Rag Doll (aka Young, Willing and Eager)

Date: 1961
Director: Lance Comfort
Production Company: Blakeley's Films (M/C) Ltd

Stars: Jess Conrad, Hermione Baddeley, Kenneth Griffith, Christina Gregg, Patrick Magee
Location(s): Hertfordshire, London, Surrey

Region(s):

Storyline:

Singing crook Jo Shane attracts the eye of a naïve runaway Carol. When Carol falls in love with Jo, he uses his charm to turn her against her new-found keeper Wilson but when Jo tries to break into Wilson’s home the robbery goes tragically wrong.

Additional Information:

Screen captures and uncredited now shots uploaded by Richard Lovejoy

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Carol (Christina Gregg) walks out from the home and café of her step-father, Flynn (Patrick Magee) and accepts a lift from a customer Wills (Patrick Jordan) to take her to London. Oxford Street, London W1

With the Christmas lights of 2016

They pass Selfridges.

Energy efficiency was clearly not an issue 56 years ago.

At Oxford Circus they turn right into Regent Street.

No longer called "Spirella House", that went with the demise of corsets! And, for viewers of an enquiring mind, there is a corset museum in Market Harborough. Whooppee!!

The Christmas lights of Regent Street 1960 with Liberty & Co to the left.

The Christmas lights of Regent Street 2016

They reach Piccadilly Circus . . . .

Energy conservation here as well.

. . . . and are next seen in Cranbourn Street, London WC2. Daly's Milk Bar also makes an appearance in 'The Blue Lamp'.

Now pedestrianised.

Whilst travelling along Catherine Street, London WC2 Flynn decides that he has to drop Carol off. Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the left hand side.

I thought that all those school children would never go in to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

Carol is dropped off at the end of Catherine Street where it meets Russell Street, behind her.

Sign of the times, exchange Joe Lyons for Coral.

She is awe struck by the bright lights of London. Catherine Street looking towards Russell Street with the Theatre Royal now on the right.

Those kids are definitely seated inside now.

Wandering the streets she finds herself in Rupert Street, looking towards Brewer Street.

Without market stalls today.

At the end of the street she walks past Isow’s Restaurant in Brewer Street where I celebrated my 21st Birthday.

After years of neglect the premises are now to be re-opened.

After passing through Piccadilly Circus she is in Great Windmill Street. The street features in 'Last Night in Soho', ‘Time Without Pity', The Small World of Sammy Lee’, ‘The Optimists of Nine Elms’, ‘The Squeeze’ and ‘White Cargo’.

The "Windmill" covered with scaffolding in the distance.

Befriended by fortune teller, Princess (Hermione Baddeley), and given work by Wilson (Kenneth Griffith) we are shown a shot of Trafalgar Square from the National Gallery, presumably to re-enforce Carol’s new life in London.

It looks like a bigger tree this year, or is it my camera angle?

Following a shot of Rupert Street market the camera pans to a window in order to place the home of Princess where we see her take Carol breakfast in bed. Rupert Street, London WC2.

No bags for sale now.

Having seen Carol at Wilson’s club Jo Shane (Jess Conrad) pursues her and offers to carry her shopping. North End Road, London SW6

I was introduced to the daughter of one of the original stall holders.

He supposedly is walking her home but this is Anselm Road, London SW6

How did they manage without white vans?

As they progress further they appear in Walham Grove, London SW6 the other end of North End Road.

More evidence of our changed shopping habits.

Carol and Jo meet up as agreed. Tower of London walkway with Tower Bridge background.

When and why have those cannon been taken away......don't tell me, Health and Safety!

Jo persuade Carol to go back to his place. Tower of London walkway with Tower Bridge.

Without the cannons we can squeeze more tourists in.

Charing Cross Road, Garrick Theatre to the left, St Martin’s in the Field centre and the National Portrait Gallery right. Not sure of the purpose of this shot to the film.

Nevertheless, as it is today.

The scene switches to Jo walking along a pavement when the police (Frank Forsyth) arrive to give him a warning. Outside what was the Regal Cinema, New Zealand Avenue, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. The cinema frontage appears in 'The Sound Barrier', 'The Third Alibi' and 'The Price of Silence' and other views of the road can be seen in 'Mother Riley Meets the Vampire', 'The Naked Truth', 'The Smashing Bird I Used to Know', 'Something In The City', 'Left, Right and Centre' and 'Bond of Fear'.

Nick Boorman captured the site of the cinema now.

Having told Jo that she is pregnant she returns to collect “her things” from Princess’s flat. Rupert Street as viewed from Brewer Street before cutting to a similar shot to ragd014. The corner was also seen in 'The Lost Language of Cranes'.

Only street food stalls certain days of the week now.

Jo proposes to make an “honest woman” of her and they get a taxi to Paddington Register Office, Harrow Road, London, W9

A similarly murky day.

They do not have a witness so Jo “hails” the cab driver once again, but this time as a witness to a wedding. Harrow Road, London.

No brighter looking that way either.

They stand on the steps introducing each other, Carol, Jo and Reg Green (Frank Hawkins).

Considerably more iron work now.

  • 'Now' required

Days later Carol returns to Jo’s flat and he tells her that now he is married “with a kid on the way” there is no future as a singer and they should start again in Canada. Really he is planning “a job”. Halford Road, Fulham, London SW6

They go to the cinema but Jo exits half way through. Astoria Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London. Now totally absorbed into a large Crossrail re-development scheme.

This one is just for the record . . . . . the record of how many fine buildings we can destroy in one generation. (PW)

  • 'Now' required

Jo slips out the side door. What was part of Sutton Row.

  • 'Now' required

He sets off to rob Wilson’s house. Unknown location.

  • 'Now' required

Unexpectedly Wilson returns with a bag of cash which he hides in a cupboard. Unknown location but looking away from the drive of the house. It is near a roundabout as that is a “Roundabout” sign.

  • 'Now' required

Jo grabs the money but makes a noise, Jo shoots Wilson and Wilson shoots Jo as he tries to escape. Wounded, Jo escapes in a stolen car. Unknown location.

  • 'Now' required

Police are alerted to look out for the car and set off to find him. All subsequent chase scenes are too dark to establish any location. Unknown location.

  • 'Now' required

Having joined the injured Jo in his escape with the money Carol and he find themselves near a village where the police catch up with them and Jo dies. Steve Randall has finally put me out of my misery after more than five and a half years, it is the Church of St. Lawrence in Nettleden, Hertfordshire.