St. Martin's Lane

Name: St. Martin's Lane
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1939-07-24
Duration: 1 h 25 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison

19381938
ApprovedApproved
1h 25m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.3K

YOUR RATING

Vivien Leigh and Charles Laughton in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Comedy

On the sidewalks of the London theater district the buskers (street performers) earn enough coins for a cheap room. Charles (Charles Laughton), who recites dramatic monologues, sees that a y... Read allOn the sidewalks of the London theater district the buskers (street performers) earn enough coins for a cheap room. Charles (Charles Laughton), who recites dramatic monologues, sees that a young pickpocket, Libby (Vivien Leigh), also has a talent for dancing and adds her to his a... Read allOn the sidewalks of the London theater district the buskers (street performers) earn enough coins for a cheap room. Charles (Charles Laughton), who recites dramatic monologues, sees that a young pickpocket, Libby (Vivien Leigh), also has a talent for dancing and adds her to his act. Harley (Sir Rex Harrison), the theater patron who never knew Libby took his gold cigar... Read all

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.3K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Tim Whelan
Writers
- Clemence Dane
- Charles Laughton(uncredited)
- Bartlett Cormack(uncredited)
Stars

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Vivien Leigh in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Tyrone Guthrie in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Rex Harrison in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Gus McNaughton in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Charles Laughton in St. Martin's Lane (1938)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Made in London just before England's entrance into World War II, this film was co-produced by a refugee from Adolf Hitler, the great German producer of "Metropolis (1927)" and many other classic UFA movies, Erich Pommer. It was directed by an American from Hollywood, Tim Whelan, and features another American, the great harmonica virtuoso, Larry Adler, who was to return to live in exile in England after the war when he was blacklisted in the U.S. Adler went on write and play the score for the classic English comedy Vauhtihirmut valloillaan (1953). The role of the tall busker Gentry was played by Tyrone Guthrie who would be knighted and would one day become Artistic Director of Canada's Stratford Festival and founder of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. This movie was edited by Robert Hamer, who would go on to direct the Ealing Studio comedy "Kruunupäitä ja hyviä sydämiä (1949)."

Goofs
After Libby (Vivien Leigh) steals six pence from Charles's hat on the sidewalk, she runs to a food stall and orders a coffee. When she orders the coffee and "two doorsteps" her necktie is under the right side of her collar. She then walks around to the other side of the stall on now her necktie is not under the collar.

Quotes
Liberty 'Libby': Just a minute! Look here, mister, who does this lovely world belong to, eh? To the people who live on it, you say? Well, I'm one of them. And I've got just the same taste as all the rest. You should be surprised. I get hungry. I get thirsty. I get cold. I enjoy smoke and a permanent wave, and whatever I can get in the way of extras. And why shouldn't I have them?

Crazy credits
Opening credits start as names on a City of Westminster street sign.

Connections
Featured in Näin tehtiin Tuulen viemää (1988)

Soundtracks
London Love Song
Music by Arthur Johnston
Lyrics by Eddie Pola

User reviews31

Review

Featured review

9/10

A treat for film coinnesseurs

This is a rare treat for coinnesseurs, a film where three of the greatest actors of Hollywood, Rex Harrison, Charles Laughton, and Vivien Leigh, strut their considerable stuff! They were all still relatively young in 1938, but already you can see the promise of great things to come, for the three, especially Laughton, who was already one of the world's finest actors.

In many ways the story resembles Harrison's later role as Professor Higgins in "My Fair Lady"(1964). Laughton and Leigh play buskers in the street, and Harrison plays a toff who gives Leigh a chance at stardom. Laughton plays quite a similar role to his later "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939) who falls in love with the girl but recognises he is too ugly for her, and eventually contents himself with her kindness towards him. You can see Laughton's superb acting skills, when she kisses him, and his eyes shine with satisfaction and pride, as they wave goodbye to each other. It is truly a precious moment in films, a moment to savour.

The following year saw the release of Leigh's "Gone With The Wind" and of course "The Wizard of Oz", two of the greatest films ever made, so minor films like this tended to be forgotten quickly. It's worth taking another look, though, at this film, which deserves far more recognition than it got.

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