Sky West and Crooked

Date: 1965
Director: John Mills
Production Company: The Rank Organisation, John Mills Productions

Stars: Hayley Mills, Ian McShane, Annette Crosbie, Laurence Naismith
Location(s): Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire

Region(s): ,

Storyline:

Affected by the traumatic death of a friend ten years earlier, a troubled teenage girl finds solace in burying dead animals until romance appears in the form of a young gypsy man.

Additional Information:

Screen captures by Phil Wilkinson

Also known as ‘Gypsy Girl’ (US Title)

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Birds sing in the background as the double barrels of a shotgun scan a field. Little Badminton in Gloucestershire.

Tybulus Tyburn paid a visit to the village.

As her friend Julian shouts bang . . . bang, bang a young Brydie White (Mandy Woollen) tells him to stop it. In the background stands St. Michael and All Angels church on Church Lane.

Tybulus Tyburn's suspicions about the church tower being a prop are proven.

Brydie chases Julian Dacre (Andrew Wicks) across the field until the two trip and fall over. In the left distance stand properties on Badminton Road running between Church Lane and Well Lane to the west of Little Badminton.

The same field captured by Tybulus.

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Mr. Cheeseman (Norman Bird) turns his head sharply as a shot rings out in the distance.

The barking of startled dogs recedes into the background as Edwin Dacres (Laurence Naismith), Reverend Phillip Moss (Geoffrey Bayldon) and concerned villagers run across the field where they find Julian's body. Looking towards St. Michael and All Angels church and Church Lane.

Tybulus also looked towards the church.

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Years later, Brydie White (Hayley Mills) runs towards the village with her dog.

Roibin Krisenki (Ian McShane) jumps a wall as he follows the seventeen year old across the fields.

Taken by Tybulus Tyburn.

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Brydie and her dog reach the village and continue running.

The camera finds Brydie passing cottages and houses. Church Lane in Little Badminton with Little Badminton Farm in the right background.

Tybulus follows the action through the village.

Brydie runs into the churchyard. Church Lane with St. Michael and All Angels church to the right.

Back at the church, Tybulus provides this comparison.

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Roibin watches from behind a tree as the troubled young woman places flowers on Julian's grave. The churchyard of St. Michael and All Angels church in Little Badminton, Gloucestershire.

Following a fight between Roibin and Bill Slim the sexton after she's ordered away from the grave, Brydie leaves the churchyard. St. Michael and All Angels church churchyard with Church Lane visible through the gateway.

Tybulus found the same gravestones.

On another day, while being given a lift into the village, Roibin sees Brydie and Dusty standing in the churchyard after burying dead hamsters and a mole. Looking north-west on Church Lane in Little Badminton.

Taken from ground level by Tybulus.

Outside the Boy and Donkey public house, Mr. Dacres approaches Brydie who says hello. To the immediate left stands Thatched Cottage on Badminton Road in Little Badminton which was suitably dressed as the village pub.

Tybulus Tyburn walked to the film's pub.

Brydie watches as the grieving Mr. Dacres turns to face her in silence. Facing south outside Thatched Cottage on Badminton Road with Rose Cottage in the left distance.

Turning 360 degrees from his previous shot, Tybulus Tyburn takes in the view.

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Mr. Cheeseman follows Brydie as she enters the house for a cup of tea with his family.

Carrying a catapult, Brydie looks over the Vicarage wall where Mrs. Moss is entertaining friends in the garden. This is Little Badminton Farm at the corner of Church Lane and Well Lane.

Tybulus arrived the farm 55 years later.

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Mrs. Potts (Anne Blake) and Mrs. Moss (Pauline Jameson) are startled by Mrs. Rigby (Judith Furse) as she shouts at Brydie after a stone fired from the catapult hits her on the backside. The garden of Little Badminton Farm.

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Brydie walks away from the Vicarage as Mrs. Moss and Mrs. Potts comment on the rather good shot. Looking onto the junction of Church Lane and Well Lane.

