Gentle Gunman, The

An establishing shot of a Northern Irish village, just over the border from where much of the story is set. A dark and grainy image of what Mark O'Neill, with a degree of certainty, believes is Enniskerry in County Wicklow, a well used location that also appears in 'I See a Dark Stranger', 'Johnny Nobody', 'Flight of the Doves’, 'Country Dance', ‘Into the West’, ‘P.S. I Love You’ and ‘Leap Year’. (RL)

Pat Cleary took this shot of Enniskerry from the hill at the top of Fisher's Lane overlooking the village.

At the home of the local Doctor, Englishman Henry Truethome and his friend Irishman Dr Brannigan play chess and argue about the political situation. Unknown location.

A few weeks before, Matt Sullivan makes his way into the fictional Camden Road underground station to plant a bomb.

This is the Kingsway entrance to Holborn station in London WC2. (PW)

Matt Sullivan (Dirk Bogarde) carries a small suitcase containing the device. Holborn station, London WC2. The sign above the escalators reads "Straight on for Piccadilly Line".

The lower bank of escalators at Holborn station. With the gratefully received assistance of staff at Holborn Station. (PW)

The bomber takes the case to the end of the platform. The arrowed sign to the top of the image reads Piccadilly Line, Platform 3, Southbound, Hounslow and Uxbridge.

The disused Platform 5 at Holborn station. The platform saw shuttle services to Aldwych until closure in 1994. All images in this location have been made possible with the assistance of Phil, Simon and Jo of the 'Bank Group' staff on the Central Line. (PW)

After leaving the bomb, Matt notices children playing around the case. Platform 5 at Holborn station with a Standard Stock train approaching displaying marker lights for Wood Green or Uxbridge (Piccadilly Line) or Leytonstone (Central Line).

The same, very dusty, location now with added equipment cupboards. (PW)

Henry Truethome (Gilbert Harding) approaches as an ARP Warden (Johnnie Schofield) examines the case that one of the children has reported as ticking.

Looking towards the tunnel entrance of the line to Aldwych at Holborn station. (PW)

Matt's brother, Terence Sullivan (John Mills), has followed and sees the bomb in the hands of the ARP Warden.

A wider shot to show the same location now. (PW)

When the bomb explodes after Terry throws it into the tunnel, Matt runs from the station.

Well it looks like the same cross passage. With thanks to Phil, Simon and Jo of the 'Bank Group' staff on the Central Line. (PW)

Terry watches as Matt is questioned by Police after climbing over a gate to get out of the station.

Matt makes his way to the terrorist cell's safe house.

Mornington Crescent, Camden NW1. (PW)

Police arrive after Terry informs them of the cell's whereabouts. The junction of Mornington Place and Mornington Crescent in an area that also features in 'Night, After Night, After Night', 'An Education'. 'Brighton Rock (2010)', 1991's 'Under Suspicion' and 'The Weapon'.

The same corner. (PW)

The police draw up outside the house where Patsy and Connolly are hiding. Mornington Place, London NW1.

The same location now. (PW)

After avoiding capture in London, Matt returns to Ireland. A real joint effort has pinned this location down after Christopher Matheson found a couple of newspaper articles from May 1952 which indicated where filming took place. Alan Bourke, Paschal Newell and Tony Hanna confirm PW's suspicion that this is the junction of the R755 and R760 roads in Rocky Valley to the west of Kilmacanogue in County Wicklow.

Matt shows his papers at the border between north and south. The junction of the R755 and R760 roads in the Rocky Valley found by PW using information supplied by Christopher Matheson and confirmed by regular contributors Tony Hanna, Paschal Newell and Alan Bourke. The location is close to one seen in 'I See a Dark Stranger'.

As the road is narrow and too dangerous to stop on, Pat Cleary captured this comparison with his dashcam.

Shinto (Robert Beatty) and young Johnny Fagan (James Kenney) go shooting in the hills. Also appearing in 'The Butcher Boy', Pat Cleary identifies this as Lough Tay, deep in the Wicklow Mountains and adds that the area was also a main location in the television series 'Vikings'.

Pat Cleary provides this view of the unchanging scene.

Molly Fagan (Barbara Mullen) serves petrol at the family's garage as her son Johnny and Shinto make their way back. Pat Cleary explains that is an area known as the Featherbeds on the Old Military Road in the mountains on the border of Counties Dublin and Wicklow.

Pat would not recommend going over 60kph on this road.

Maureen Fagan (Elizabeth Sellars) comes out of the garage as Flynn (Eddie Byrne) arrives with Matt. Pat Cleary continues "The Featherbeds was a turf-cutting area and from 1950 onwards we had a turf plot at the location. My brother and I, when we were old enough, would spend many summer Saturdays helping out - getting there and back on the back of a lorry. This would have been a few years after the film was shot, probably after 1954, but there was an old log cabin style hut which was used for shelter in the wild and windy spot and we often heard my father and the other men talking about the film. It was believed that the hut was a leftover from the production."

Rather plain bogland everywhere but Pat tells us that some nice colours appear in late Summer and Autumn.

