage with a zoom through the gates on Strand. SJ

Chief Inspector Willis (David Niven) watches the loading of the Securicor van. Bush House, 30 Aldwych WC2.

Not quite as busy. Once home to the BBC, this Grade II* building has been taken over by the Strand campus of King's College. SJ

The van drives off. Bush House, 30 Aldwych WC2.

The firmly shut gates on the west side of Bush House on Strand. SJ

Jack and Gillian emerge from their Dutch windmill hideaway. Unknown location.

A plane is readied to transport the diamonds. Luton Airport, Bedfordshire. The label on the left hand hangar reads McAlpin.

The diamonds arrive ready to be loaded for their flight. Luton Airport.

The convoy is waved through security. Luton Airport.

Jack and Gillian drive towards Schiphol Airport. Unidentified location.

Preparations are made to receive the diamonds at Antwerp. In reality, the west wing of Somerset House, Strand WC2.

Paul Lincoln found no banner to spoil his sky view. (RL)

Ground level at Somerset House.

Paul could not avoid capturing the waste bins through the open gates. (RL)

Jack and Gillian race to get to Schiphol. Rondehoep Polder, south of Ouderkerk on the River Amstel.

The gang has redirected the diamonds' flight to Amsterdam. Schiphol Airport, Aankomstpassage 1, 1118 AX Schiphol.

Taken further west, but as Mathieu Prins explains this photo is the best he can make, as the area beneath the elevated road where the van is driving in the film capture has been redeveloped as part of the shopping mall and offices.

The fake diamonds arrive at Antwerp. Standing in for this one is Stansted Airport, Bassingbourn Rd, Stansted, Essex

Jack and Gillian drive off with the real diamonds. Presumably Schiphol, but I don't recognise this building.

The police chase Jack and Gillian through Amsterdam streets.

Edam, where the cheese is made backwards. Facing north on Hoogstraat.

The chase proceeds through the harbour in Volendam, a pretty fishing village twinned with Coventry.

Jack, Gillian and their pursuers reach the windmills of Kinderdijk.

Jack and Gillian lose the chasing pack at the bridge connecting Molenkade/Blokweerschekade with Molenkade/Nederwaard.

Robbery completed, the Chief Inspector has to resign in disgrace and Mrs Willis (Isabel Dean) decides to leave him. On her way out, the postman (Paul McDowell) arrives with a registered letter. 2 Pinewood Close, Iver, with a view across the street to number 6. confirmed by Antony Blair.

Across the street, 6 Pinewood Close now has a grand entrance with lion statues. (SR)

Jack and Gillian get away from it all in Hawaii, but there's a final twist...