Wanted for Murder

Anne Fielding (Dulcie Gray) descends onto the Underground as she heads to meet Victor Colebrooke at the fair on Hampstead Heath.

On the crowded train Anne meets Jack Williams, a bus conductor from her route to work, and the two travel to the fair together.

A Station Attendant (Caven Watson) talks with Jack Williams (Derek Farr) when he returns to Hampstead station after Anne disappears at the fair. Looks like a studio set but included for completeness.

An establishing shot of the City, where Victor is a partner in an import business.

The same location by Peter. "City of London planning know how to ruin a skyline!"

Victor James Colebrooke (Eric Portman) buys a newspaper and reads about a murder. Cornhill in EC2 with The Royal Exchange to the left. The location was also seen in 'The Mackintosh Man', 'What's Good for the Goose', 'The Salvage Gang', 'The Green Man', 'The Passionate Friends', 1951's 'Scrooge', 'Wanted for Murder', 'A Touch of Class', 'Circus of Fear', 'Tube Tales', 'Der Gorilla von Soho', '28 Days Later . . .', 'The Lavender Hill Mob', 'Two Gentlemen Sharing', 'Monsieur Ripois' and 'Bobbikins'.

Here's one I took for 'A Touch of Class' before I realised I had been beaten to it by the prolific Peter. Exactly the same angle. SJ

The businessman crosses to buy flowers. The Royal Exchange at the junction of Threadneedle Street and Cornhill in London EC3.

No flowers on sale now. Picture from Peter.

Detectives at New Scotland Yard puzzle over a woman found murdered on Hampstead Heath on the night that Anne, Victor and Jack were there.

Peter captured the location from the Embankment side of Scotland Yard.

The laundry man arrives outside the Colebrooke's house. Facing west on Chelsea Embankment SW3.

Hooray: traffic-free. SJ

Freshly laundered linen is delivered. Star House on Chelsea Embankment.

The same frontage now. This replaces a google image. SJ

Victor arrives home where he lives with his mother, to find Chief Inspector Conway waiting. Outside Star House on Chelsea Embankment SW3.

Peter found the same railings still there 68 years later.

The curtains are pulled back and Victor watches the Chief Inspector depart. Looking out onto Chelsea Embankment where Dave W advises that the bridge is not the Albert Bridge but rare footage of one of the temporary bridges that were built across the Thames to mitigate any disruption that would be caused by bomb damage to the more established Thames bridges. This one, finally demolished in 1947, connected Royal Hospital Road on the north bank to Battersea Park on the south side. Further background information can be read at https://alondoninheritance.com/the-thames/a-temporary-wartime-chelsea-bridge/. (RL)

Taken from a doorway rather than inside. SJ

When Jack finishes his shift he discovers Sergeant Sullivan waiting to question him.

On another day, Jack jumps from the platform of his bus at the terminus.

Finally we have the location identified, Denis Hoare provides this shot of South End Green, London NW3, very close to Hampstead Heath and still a bus terminus. It is most likely that the wooden fencing in the screen capture was a substitute for the original iron railings would have been removed for the war effort. (RL)

Sergeant Sullivan (Stanley Holloway) waits with Anne, who backs up his alibi for the night of the murder.

Jack takes Anne back to town on his number 24 bus. Peter identifies this as outside Horseguards Parade on Whitehall, looking towards Big Ben.

The same place now in this picture from Peter.

On the way, the two arrange a trip to the cinema. Peter identifies this as The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square WC2.

And Peter provides this proof of the location.

At Anne's stop, traffic builds up behind the bus as Jack continues his wooing. Ray and Ron Glenister close 2017 with this identification of Trafalgar Square outside the National Gallery. (RL)

After being questioned again, Victor leaves New Scotland Yard. Another familiar location used in 'Kill Me Tomorrow' and 'The Blue Parrot' plus many more.

From the Embankment side. SJ

Victor crosses the road towards the river as a tram bound for Battersea approaches. Victoria Embankment in WC2.

