It’s a Boy

Mary Bogle and her Bridesmaids climb into the car to be taken to the registry office where she is to tie the knot with architect Dudley Leake. Ray and Ron Glenister found this to be 7 Avenue Road, London NW8. Now demolished in favour of a block of flats called "London House". This property can also be seen in 'Danger by my Side' Capture 9. (RL)

Rather an approximation. SJ

Learning about the wedding from the newspapers, novelist Anita Gunn (Heather Thatcher) arrives to see her old friend get married. Ray Glenister points out that this location is also seen in 'Danger By My Side' and Jules Ballantyne points out that there is a distinct similarity in the gateposts here to those appearing in 'Black Orchid' as well as 'Danger by my Side'. Ray and Ron have now positively identified this as 7 Avenue Road, London NW8 looking EbN across Avenue Road. Hidden behind the visible background would have been Stockleigh House, demolished after 1933 to be replaced by our Art Deco friend Stockleigh Hall that features in a number of films. (RL)

Looking south towards Imperial Court on Prince Albert Road and in fact I should be looking east indeed in the Stockleigh direction. I shall replace unless someone, with all my blessing, beats me to it. SJ

Having overslept after getting exceedingly drunk the night before, Dudley Leake (Edward Everett Horton) and his best man James Skippett (Leslie Henson) commandeer a elderly Man's taxi.

The cab races through London as the two pals discuss Joe Piper, the young man who arrived at Dudley's flat before they left, claiming to be his illegitimate son. Ron and Ray Glenister with comprehensive supporting evidence place this as Marylebone Road, London W1, travelling west having just passed Upper Montagu Street. (RL)

Dave W found that the street furniture arrangements have changed on the corner of Upper Montague Street since 1933. Posting a letter now requires crossing Marylebone Road, a non-trivial task. (RL)

With the ceremony cancelled by an angry Mr. Bogle after the husband to be fails to arrive, Mary and her family and guests leave the registry office. Dave Buckley tells us that the "registry office' was in fact Gainsborough Studios, later to become BBC Lime Grove and subsequently to be demolished in 1993. (RL)

About here on the east side of Lime Grove. SJ

The cab carrying Dudley and James arrives at the registry office. Gainsborough Studios, later to become BBC Lime Grove and subsequently to be demolished in 1993 as Dave tells us. (RL)

Panning right from the previous. SJ

Returning to the Bogle's house to explain their late appearance for the wedding, James concocts a story that involves Piper pretending to be author John Tempest before he and Dudley run from the building after the plot becomes convoluted when Mr. Bogle discovers that the writer is actually a woman. Ray Glenister points out that this location also features in 'Danger By My Side' and has now located it as Avenue Road, London NW8. See Capture 1. (RL)

Looking north. SJ

The camera follows the two men onto the pavement where they hail a taxi. Ray and Ron Glenister found this to be outside 7 Avenue Road, London NW8. (RL)

Panning right to the east. SJ

For the film's finale chase, James and Dudley's cab follows the bride's car to the registry office. Ron and Ray Glenister spots the location as Queens Gate Terrace, London SW7 from Gore Street. (RL)

This replaces Ray and Ron's Bing Maps from Nov 2019. SJ

The taxi moves out of frame as, back at the house, Mr. Bogle, Piper and Lillian the Maid join the pursuit in another cab. Once again, say Ron and Ray, Queens Gate Terrace, London SW7 from Gore Street. (RL)

As with the previous comparison. SJ

Dudley and James join Mary and her Mother at the registry office as the the taxi carrying Mr. Bogle, Piper and Lillian almost collides with another car. Ray and Ron Glenister provide the location as Windmill Hill, NW3, looking NNW with Lower Terrace on the left. (RL) The location also appears in 'Peril for the Guy'.

Denis Hoare found that apart from more greenery, and less traffic, nothing has really changed in the last 90 years. (RL)

The journey continues as Mr. Bogle attempts to find out more about Piper's claim to be Dudley's long lost son. Dave W's dogged determination rewards himself and us with the location identified as Euston Road, London NW1. The taxi having just passed the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society at 158-160 Euston Road, their distinctive quoined gate posts with top ornament, corner with Churchway going off to the right. There remains a quoined gatepost on the east boundary of the Fire Station that still stands. (RL)

The successor to the Hearts of Oak building projects further forward, blocking any view for Dave of the Fire Station's frontage from this viewpoint. (RL)

Mr. Bogle shouts at the Taxi Driver to go faster. The journey continues along the Euston Road Dave says, here, the eccentric-looking single-storey corner building on Euston Road corner with Duke's Road, where the bus stands. The rectangular dark blob behind the bus is the shadowed part of the Grecian portico of St Pancras New Church. (RL)

Dave risked life and limb to find that the shade of the church portico is still seen in this modern view. But overtaking into oncoming traffic would be risky in Euston Road today. (RL)

The shot stays ahead of the cab as the marriage ceremony gets under way. And finally, Dave identifies, 'The Rising Sun' pub at 120 Euston Road on the corner with Chalton Street running off to the right. 'The Rising Sun' is now 'The Rocket'. (RL)

External features of the corner pub match the 1933 view but in the interests of future "now" expeditions Dave decided not to step further into the road to obtain an identical perspective. (RL)

Lillian, the Maid (Joyce Kirby), Eustace Bogle (Alfred Drayton) and Joe Piper (Albert Burdon) arrive at the registry office. Once again Gainsborough Studios, later to become BBC Lime Grove and subsequently to be demolished in 1993 provided by Dave Buckley. (RL)

Antony Blair took this wider view at the site of the studios 90 years later.