Smallest Show on Earth, The

Beneath the titles a Post Van brings a letter for author Matt Spenser. Holly Hill NW3 with Holly Bush Hill to the left and Holly Mount in the right background.

The same buildings appear in this shot from Eli Perl.

The Post Van turns into the driveway of a large house. This is Mount Vernon in Hampstead. The area appears in 'The Collector', 'Peril for the Guy', 'The Walking Stick', 'The Killing of Sister George' and 'For Them That Trespass' amongst others.

The same location now by Eli Perl.

Jean Spenser (Virginia McKenna) comes out of her apartment to take the letter from the Postman. Looking back towards Frognal Rise and Windmill Hill.

Not wanting to trespass, Eli Perl provides this image of the roads in the background of the screen capture.

Having been contacted by Simpson, Carter and Son Solicitors, Matt and Jean make their way to Sloughborough in Workshire to find out what Great Uncle Simon has bequeathed to them. Bottle kilns in far right distance identify this the Potteries of Staffordshire and Gregor Baddley confirms that this is Etruria Junction with the train heading towards Hanley on the loop line. Shelton Bar steelworks stand in the distance.

A less complicated layout greeted Gregor for this modern view.

After drinking wine and brandy on the journey, Matt Spenser (Bill Travers) and his wife Jean alight in Sloughborough. Jon Horswell identifies this as Uxbridge Vine Street which stood, unsurprisingly, on Vine Street in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

The couple notice a ghastly smell which they soon learn is from the local glue factory. The terminus stood at the end of a branch line from West Drayton and closed to passengers in 1962.

A Cabbie continues eating as he struggles to close the door of his taxi after Matt and Jean climb in.

The Spensers are driven to the offices of Simpson, Carter and Son. A second unit shot taken in the Potteries of Staffordshire. Gregor Baddley advises that this is looking west along Hanover Street to Hope Street in Hanley and adds that the structure to the left is part of Port Vale football club's Old Recreation Ground. The A50 Potteries Way now covers this area.

Gregor also provides this picture of the location now . . . . hard to believe isn't it?

On the journey, the Grand cinema is seen and the couple are told that it's the only picture house in town. A matted shot of the Gaumont Palace on Queen Caroline Street W6, subsequently renamed the Hammersmith Odeon and now called the Hammersmith Apollo.

To replace the Trip Advisor UK shot and still revealing the same building to the side, but without an advertising hoarding. (RL)

Telling the Cabbie to stop, the two excitedly get out of the taxi. Outside the Gaumont Palace in Hammersmith, identified by David Freeman and confirmed by Barry Lafbery.

No doubt about the Hammersmith flyover which has only been up since 1961, four years after shooting. SJ

When they ask how business is, the Commissionaire (George Cross) retorts that he minds his own. Although the Gaumont Palace was used for the exterior shots of the Grand Cinema, interiors were filmed at the Odeon in Richmond.

After telling them that the Grand isn't the only cinema in town, Robin Carter (Leslie Phillips) takes Matt and Jean to the flea-pit that they have inherited. Iverson Road, London NW6 identified by Tony K.

Tony K also proves the location with this picture.

Matt asks Robin if his Uncle actually charged people to enter! Between the Great Central and Metropolitan Railways bridges on Christchurch Avenue, London NW5 located by Tony Kent.

Tony Kent advises that the curved viaduct arch on the right was replaced sometime after the film was shot which is why the present day picture shows different construction. Denis Hoare provides this up to date comparative shot taken from ground level, rather than higher up as in the film, that shows shadow similar to the one from the capture, although the angle of the shadow probably indicates that the film was shot closer to midsummer. This replaces the supporting Google Earth View that out stood since 2012. (RL)

When they fail to sell the cinema to Albert Hardcastle, owner of the Grand, Robin drives Matt and Jean back to the Bijou Kinema after they decide to bluff that they are preparing to open. As well as this prop cinema on Christchurch Avenue, a replica was also constructed at Shepperton Studios for close-up shots and interior scenes.

Ian Dunkin provides this view of how the scene looks now.

Trains rattle past as repairs are made to the run-down cinema. This bridge carries the former Great Central Railway's line from Marylebone station to Aylesbury and High Wycombe. The approach to the bridge can also be seen in 'Metro-Land' from 1973.

Greg Scott provides this view in which the gap between the bridges at Kilburn is now obscured by a large buddleia.

Banners are put up to announce the reopening. Christchurch Avenue, next to Kilburn station.

This replaces an earlier shot from Denis that he had supplied from his archive, he and I agree that this is "a whole lot better". He remarks that it is strange that there is no shadow in the original film capture, probably filmed on a different and overcast day than Capture 13? His photo's were shot together hence the shadow on his. (RL)

Hardcastle and his assistant Emmett drive past to see what's going on at the Bijou. Iverson Road in Kilburn NW6 identified by Tony K.

Tony K also provides the proof.

Emmett (Stringer Davis) remarks to Albert Hardcastle (Francis de Wolff) that it looks like the young couple really mean to open up the Bijou.

Having overheard that Matt's scheme to open up the cinema is a bluff, Old Tom (Bernard Miles) wearily walks the streets. Joint research with Dave W (tipped in his favour) places this as The Crescent, Southall. (RL)

Antony Blair explains that the road is now pedestrianised and, after the buildings were demolished, the site remained as a plot of grass from the 70s until 2000.

The old man enters a café where he grumbles about the Matts' plan to the Doorman of the Grand. Bernard Miles used to buy his sandwiches from JT's wife's shop in Carter Lane, near St Paul's Cathedral. Here Dave and I find 'Old Tom' entering the cafe at 8 The Crescent, Southall. (RL)

Antony Blair took this wider shot 68 years later.

Trains rumble past as the first film is shown when the Spensers learn about Old Tom's careless mistake and decide to open up the Bijou for real. Longton station in Staffordshire identified by Gregor Baddley.

Gregor Baddley provides this picture of Longton station now, noting that for the film, the image was reversed.

Projectionist Percy Quill has a skip in his step as he makes his way home after the opening night.

Albert Hardcastle crosses to the Grand's queue when he sees Matt and Jean waiting. Outside the Gaumont Palace with buildings at the junction of Great Church Lane and Fulham Palace Road in the background.

Outside what is now the "Apollo" and a very much changed scene. (RL)

Finally realising that they can't carry on, the morning after they show the Bijou's final film, Matt awakes to see the burnt out ruin of the Grand. A matte painting included for completeness.

Having sold the town's remaining cinema to Hardcastle, Matt and Jean look back from the train to see Mrs. Fazackalee (Margaret Rutherford), Percy Quill (Peter Sellers), Robin and Old Tom waving to them from the platform. Uxbridge Vine Street station. The site is now occupied by Hertz House.

Matt and Jean wave back before they begin to ponder Old Tom's last words to them - "It were th'only way weren't it?". Facing south on the platform of Uxbridge's Vine Street station.

As the train heads into the sunset, Matt and Jean dream of a trip to Samarkand. We're back in Staffordshire for the final shot of the film and Gregor Baddley tells us that this view looking towards Longton station shows Railway Terrace to the right and the Queen's Pottery on the left. Phil Dennis recalls the bridge which is where he used to stand to have personal battles with steam trains with his pea shooter in the 1950s. Phil adds that the footbridge is still in situ and takes the footpath running between Kendrick Street and Sunderland Road over the railway to the north-west of the bridge carrying Weston Coney Road.