Bombsight Stolen (1941)

Allied spies and Nazi Agents insinuate themselves at a Scottish cottage (converted to a wartime hospital) with interests on an inventor's nearly perfected bomb sight.

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writers:

Geoffrey Kerr (adapted from the play by), Anatole de Grunwald (screenplay) (as A. de Grunwald)

Stars:

Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim, Jeanne De Casalis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Leslie Banks	...	John Barrington
Jeanne De Casalis	...	Mrs. Barrington
Carla Lehmann	...	Helen Barrington (as Carla Lehman)
Alastair Sim	...	Charles Dimble
John Mills	...	Flt·Lieut. Perry
George Cole	...	Ronald
Michael Wilding	...	Alan Trently
Frank Cellier	...	John Forest
Muriel Aked	...	Miss Fernery
Wally Patch	...	Evans
Muriel George	...	Mrs. Trimm
Hay Petrie	...	Dr. Truscott
Catherine Lacey	...	Mrs. Stokes

Storyline

A wartime cottage on a Scottish estate becomes a focus of attention when not only the new tenant but a London evacuee and a downed fighter pilot all move in. The interest may not be unconnected with the fact that the landowner is also a key British military inventor. For a start, the butler is obviously a Scotland Yard flatfoot.

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Plot Keywords:

espionage | millstone | bombsight | man tied up | scotland yard | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Cole's first theatrical movie acting role at the age of fifteen.

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Goofs

Despite being apparently unconscious, the downed parachutist can be seen helping the two boatmen pull him into the rowing boat at the start of the film.

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Quotes

Charles Dimble: Good morning!
Alan Trently: Good morning.
Charles Dimble: Haven't we met somewhere before?
Alan Trently: I don't think so.
Charles Dimble: I've got a wonderful memory for faces.
Alan Trently: Well, I haven't, but I think I'd remember yours. I mean...

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Soundtracks

Overture
(uncredited)
from "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg"
Music by Richard Wagner
Arranged by Louis Levy

User Reviews

Some are spies, some are security

Watching Cottage To Let one can hope that Leslie Banks learns a valuable lesson. That no matter how much privacy he craves in his work during war time other considerations like security prevail. Of course being kidnapped by the Nazis might be a learning experience.

That's what happens here in Cottage To Let, a wartime British film taken from a stage play by actor/writer Frederick Kerr. Banks lives with wife and daughter at a Scottish estate with the usual gang of servants, a young evacuee from the London blitz George Coe and he has his one assistant Michael Wilding for his scientific research which is now directed toward inventing a new 100% accurate bomb sight for the RAF. And from the RAF he has a downed flier from the Battle Of Britain, Flight Lieutenant John Mills.

Other than Banks and Coe, absolutely no one is who they seem to be. Some are spies, some are security, the trick is to figure out which is which and I guarantee you won't be 100% right. Even Coe who says that his hero is Sherlock Holmes "the smartest man whoever lived" doesn't get it right though his suspicions do lead to the unmasking of who is who.

Even though Cottage To Let is dated and fixed in the time of wartime UK it still is quite enjoyable with some really good performances.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bombsight Stolen

Filming Locations:

Gaumont-British Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gainsborough Pictures, Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (British Acoustic Film Full-Range Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1