Cat & Mouse

Shortly after the death of her mother, Ann Coltby (Ann Sears) alights from a number 92 bus. This is a foggy Greenford Road outside the parade of shops south of the former Granada cinema in Greenford, Middlesex.

Antony Blair captures the location outside 167 Greenford Road, opposite the Post Office adding that the turning on the left once led to the Red Lion public house which was demolished and replaced with a block of flats. The 92 is still running to Wembley.

After asking directions, the young woman heads to the address contained in a letter that she has received from a Mr. Scruby. In the background is the Granada cinema at 229 Greenford Road which still stands . . . as a supermarket.

Antony tells us that apparently the Rolling Stones played a gig there in1965.

The camera follows Miss Coltby as she crosses the road. Greenford Road at the junction with Clifton Road in Greenford.

Looking north along Greenford Road taken by Antony Blair.

The corner of Greenford Road and Clifton Road.

Antony advises that this is Jubilee Parade, built in 1935.

Checking the letter from William Scruby once again, Ann continues on her way. Antony Blair discovered that this is Ealing, Kent Gardens looking towards Cleveland Road in W13 and the building in the right background is part of Notting Hill and Ealing High School.

Having stumbled on Kent Gardens, Antony captured the scene adding that the road layout has changed with the addition of a roundabout.

The story finds Ann as she makes her way along West Walk. Antony updates his original identification to identify this as the real West Walk, a path leading onto Hillcroft Crescent in North Ealing W5.

Here, Antony provides support for his identification.

Finding the address, Ann enters the grounds of a large house. Richard Cummins recognised the gates of Crown Point at 61 Castlebar Road W5.

Inside the house, Ann meets with Scruby who tells her that he knew her father and that he also knows that she is in possession of stolen diamonds. Crown Point at 61 Castlebar Road in Ealing found by Richard Cummins.

When Ann accidentally kills Scruby during a struggle, witness Roderick Fenner (Lee Patterson) calls her from a phone box after slipping out of the house when a Policeman knocks at the door. To the north of King's Avenue on Greenford Road in Greenford, Middlesex.

The phone boxes have gone from outside The White Hart public house, which has also been demolished and replaced by flats. Image from Antony.

Fenner returns to Scruby's house to find the Police Constable (Geoffrey Russell) investigating fresh cycle tracks. Richard Cummins advises that Crown Point was situated in large grounds at the corner of Castlebar Road and St. Stephens Road but was demolished before the flats of the Grange Estate were built on the site between 1963-66.

The Policeman stands up before the American coshes him. The grounds of Crown Point in Ealing W5 identified by Richard Cummins.

Following Fenner's instructions, Ann leaves the house and heads for he main road along a path next to a sports field. Antony Blair recognised this path which ends on Argyle Road W13, just a mile from Greenford Broadway.

And here's Antony's comparison.

Leaving the Constable unconscious on the ground, Fenner cycles from Scruby's house. Richard Cummins explains that this is the gateway of Crown Point on Castlebar Road with the name obscured.

Ann approaches the bus stop described by Fenner. This is the east side of Greenford Road, outside number 288.

Antony Blair advises that this is next to the entrance of what is colloquially known as 'Greenford Dump'.

Noticed by a Woman waiting with Mrs. Pomeroy (Diana Fawcett) and her son Libby, Ann stands at the bus stop. Greenford Road with, what is now named, Army Road in the background and the Presbytery of The Church of Our Lady of The Visitation in the left distance.

Antony captures the view looking north with Cardinal Wiseman High School now dominating the landscape. There comes that 92 bus . . . . over 60 years later.

With bells ringing, a police car passes heading towards Scruby's house. The west side of Greenford Road between Bingley Road and Stanhope Road.

Antony Blair's comparison shows the same terraced housing on Greenford Road, with just a few more cars.

Fenner rides past, telling Ann to get on the next bus. Greenford Road with the Presbytery of The Church of Our Lady of The Visitation in the distance.

Looking north, and Antony spots the 92 bus on the horizon.

Cycling ahead, Fenner stays in front of the bus that Ann has boarded. Facing north on Greenford Road with the corner of Windmill Lane on the extreme left.

Antony took this shot just outside the parade of shops.

As the bus pulls away from the next stop, Fenner jumps on board. Looking north on Greenford Road. Incidentally, the bus is RT4394 registration NLP 559 which was based at Southall at the time of filming but the number 16 doesn't, and never has, run anywhere near here.

