Good Companions, The (1933)

Date: 1933
Director: Victor Saville
Production Company: Gaumont British Picture Corporation, Welsh-Pearson

Stars: Edmund Gwenn, John Gielgud, Mary Glynn, Percy Parsons, D. A. Clarke-Smith, Florence Gregson, Frank Pettingell, Alex Fraser, Findlay Currie, Max Miller, A. W. Bascomb, Dennis Hoey, Viola Compton, Richard Dolman, Margery Binner, Jessie Matthews
Location(s): Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire

Region(s): , , ,

Storyline:

A chance encounter with three strangers saves a touring troupe who have fallen on hard times.

Additional Information:

Page compiled by Phil Wilkinson

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We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.

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Henry Ainley speaks "This is a story of the roads and the wandering players of modern England. The story of how Jess Oakroyd left his home in Bruddersford and took to the road." In the northern town, carpenter Mr. Oakroyd leaves work with the other employees of Higden's Mill before learning that he's been made redundant.

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The prologue continues "And how Inigo Jollifant marched out of his school at Washbury Manor." In the Fen country, Pupils at the Washbury School for the Son's of Gentlemen run from the school as the Choir sings.

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Carrying on their song, the School Choir are superimposed over another part of the school.

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"And how Elizabeth, daughter of old Colonel Trant suddenly went off into the blue." Down in the sleepy West Country . . . Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire, with the mill on the left. Also seen in 'Tawny Pipit'. (SR)

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. . . the shot cuts to another view of the village where the Trants have always lived before the camera begins to pan left towards the family home. Snowshill village Gloucestershire. (SR)

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The house that's for sale after the Colonel's death is framed in full before a map centres on Rawsley accompanied by the narrator introducing the other players in the story ". . . somewhere, in the middle of England, is this hopeful little troupe of entertainers, The Dinky Doos." Snowshill also features in 'Bridget Jones's Diary' and 'Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason'. (SR)

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Lorry driver Nobby and his mate Fred drive along the Great North Road with Jess who jumped into the back of the truck after leaving his sharp-tongued Wife. Ye Olde Bell Hotel on Great North Road at Barnby Moor near Retford in Nottinghamshire.

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A Constable signals Nobby to stop but the lorry continues onward. In front of Ye Olde Bell Hotel on Great North Road, Barnby Moor.

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Recalling the words of the prologue ". . . chance brought these three to one small town in the Midlands, together with a broken down troupe of entertainers, The Dinky Doos." Jess Oakroyd (Edmund Gwenn) looks up at a signpost before Elizabeth Trant (Mary Glynne) offers him a ride after he fixes her broken down car.

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The Dinky Doos, along with Jess, Elizabeth and Inigo, set off for their next engagement on the 11.02 am train from Rawsley. Identified by Jonathan Horswell on his Railway Movie Database site, this is the St. Albans Abbey branch bay platform, number 10, at Watford Junction station on Station Road in Watford, Hertfordshire.

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Having missed the train, Susie Dean and Inigo Jollifant arrive at Dotworth later that evening.

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The tour continues through a hot summer with appearances at the Pavilion in Morecambe, the Pergola at Rhyl, the Summer Pavilion in St. Annes-on-Sea and the Pier Pavilion at Sandy Bay. And not one of those locations can claim this pier! It is the 1864 pier at Deal in Kent, which was demolished after being damaged in WWII. The current pier, seen in 'Ruby Blue', replaced it in 1957. (SR)

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Moving on from success at Sandy Bay, the company travel to Derbyshire and the Theatre Royal, Buxton, followed by Granby Hall in Loughborough, the Assembly Rooms at Middleford and then more fictional venues. Approaching Box Tunnel at Box Hill on the Great Western Main Line between Bath and Chippenham in Wiltshire, located by Jonathan Horswell.

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Music publisher G. Millbrau approaches Inigo who travels to London. Looking from Cambridge Circus WC2 along Charing Cross Road with the dome of the YMCA Headquarters on Tottenham Court Road just to the north of St. Giles Circus in the distance.

A busy dusk scene from ground level looking north with The Cambridge pub on the far left. SJ

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Susie and Inigo realise their dreams and Jess leaves for Canada to start a new life with his daughter while the rest of the Company continue to make a hit at Bournemouth. RMS Empress of Britain owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway which operated between Southampton and Quebec. Launched in 1930, the transatlantic liner was sunk in 1940.