I Know Where I’m Going

This was Harrow County School for Girls in Lowlands Road Harrow and Dave Buckley advises that he went to the Boys County School in the 1950's which was about half a mile away.

Antony Blair returned to the scene 77 years later.

One of the girls hitching a ride on a milk float. With an HG on her bosom pocket. It probably isn't politically correct these days to say breast. Harrow Gels.

Another view of Harrow County Girls School in Lowlands Road Harrow. Pic by Dave Buckley.

And would you believe, John Tunstall was the assistant director. There but for a typo...and, perhaps fittingly, painted on the side of a milk cart.

Another shot from David.

Coo, what a beautiful factory. Bet Poirot would know where it is, or was. Dave Buckley advises that the Powell and Pressburger web site states . . . the front of Denham Studios which is seen in several productions including ‘The Case of the Missing Scene’, ‘Third Party Risk’ and ‘Thursday’s Child’. This is a matted shot which was reused in 'The Switch' 18 years later.

An un-matted shot of the same location undergoing conversion into apartments. (PW)

As Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) waits for her train to depart she starts to read her itinerary. Included for completeness and further information from Keith Woods. (RL)

Part of Joan's itinerary highlights her use of the M.S.'Lochinvar' to Tobermory. (RL)

Keith provides this additional capture of the M.S. 'Lochinvar' as she sails up the sound of Mull. He adds, the vessel was renamed, Anzio 1, later in it's life and went aground near Mabelthorpe on the east coast in an attempt to rescue and restore the vessel. It grounded in bad weather and thirteen men lost their lives. (RL)

The passengers disembark at Tobermory according to the film's continuity, but Keith believes could possibly have been Oban. (RL)

Supposedly on Barra... "None of the film was shot on Barra; all of the island location shooting was done on Mull. The heroine Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) is trying to get to the fictitious island of Kiloran, which in reality is the island of Colonsay, which can be seen in the distance in most of the shots out to sea from Carsaig Bay jetty. Roger Livesey, playing Torquil MacNeil, never went to Mull; in all the shots where he appears to be there, he is doubled by a stand-in, mostly very convincingly." Info from Neil Murray (SJ)

The derelict castle used as a location in the film is Moy Castle, Isle of Mull. Info from Raymond Alexander, and our thanks to him. Or is it Loch Buihe Castle, same island. A picture might prove... Neil (NM) points out that Lochbuihe and Moy are one and the same. (SJ)

This from Keith Woods confirming Moy/Lochbuie Castle. (SJ)

A Scots house... Carsaig House on the south coast of Mull, called Erraig House for the film, found by NM.

Carsaig House (once known as Pennycross House) - photo from the Large Holiday Houses (LHH) website, supplied by NM. It certainly does look large enough for quite a party.

An additional still provided by Keith Woods, along with matching now.

This is the bridge Joan Webster played by Wendy Hiller crosses after landing on Isle of Mull on her way to Kiloran Island. Just off the junction of the A849/B8035 on Mull. (A splendid panorama shot, hence a bit small as I didn't wish to trim it. SJ)

Graham Crawford sends this correct aspect capture showing the A849 that runs from Craignure (where the Oban Ferry arrives) to Fionnphort where the ferry crosses to Iona. The mountain in the background being Ben More. (RL)

Graham provides his own "now" shot from 2008 advising that the Bridge is no longer in use as the road has moved south slightly (20 yards) and runs over a newer bridge. There is a plaque on the bridge saying that it was "Restored By Public Subscription 1974". (RL)

Another addition from Keith. Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) & Torquil MacNeil (Roger Livesey) use the phonebox to book rooms at the Western Isles hotel in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull (the hotel is still there: I stayed last year). They had difficulty using the phone due to the noise from a waterfall to the rear of the phonebox.

The box is sited near southern end of the road from Pennyghael to Carsaig Harbour (another film location for the bad weather conditions). And there's the roaring waterfall. Graham Crawford has sent us this photo that he took in 2007 of the box in Capture 31 replacing Keith's Google Earth View. Graham points out that Roger Livesey never set foot on Mull, his sequence was filmed at Denham Studio's with the waterfall being a back projection, compare the window structures! The actual phone box is located on the road to the rear of Carsaig House (The front of the house is seen in Capture's 5 & 7).