Disturbing him whilst practicing a sermon, Brydie shows Reverend Moss a dead bee and asks when will it start going to heaven. Looking from Well Lane with the Dovecote in the centre of the village to the left and Thatched Cottage on Badminton Road in the right distance

The dovecot still stands in this image from Tybulus.

Satisfied with the Reverend's reply, Brydie runs home to her inebriate Mother. Little Badminton in Gloucestershire.

Tybulus found that the tree and fence have been removed during the intervening years.

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In the churchyard, Reverend Moss is astonished to discover a number of small wooden crosses scattered between the graves. The churchyard of St. Michael and All Angels church.

Roibin touches his hat as Reverend Moss passes Fred Strong (Jack Bligh) on his way to speak with Brydie and her Mother. Church Lane with buildings on Badminton Road in the distance.

Tybulus Tyburn found the same gateway.

Lights all over the village are switched on as residents hear Brydie screaming as she runs from the churchyard and out of the village. Well Lane, Little Badminton.

The buildings as they appear in daylight by Tybulus.

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The morning after Roibin finds Brydie and takes her back to the camp where he lives, Policemen arrive to ask his Grandmam (Rachel Thomas) and Family if the young girl has been seen.

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With the Gypsies covering for Roibin, the Police begin a search for Brydie.

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As Mrs. White drinks herself into suffering a heart attack Officers discover a pair of shoes on the river bank.

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Outside the hospital, Reverend Moss returns to his wife after learning from Matron that Brydie's mother's health is declining fast. Heatherden Hall at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire which is also seen in ‘Nothing But the Night’, 'City Under the Sea', ‘The Square Peg’, ‘A Stitch in Time’, ‘In the Doghouse’, ‘Carry On Nurse’, ‘Carry On Again Doctor’, ‘Carry On Camping’, ‘Octopussy’, ‘The First Great Train Robbery’, ‘What a Whopper’, ‘The Iron Maiden’, ‘Consuming Passions’, ‘Young and Innocent’, 'Wombling Free' and ‘The Early Bird’ amongst many other productions.

Watched from the churchyard wall by the Children of the village, the funeral of Mrs. White takes place. St. Michael and All Angels churchyard in Little Badminton, Gloucestershire.

An almost unchanged scene taken by Tybulus Tyburn.

Returned to the village by Roibin, a distraught Brydie cries over her mother's death. In the background stands St. Michael and All Angels church.

Tybulus shows how the graveyard looks without the props.

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Reverend Moss and Brydie run from the back of the Vicarage when they see the Doctor arrive at the front gate. Little Badminton Farm at the corner of Church Lane and Well Lane.

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When they discover that the Gypsies have left, Brydie finds a clue left by Roibin.

While Brydie sets off in pursuit, Reverend Moss returns to the Vicarage. Looking west along Church Lane from the junction with Well Lane.

Tybulus took this shot of the easily recognised location.

The Doctor (Michael Nightingale) and Mrs. Moss leave the Vicarage as the Reverend cycles into view. In the left background stands Little Badminton Farm.

Same farm, different car, taken by Tybulus.

As he rides after Brydie, the camera follows. Little Badminton Farm at the corner of Church Lane and Well Lane in Little Badminton, Gloucestershire.

Tybulus Tyburn found that trees now hide the farmhouse.

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Brydie finds another clue as she continues to follow the man that she loves. This is the bend on Knockdown Road at the junction with Wood Lane near Halfway Bush Farm between Knockdown and Sherston in Wiltshire.

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This post script features photographs taken by David Evans of the sets as well as cast and crew accommodation.

As well as additional headstones, the church tower was an added extra.

The reality.

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More like a scene from 'The Great Escape'!

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This set was constructed for a shot where Hamilton Dyce, as Bill Slim the gravedigger, looks out of the pub window.

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Someone had a sense of humour . . .

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. . . note the 'Ladies' sign in bushes to the right.