Waterloo Road

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Movie
Original title Waterloo Road
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 1944
length 73 minutes
Rod
Director Sidney Gilliat
script Val Valentine based on a story by Sidney Gilliat
production Edward Black
music Bob Busby
camera Arthur Crabtree
cut Alfred Roome
occupation

Waterloo Road is a 1944 British World War I drama directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring John Mills and Stewart Granger .

action

Second world war . Jim Colter has moved in, his wife Tillie is at home in London. She remembers how everything began with Jim and how he hesitated at the beginning of the war about wanting to have children now, given the global political situation. Now that he's in uniform, he receives a fire letter from his sister Ruby, in which she writes that a greasy lacquer monkey and slacker named Ted Purvis would attack his wife. To see if everything is in order, Jim Colter asks for short-term release, but this is not granted to him. During a train ride, he escapes his companion Corporal Lewis and later comes across the Canadian soldier Mike Duggan, who has also left the troops without permission and can now give him a tip on where to hide. Jim returns to his mother and asks about Tillie, but is interrupted by a knock on the door. It's the military police searching the house and finding nothing. Shortly afterwards, Jim rushes to Ruby and questions her about Ted Purvis. She says he should stop by the Lucky Star pint. Jim goes there and gets into a fight with Ted's friend Alf, which results in Jim being knocked unconscious. A military policeman takes Jim to see doctor Dr. Montgomery. He realizes that Jim must be a deserter and provides him with information about windy Ted.

Meanwhile, Ted invites Tillie to dinner and, after some hesitation, accepts. Jim learns of this from a certain Tom Mason, who meets Jim on the street shortly afterwards. He reluctantly tells him where Tillie is, but Jim arrives too late. A waiter explains that Ted could be with Toni, a hairdresser. On the way, Jim runs into Mike Duggan again and has to hide from the military police in a tattoo parlor. At Toni's, Jim meets an angry and bitter bitter woman who was first seduced by Ted and then abandoned. She suggests that Jim try the Alcazar Club. Ted and Tillie are actually there. The seducer gushes at her with the rasp of licorice, and she is torn this way and that. Although Tillie loves Jim, Ted offers her a real future, promises everything - unlike Jim, who in Tillie's eyes just never came to Potte because of her family wishes. Jim finally wants to tackle Ted when the military police show up and ask everyone present for their papers. While he still has to wait for his inspection, Tillie and Ted have already left. Jim sneaks out of the bar, but sees his wife get into a taxi with Ted and drive off.

Jim returns home dejected. His mother says Tillie will likely be in the bomb shelter below Waterloo Station. In fact, she was lured into Ted's apartment by Ted, and although Alf and his girlfriend May are also there, Ted makes it clear to both of them that they should leave. Dr. Montgomery saw the two enter the apartment and immediately notified Jim. The doctor also gives Jim a tip on what to watch out for in a likely duel with former boxer Ted. When Jim arrives at the apartment, he learns that his Tillie has just slapped Ted, and a fight ensues. Ted wins the upper hand at first, but Jim can finally bring Ted down with the knowledge of his weaknesses. Dr. Montgomery takes care of Ted's wounds and tells him that he is suffering from an illness, which would have the following consequence for him: "Wine, women and song have to play an increasingly unimportant role in your life". Jim and Tillie are reconciled, and two years later the longed-for child is finally born.

Production notes

Waterloo Road was shot in just ten days of shooting in the first half of 1944, when one of the main cast, Stewart Granger, was taking a break from the large-scale production Cornwall Rhapsody . The premiere was delayed until February 5, 1945. The film was not shown in Germany.

Maurice Ostrer was head of production. Alex Vetchinsky designed the film set, Yvonne Caffyn took care of the costumes. Louis Levy took over the musical direction.

Reviews

The Movie & Video Guide found the film to be a "pleasant drama from the war time" and summed up: "Conjuring in its time, the film also benefits from lively echoes of humor."

"Unpretentious, believable, entertaining throughout and just the right length."

- Richard Mallett in Punch , 1945

Halliwell's Film Guide said: "What came across as serene realism at the time seems chronically forced today, but amusing moments can still be discovered".

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 1428
  2. ^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 1095

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