Antony Blair moves further along the parade where the car salesroom has been converted into a Sikh Gurdwara.

Ann is told to go to a second-hand clothes shop on the Edgware Road and buy an outfit for Fenner. Richard Lovejoy identifies this as Praed Street in London W2, now redeveloped.

Much of Praed Street has survived but not this block. SJ

In the story's Maida Vale, Fenner waits inside Ann's house. After months of searching, Antony Blair found number 10 Hillcroft Crescent, just 50 yards away from West Walk seen earlier.

Antony paused to take this comparison.

Ann returns home from the second-hand shop. Outside number 14 Hillcroft Crescent located by Antony.

Taken from a similar viewpoint by Antony.

The shot pans to follows as Ann as she approaches the front door and lets herself in. Number 10 Hillcroft Crescent in London W5 discovered by Antony.

Number 10 in the film, number 10 in real life as Antony shows.

Looking through her front room window while being kept a prisoner in her own home, Ann sees a Postman (Douglas Ives) which gives her an idea.

Detective Superintendent Harding (Victor Maddern) and Detective Sergeant Stuart Paige (Stuart Saunders) leave Scruby's house after discovering a number of clues. Crown Point at 61 Castlebar Road located by Richard Cummins.

A squad car drives the two Detectives from the property and house to house enquiries begin. Located by Richard Cummins, this is the driveway of Crown Point with Overton at 74 Castlebar Road in Ealing W5 across the road. The property still stands and is currently owned by Ealing Abbey.

To avoid the hedge, Antony Blair took this shot of the background building from the top deck of a bus.

A little later, the car carrying Detective Inspector Harding speeds towards Mrs. Pomeroy's house. Bill Kirby could spot this from 11,000+ miles away, Oakworth Road, London W10 with what was the tower of St Charles Hospital in the background. The hospital site has been redeveloped but . . . .

. . . . Antony Blair advises that the tower still stands and is obscured by trees

Detective Sergeant Paige meets the Detective Superintendent at the garden gate and the two go inside to hear Mrs. Pomeroy's observations about a young woman passenger on the bus earlier. Based upon Bill's identification of the previous capture this has to be looking north along Methwold Road from its junction with Oakworth Road, London W10 (RL)

The same corner in 2019's dreary summer captured by Antony.

Early the following morning, Rod Fenner leaves Ann's house after a letter is received from her bank that contains details of a safety deposit box containing diamonds left by her mother. Hillcroft Crescent in North Ealing, identified by Antony Blair.

Antony took this view from outside number 10, looking across to numbers 1 and 3 Hillcroft Crescent.

Carrying a letter authorising him to collect the diamonds, Fenner enters the bank as soon as the doors are opened but discovers that Ann's signature doesn't match the one that the Manager has on record. The Hambros Bank branch at 67 Pall Mall SW1.

Now not so much a wine bar but a private wine club. Marlborough House is on the right so this is the southwest corner of Pall Mall. SJ

With the US Army confirming that Fenner had deserted from a camp in Oxfordshire and Mrs. Pomeroy recognising Ann from a newspaper article, the Detectives race to save the young woman from the unstable GI. Looking south on Hillcroft Crescent W5 towards houses on Woodville Road found by Antony.

This is the scene that greeted Antony.

Detective Sergeant Paige and Detective Inspector Harding arrive outside Ann's house. Hillcroft Crescent in North Ealing W5 located by Antony.

Antony took this shot over sixty years later, looking west on Hillcroft Crescent.

Following Fenner's arrest, Ann returns the diamonds to the West End jewellers from where they were stolen by her father many years before. Richard advises that The Chinese Restaurant is at 233 Brompton Road SW3 and is still a Chinese restaurant now called The Good Earth.

The scene today but Antony Blair discovered that the jewellers has become the Ore Cafe.

Detective Inspector Harding accompanies Ann from the shop. 235 Brompton Road located by Richard Lovejoy, and the shopfront remains the same.

Antony Blair found exactly the same frontage, even down to the original script on the entrance floor.

The end titles appear over an evening view looking towards Piccadilly Circus from Coventry Street with Swan & Edgar's department store in the left background.

The junction today on a midusmmer's afternoon. SJ

Leicester Square in WC2 with the Queen's Corner Bar at the corner of Leicester Place to the centre and the canopy of the Cartoon Theatre beyond.

Perhaps better taken in winter when the crowds and scaffodling have gone. SJ