Johnny Fagan catches the bus to Dundalk and then onward to Belfast. Tony Hanna advises that the 'NI' registration on the bus is the old registration for County Wicklow. Pat tells us that neither he or his brother can remember ever seeing the house and garage buildings seen in the film so he assumes that this must have been a set. "Still, today, nobody lives anywhere along there."

Pat explains that the bus in the screen capture is actually arriving from a dead-end boreen off to the left rather than from along the main road.

After arriving in Belfast, Johnny find work in the docks. Kinematograph 3rd April 1952 reported, "Visitors are finding the entrance to the studio barred by dockyard gates and offices and conteen converted, outwardly, nto shipping offices. The background, which has to show berted ships and cranes, will be glass inserts." (RL)

Matt approaches the dockyard gates. Pottery Road in Brentford, Middlesex identified on The Cine-Tourist website.

Only the name of the road has remained the same. (RL)

On a remote Irish quayside, Terry meets with Barney (Harry Brogan) after Patsy and Connolly are sentenced. Working on information received from Christopher Matheson, Alan Bourke and Paschal Newell located Coliemore Harbour on Coliemore Road in Dalkey, County Dublin. Peter Comiskey tells us that the fishing vessel that Terry steps off is the MB Barbara being piloted by the owner, Pat Carthy. The boat was built in 1933 at Fraserburgh Scotland and it's home port was Dun Laoghaire Harbour, about a mile north of Coliemore. Pat Carthy received £100 for the rent of the vessel during the week of shooting.

The same section of harbour wall captured by Paschal who has provided a series of original views.

Terry leaves after arranging to borrow a boat from Barney. Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey identified by Paschal Newell and Alan Bourke.

The location now taken by Paschal.

When Terry learns that Patsy and Connolly are being returned to Ireland, he returns to the remote quay. Coliemore Harbour in County Dublin found by Alan Bourke and Paschal Newell following Christopher Matheson's clues.

Paschal took this shot facing the same way at the small harbour.

Terry sets out to rescue Patsy and Connolly from the boat bringing them from England. Paschal Newell and Alan Bourke confirm that this is Coliemore Harbour on Coliemore Road in Dalkey, County Dublin with Dalkey Island across Dalkey Sound in the right distance. The harbour and the sea around can also be seen in 'Gorgo'.

Proving the location, Paschal provides this view showing that a new walkway has been added.

The boat from England docks and a police van arrives to transport Patsy and Connolly on to prison.

An armed escort arrives.

Now mistrusted after leading the police to the safe house in London, Terry tries to stop a planned ambush by explaining to Shinto that Patsy and Connolly aren't on the boat. See capture 20. (RL)

Flynn takes position in a warehouse overlooking the quayside.

Matt waits in the street outside the dock gates as his Brother continues to dissuade Shinto from going ahead with an ambush. Facing south on Pottery Road in Brentford, which also appears in 'The Captive Heart' and ‘Night Train To Paris’.

Antony Blair looked south on Pottery Road 70 years later.

Children play in the street as the police van leaves the quay. Facing south-eastward on Pottery Road.

Safe for children to play this side of the bollards. (RL)

A grenade is thrown into the path of the van as it exits the docks. Pottery Road, Brentford as identified by the Cine-Tourist.

A similar low level shot from Antony, with different buildings.

Shots are fired at the van after the grenade explodes but fails to stop it.

Antony Blair captures the effects of time.

The empty van continues on it's course. Pottery Road in Brentford with Brentford Gas Works in the distance.

Now. (RL)

Men are left dead at the end of the shoot out. Looking towards High Street from Pottery Road.

And now. (RL)

Molly walks to the house as Terry is brought to the garage. In the area known as the Featherbeds on the Old Military Road in the mountains on the border of Counties Dublin and Wicklow identified by Pat Cleary.

Pat's view shows, off to the right, the continuation of another boreen, a narrow country road, which begins beside the set.

Just as Terry is about to be shot for being a traitor to the cause, singing is heard in the distance. The Featherbeds on the border of Counties Dublin and Wicklow located by Pat Cleary.

Looking n, the area is littered with bogholes and drains and Pat hopes that nobody fell in during filming.

When Patsy McGuire (Jack MacGowran) and Connolly (Liam Redmond) arrive at the garage, Terry's life is spared. Believed by Pat Cleary to have been built for the production, the garage stands in the area known as the Featherbeds on the Old Military Road in the mountains on the border of Counties Dublin and Wicklow.

Cyclists just love this route and Pat's patience was required to get this shot.

The police continue the chase of Patsy and Connolly up the long dead-end boreen but their fate is left in the balance. An additional capture from Pat Cleary.

Pat points out the top right where the RTE television mast on Kippure Mountain is visible. A hike to the end of this boreen is well worth the trip.

Maureen watches Matt and Terry walk away together. The Featherbeds on the Old Military Road in the mountains on the border of Counties Dublin and Wicklow identified by Pat Cleary.

A rather bleak view from Pat.

Pat Cleary also provides this final capture in which Matt and Terry set off for a more peaceful life. The Great Sugar Loaf Mountain, a regular in films shot in Ireland, just pokes its head into view to the far left.

Pat did an extra trip to get this shot minus any traffic and, standing here in the silence except for the wind, it was a nostalgic moment knowing that two greats of cinema, John Mills and Dirk Bogarde once walked here on this lonely road all those years ago.