The son of notorious hangman William Colebrooke climbs the steps up to Lambeth Bridge in SE1. The tower of St Thomas' Hospital can be seen across the river.

St. Thomas's Hospital is behind the tree while the new instant church has the 'Shard' as a steeple. Picture from Peter.

Detective Ellis (Bill Shine) follows. Lambeth Bridge from the corner of Millbank SW1 with the London Fire Brigade Headquarters in the right distance.

Peter took this of the same location now.

The troubled man walks beside the river. Chelsea Embankment SW3 with Battersea 'A' Power Station and Chelsea Bridge in the distance. Also seen in 'Dracula AD 1972' and 'The Upturned Glass'.

A modern comparison by Peter.

Chelsea Embankment with Battersea Park across the Thames.

Using pure guesswork, Peter provides this image of the same location.

After being given the cold shoulder by Anne, Victor sees Jack enter the record shop where she works.

Suspecting that Jack is meeting Anne, Victor slowly crosses the road. Looking north towards City Road from Finsbury Square in EC2.

Peter found more refurbishment on the classic Triton House and adds that he used to work in the next building to the right before it was Scotia House.

Victor stands behind a traction pole and watches as Anne walks by arm in arm with Jack. The north west corner of Finsbury Square with the junction of City Road and Tabernacle Street in the right background.

The Union Flag flutters above the Honorable Artillery Company headquarters on the left. Image by Peter.

After sending an anonymous postcard to Conway threatening another murder, Victor leaves the post office.

Detective Ellis picks up the trail.

Becoming increasingly insane, Victor leaves his home. Chelsea Embankment, London SW3.

Replacing my earlier shot which focussed on the wrong pillar. There's dedication for you. SJ

The camera tilts up the building as Ellis comes out of the shadows. Chelsea Embankment.

And another replacement, with improved weather as well as angle. SJ

Victor arrives at Marble Arch. London W1.

Peter's picture of the same arch.

Detective Ellis follows Victor into the crowd. The corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane serves as the backdrop. Marble Arch and the area around is seen in many productions including ‘Nothing Barred’, ‘Play Up the Band’, ‘Profile’, ‘The Statue’, ‘Emil and the Detectives’, ‘Major Barbara’, ‘Baffled!’ and ‘John and Julie’.

A sunny scene on Cumberland Gate in W2, sent in by a grumpy Peter on a very rainy August Bank Holiday.

As the police deduce that Victor is the murderer, Anne waits for him one last time. In the background stands the statue of Achilles in Hyde Park W1. The statue also features in 'Escape!'.

The same statue now by Peter.

Victor asks Anne that they spend the evening together after she tells him that she is in love with Jack. The bandstand in Hyde Park, also seen in 'Escape!', 'The Alphabet Murders' and 'Joanna'.

The bandstand is a temporary campsite/squat which didn't help Peter's photography.

Hoping to find her son before the police, Mrs Colebrooke (Barbara Everest) searches for Victor with her housekeeper Florrie (Kathleen Harrison).

From a similar angle now. Image by Peter.

Chief Inspector Conway orders a search for Victor in Hyde Park.

Peter captured The Cumberland Hotel to the left and the Marriott Park Lane to the right from Cumberland Gate, Marble Arch.

Police head into the park to search for the murderer. South Carriage Drive, London W2. Scenes for 'The Bitch' and 'The Magic Box' were filmed here too.

The same location taken by Peter, with Apsley House on the left.

More officers appear on the scene. The Old Police House in Hyde Park W2.

Peter notes that the 'police' lamp has been moved out of shot to the right.

The camera pans with the car. The Old Police House in Hyde Park, now offices of The Royal Parks.

Peter found the same location, without the park regulations.

The Boat-keeper (George Carney) greets Victor as he hires a boat to take Anne across to the island in The Serpentine.

Peter captured a new timber clad boathouse with lots of clutter.