Livesey, or once again his double as Livesey was appearing in a play in London's West End, arrives at the castle door. An additional shot sent in by Keith.

And here's Keith's matching now. (SJ)

All the following are additional captures by Neil Murray who supplied nows or proving Google shots to match as well as the commentary. (SJ). Joan Webster is driven to Erraig House. The view south to Carsaig Bay. I can find the same location on Google Street View but a ‘now’ shot would have to be taken from a higher elevation.

Sent in by Ed Parsons, taken as far back as 4th November 2005, with thanks. (SJ)

Joan & driver stop by Moy Castle. We’re meant to think that Moy Castle is close to Erraig, but in fact it’s a 25-mile drive between the two places.

The boatmen, including Finlay Currie, on the pier at Carsaig.

NM's 1997 photo of the pier. Sadly, in the years since, much of the pier has been destroyed by storms and neglect.

Joan chats to driver at the gate to Erraig.

Joan, Torquil (Roger Livesey) and boatman (Finlay Currie) at Carsaig pier.

Joan looks out towards the island of Kiloran.

Farm girl drives cattle down past Joan.

Graham Crawford provides this shot that he took in 2008 (well, no one has provided a shot in the meantime!) from the road, just past the telephone box (Capture 31) that leads to Carsaig Pier. He adds, the road runs at the rear of Carsaig House and hence the now shots are from an elevated position. Carsaig House is privately owned and called Erraig House in the film. In 1945 it was called Penny Cross House and both Michael Powell (Director) and Pamela Brown (Who played Catriona) stayed there during the duration of filming. (RL)

Farm girl points Joan up the hill in the direction of Erraig House (though in real life Carsaig House is the one seen in the photo).

Another shot from Graham taken in 2008 noting that the roof is now missing on one of the outbuildings. (RL)

Graham provides this additional capture showing Carsaig House....

....and this shot that he took of the House in 2007. (RL)

Joan arrives at Erraig.

Map of Kiloran

OS map of Colonsay - Kiloran (circled) is actually Kiloran House

Stormy seas. Interestingly, the fictitious island of Kiloran has been painted in to be much more obvious - compare with other shots from the pier.

The correct shape of Kiloran (Colonsay) viewed from Carsaig pier.

Joan and Torquil (played by stand-in) arrive at Moy Castle door.

NM’s photo of Moy Castle door.

The bus to Tobermory

Graham Crawford provides this photo that he took in 2008 to replace the Google Earth View. (RL)

The eagle hunters disembark.

A further shot from Graham that he took back in 2008 on the B8035. A trifle off angle but he didn't know of our film capture then and replaces a Google Earth View. (RL)

Graham Crawford provides this addition screen capture as the camera pans away from the bus up towards Gribun rocks. (RL)

Graham's "now" shot from 2008. (RL)

Castle of Sorne . . . In reality Duart Castle on the east coast of Mull in the Inner Hebrides, Argyllshire, which can also seen in 'When Eight Bells Toll' and 'A Piece of Cake'. (SJ)

Casting off from the pier to attempt to get to Kiloran.

NM's photo. Most of the seaward section of the pier has been allowed to disintegrate over the years.

Waiting in the vain hope that the boat will return safely.

Another view of the pier, taken by NM

Calm sea looking towards Kiloran (Colonsay). Compare with capture 22: this is the un-retouched outline of Colonsay.

Colonel Barnstaple (played by Captain C.W.R. Knight F.Z.S.) exits the phone box, having had difficulty hearing Torquil because of the noisy waterfall.

At present, the phone box is missing its door and needs a lot of maintenance. BT have been contacted. NM’s photo. Graham Crawford has provided a close up of the box in 2008 as well as details of its "Listing", as a consequence of the film, making the condition shown above particularly poignant. The picture and Listing Details can be viewed via a link in the Header Section of this film. (RL)

Joan and Torquil go their separate ways - or do they?

Joan marches to Moy Castle preceded by three pipers.

Close-up of Roger Livesey as Torquil at the gate by Carsaig House - studio set

Long shot of Roger’s stand-in at the real gate by Carsaig House.

Shot of Roger’s stand-in catching the bus - the clearest image of his face in the film... Our thanks to Neil for this fine contribution to this much-loved film.