Pretty Polly

The film opens with a voice-over of spinster Mrs. Eva Innes-Hook telling her Sister about her upcoming trip to Singapore. Cropped from 2.35:1 ratio for the small screen, the first location is the junction of New Bridge Road and Upper Cross Street with the neon lit Majestic cinema to the centre.

Eva's voice-over extols the benefits of her niece Polly accompanying her on the trip "It'll take her out of herself." This view of Singapore is taken from the Cathay Building, once the tallest building is south-east Asia, as identified by The Hunter.

The Asia Insurance Building, since renamed named to Ascott Raffles Place at the corner of Finlayson Green and Raffles Quay, seen from Souza Street, identified by The Hunter. Follow the link in the header section to discover more images and information about this film's locations and Singapore.

Polly Barlow (Hayley Mills) makes her way to the Hyde Park Hotel. Facing west on Knightsbridge in London SW1.

No puddles when I visited. PW

Splashed by water when a bus drives through a large puddle, Polly enters the hotel to meet with her Mother and Aunt Eva. Revealed as the bus passes is Scotch House at the junction of Brompton Road and Knightsbridge.

More traffic and a parking bay has been created. PW

Outside the bakery that she runs, Mrs. Barlow (Dorothy Alison) gives advice to her daughter as she gets ready to leave. Alastair Jones identifies this as outside number 79 Winchester Road in St. Margarets, Greater London. The bakery shop has since closed and the frontage altered to match the neighbouring property.

John Harwood found the new look at no.79. (SJ)

As she opens the door of her cab, Polly tells her Mother that they're nearly out of Osborne biscuits. Recognised by Alastair Jones, this is the corner of Winchester Road and Broadway Avenue with number 12 Broadway Avenue in the background.

JH expressed misgivings here, but I think it's the right place, though the angle here is off-putting. (SJ)

Mrs. Barlow tells Polly to be sure to write. Alastair Jones advises that this is facing south from outside 79 Winchester Road.

JH panned right from cap6. (SJ)

More advice "and when you get to any of these places, be very careful" before kisses are exchanged. Alastair Jones explains that this is looking into Broadway Avenue from Winchester Road with numbers 13, 14 and 15 as the background.

JH again. (Either that tree has sprouted quickly or John should be in front of it. SJ)

Switching to the original ratio, the title sequence begins as the taxi moves off. Facing north from the corner of Winchester Road and Broadway Avenue in St. Margarets, Greater London located by Alastair Jones.

JH also looking north at the same corner. (The Turk's Head can be seen in the distance, also seen in A Hard Day's Night. SJ)

Matt Monro sings us across the world as the voyage to Singapore gets under way.

Polly puts down her binoculars as the SS Arcadia arrives in the south-east Asian port. Dave W adds: Looking towards the CBD - Central Business District of Singapore. With only one identifiable object now compared with then: the single storey Clifford Pier building on the rightmost shorefront. Although the capture's expanse of water is still present and now known as Marina Bay, Polly's vantage point has become dry land approximately at the small pier for sightseeing boats next to Bayfront Link. (RL)

The ship manouvers into port. Keppel Harbour, Singapore with the warehouses of East Wharf to the left.

Ship's purser Mr. Critch approaches Miss Polly to tell her that her Aunt was enquiring about her. Keppel Harbour in Singapore.

Polly follows Mrs. Eva Innes-Hook (Brenda de Banzie) from the ship to the quayside where they fight their way through Hawkers in search of Bob Hook. The East Wharf at Keppel Harbour.

Met by Amaz Hudeen (Shashi Kapoor) on behalf of Eva's brother-in-law Mr. Hook, the two women are taken to a waiting car. Outside warehouse number 46 on East Wharf at Keppel Harbour in Singapore.

Playing sepak takraw on the quayside, a Youngster picks up the ball and throws it. East Wharf at Keppel Harbour.

Polly catches the ball. East Wharf, Keppel Harbour with warehouse number 46 as the background.

Explaining that Mr. Hook is extremely ill and has left a hired Lincoln Continental Convertible at their disposal, Eva refuses to let the tour guide use the car for business of his own while they rest from the journey.

Eva, Polly and Amaz are driven from the port to their hotel. Collyer Quay with Clifford Pier car park to the left.

On the journey, Polly takes pictures of the landmarks that they pass. Crossing the Singapore River by Elgin Bridge.

Amaz reaffirms that Mr. Hook won't be joining them due to a high fever even though he had been eagerly awaiting their arrival. The Boat Quay on the Singapore River seen from Elgin Bridge with the Bank of China building to the left.

When Polly suggests visiting Mr. Hook, Amaz replies that the fever is particularly contagious. Telok Ayer Street looking towards the Nagore Durgha Shrine.

More pictures are taken. The Hunter believes that this is either the ten storey Housing & Development Board flats of Queenstown, Tanglin Halt or Bukit Ho Swee housing estates.

The intolerant Eva tells her niece to "stop clicking that damn thing every minute". The Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple on Race Course Road.

Eva goes on to say that Polly could buy postcards of all of the sights. The Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple on South Bridge Road.

The Lincoln Continental pulls up alongside a trishaw as it comes to a stand at a busy junction. The crossroads formed by Arab Street, Weld Road, Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road at the bridge over the Rochor Canal.

Amaz spots Robert Thorne-Hook (Trevor Howard) sitting in the trishaw with Lorelei (Kalen Liu) next to him. Looking north-west along Weld Road.

Pulling his hat down, Robert tells the trishaw Driver to cycle away while Amaz urges their Driver onward as a Traffic Policeman tries to restore order. The junction of Arab Street, Weld Road, Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road.

