Flesh is Weak, The

Melissa (Milly Vitale) arrives in London by train and leaves St. Pancras Station wide eyed and excited.

Pity about the "Cherry Picker".

She finds her way to the “Dorset Foundation Hostel For Young Women” in Shaftesbury Avenue, just north of Cambridge Circus.

A daytime shot with Palace Theatre in the top left background.

The following morning she finds her way to Old Compton Street to find work.

And the newspaper shop remains to this day.

She emerges from Berwick Street which is also seen in 'The Final Appointment', 'The Small World of Sammy Lee', 'Evidence in Concrete', 'Sid and Nancy' and 'Make Mine a Million'.

The stalls are a little less basic and the fish & chip shop remains under a different name.

As she continues her walk through the streets of London she is watched by Henry (Harold Lang), a member of Tony’s team, as he stands outside the door to No3 Monmouth Street.

You can still buy your "fags" next door.

Marissa enters Old Compton Street (again!) from Wardour Street.

Perhaps a little more colourful now.

Maybe to look at an advertisement that she saw earlier.

Nothing on offer now.

Henry continues to follow and observe her as she seeks employment. Unknown location but it must surely be/have been close to all the earlier shots. Indeed it was, Peter himself has finally come up with it, Shaftesbury Ave. and what was the "Phillips" building, he has promised us a shot. (RL)

True to his word Peter does his best to replicate the shot at the junction of Shaftesbury Avenue and Saint Giles High Street, London WC2.....despite all the trees. (RL)

Marissa walks past what looks like a large shop or store that is unlikely to be far away from the film location area. Unknown location.

Melissa crosses Shaftesbury Avenue at the junction with Neal Street and Monmouth Street

Some changes to traffic flow.

Melissa passes Henry, this time outside 1A as she starts to walk down Monmouth St and he follows her. After a week he meets with her and persuades her to be a club hostess.

Certainly a larger letter box now.

During her first uncomfortable evening at the club Tony Giani (John Derek) saves her from the staged drunken clutches of one his team and drives her back to her Hostel.

You couldn't park facing that way now.

The following day, newspaper journalist Lloyd Buxton (William Franklyn) who is investigating the “game” and the controlling Giani brothers visits Saville Row police station to see Inspector Inscombe (Norman Wooland) and Sergeant Franks (John Paul) who are doing the same thing.

Good old dependable "cop shop".

That evening, as promised, Tony collects Marissa from her Hostel to show her London, The House of Parliament and the River Thames.

A clearer view of the Houses of Parliament.

The following evening after a bouquet of flowers to her Hostel, Piccadilly Circus

A daytime shot of the same location.

The following day, after the delivery of a broach to the Hostel, further sites in London, something of interest on the south side of Westminster Bridge.

A very popular spot for photographs now.

Then Trafalgar Square, as a result Melissa falls in love with Tony and he installs her into his Brighton flat as a potential married couple. His plan is working!

More tourists, less pigeons.

On the pretence of now being broke as a result of a business deal he installs her into a flat in London with a “Madame” with a view to earning money. She is still naive with regard to what her role really is. She is prosecuted after her first evening and is followed out of court by Lloyd Buxton (William Franklyn) an investigative journalist “to get her story” and “nail” the Giani’s. A likely studio set included for completeness.

The gang warfare sub storyline comes to a head when the Salvi gang attack one of Tony’s minders. As the sign reads “Steps Leading to Park Lane and Pitt’s Head Mews”.

The steps remain from what is now called Curzon Square, it may have been called Seamore Place then. The buildings either side have been redeveloped and no signage now.

They bundle him down the steps……….. not into Pitt’s Head Mews but the Studio Set of the courtyard where much of the action takes place, to beat him up.

London is so much less violent now!

Because Melissa wants to escape from Tony’s clutches he has her framed for stabbing one of his fellow prostitutes and is remanded in Holloway Prison. The “grand turreted” gateway was lost during the re-development between 1971 and 1985'.

The same location now by Peter.

Henry rushes from Bow Street Magistrates Court to telephone the Giani brothers and tell that “she got six months and didn’t talk”. Broad Court WC2 which also appears in ‘The Informers’ and ‘The Flesh is Weak’.

Despite mobile phones and Bow Street Magistrates Court are no longer open there are still five telephone boxes in use.

She is advised of further threats to her safety upon release from prison. Holloway Prison in N7. The location was also seen in 'The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery', 'Return of the Frog' and 'Stolen Face'.

Peter's favorite brick wall, which is crying out for a mural of the old prison entrance.

Her path is quickly blocked by Tony and minder Lofty (Joe Robinson) but Lloyd Buxton (William Franklyn) who she refused to speak to in prison is there to whisk her away in the nick of time.

The junction of Parkhurst Road with Camden Road and Hillmarton Road,N7 just out of shot behind Lofty. Peter's best possible shot given the current hoarding, also used in Stolen Face 003n

Followed by Tony in the Jaguar car Lloyd takes her to his home to be looked after by his wife.

The steps they climb have been removed but they are about to enter No 8 Canonbury Square, London N1 overlooking the central gardens. The background premises are now hidden by greenery. (RL)

Surely those fine properties have not since been demolished. That high pavement must be a helpful clue.

With sincere thanks to Stuart of the Islington Society for pinpointing this location. Lloyd and Melissa enter No 8 Canonbury Square, London, N1, at one time the home of Samuel Phelps. (RL)

Milly Vitale returning to the house in Canonbury Square. The road in the background is Canonbury Road in N1. in this additional screen capture from Paul Canty.

The same location now, also from Paul.

With great reluctance events persuade Melissa to give evidence against the Giani’s and she arrives with Lloyd at Bow Street Magistrates Court.

Marks & Spencers have long gone from that location.

They enter the premises ,“No photographs please”

Waiting for jury service?