Having avoided being seen by his sister-in-law, Robert puts his arm around Lorelei as they make their way back to the rubber plantation that he manages to stay there "until the old cow is safely back on board!" Arab Street with the Sultan Mosque in the distance.

Eva and Polly arrive at the hotel that Amaz has booked. The Raffles Hotel on Beach Road, Singapore.

Polly takes more pictures as Eve steps from the car, telling the Driver to take a driving test.

Sitting by the pool, the gluttonous Eva gorges on a mountain of food. The Goodwood Park Hotel on Scotts Road in Singapore.

Polly looks down from their room to see Eva's plate of spare ribs splashed by Hotel Guests jumping into the pool. The Raffles Hotel on Beach Road.

Pulling notes from his wallet, Amaz tells CHECK Lim Kee (Eric Young) CHECK "For this money I am expecting Scottish whisky, no more Laird of the Dunes from Tokyo".

On her way to join her aunt, Polly tells Amaz that it's a lovely hotel . The poolside at the Goodwood Park Hotel on Scotts Road.

When Eva doesn't reappear after descending down the ladder into the hotel's pool following her feast, an ambulance is called. Raffles Place in Singapore with Robinson's department store to the centre.

Amaz arrives at the hospital just before Polly learns that Aunt Eva has died from a heart attack. Looking out from the entrance lobby of Mount Alvernia Hospital on Thomson Road, Singapore.

Persuaded to replace her glasses with contact lenses, Polly looks out from the Oculist's clinic recommended by Amaz to see a Chinese funeral procession. Jalan Sultan in Kampong Glam, Singapore.

A Woman tells Archie Critch (Peter Bayliss) to pay her more when he leaves her premises.

As Critch mutters that he's only a ship's purser, Children crowd around him when he takes a roll of notes from his pocket to pay the Woman.

The Children continue to harass Archie as he walks towards the main road. In the background stands the wall of Madrasah Alsagoff on Jalan Sultan.

Archie becomes entangled with the funeral procession before pushing the Children away and heading for a bar. Looking towards North Bridge Road on Jalan Sultan with Madrasah Alsagoff out of view to the left.

Leaving the bar, Archie steps into the street to where he's approached by Prostitutes. The Orchid Bar, shophouse 109 on Jalan Sultan.

Across the street, Polly waves to Mr. Critch when she appears from Ambrose Wah Lai's salon with a bouffant.

Robert Thorne-Hook drives to the English Cemetery for the funeral of his sister-in-law. Woodlands Road to the north-west of Singapore with Woodlands police station to the right.

The camera pans with the Land Rover. Facing Shell's Woodland's North depot on Woodlands Road.

Inside the gates of Bidadari Christian Cemetery on Upper Serangoon Road, which served Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sinhalese residents from 1907.

Robert gets out of the Land Rover and hurries into the chapel where the service has already begun. The Bidadari Christian Cemetery in Singapore.

The Minister (Colonel Fairbanks) leads Eva's coffin from the chapel followed by Polly, her Uncle Bob, Miss Gudgeon (Patricia Routledge) and Mr. Critch. The Protestant Chapel at Bidadari Christian Cemetery.

Amaz takes photographs as the cortège walks through the cemetery. Bidadari Christian Cemetery closed in 1972 and by 2006 graves had been exhumed to make way for redevelopment.

Returning his niece's forgotten handbag, Robert arrives outside the Raffles Hotel as Amaz speaks with Polly in her room. The entrance driveway to the Raffles Hotel on Beach Road with the Britannia Club in the background.

Robert tells Lorelei to wait in the car and not press the horn or he'll wring her neck. Outside the Raffles Hotel on the driveway from Beach Road.

The plantation manager makes his way to Polly's room where he sends Amaz away to get the bottle of whisky he'd ordered. The Palm Court wing of the Raffles Hotel.

After flirting with Polly in the hotel, Rick Preston (Dick Patterson) leaves the Verandah Bar with her following dinner.

Unable to locate his niece at the hotel, Robert drops Amaz and Lorelei off at a restaurant before finding Polly.

Outside the restaurant, Amaz says goodnight to Polly before she accepts a lift with Robert after Lorelei refuses to have the tour guide in the car following an argument with him.

Meeting back up with Amaz at the hotel, the pair head for a night out. Bugis Street in Singapore.

Hairdresser Ambrose Wah Lai (David Prosser) and his pal Gunter (Edward Johnson) look on as Polly admires a talking parrot that's brought to the table by a Sailor.

Hearing Polly's name mentioned, Rick Preston makes his way over. The junction of Bugis Street and Hylam Street identified by The Hunter.

When Amaz says that it's time to go, Rick suggests that they go find a party. Bugis Street in Singapore.

Everyone gets into trishaws and race through the streets towards 127 Racetrack Road. Likely to be outside the Sultan Mosque on Kampong Glam.

Amaz takes the only remaining trishaw with it's drunken Driver.

The trishaw race continues through darkened streets.

Rick and Polly reach the party at 127 Racetrack Road, followed by Ambrose and Gunter and an entourage of Sailors.

Rescuing Polly from the party in the building that Rick had bought to redevelop, Amaz orders a taxi to take them away.

A reverse point of view as the taxi continues its journey through a less salubrious part of town.

Polly and Amaz walk on the beach as the sun starts to rise.

Turning down Polly's lunch invitation, Amaz tells her that he has many pressing engagements and that it's time she went home . . . to England.

Robert drives Polly back to the plantation for lunch.

Polly and her Uncle Bob arrive at his home where she tells him that she wants to fly back to London that evening. The Hunter advises that this is an Anglo-Malay style bungalow.