A Yank in London (1945)

In 1943 England, an American Army Air Force gunner falls in love with a corporal in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force who has long been expected to marry a British paratrooper Major, prompting him to go back to combat duty.

Director:

Herbert Wilcox

Writers:

Maurice Cowan (by), Nicholas Phipps (Anglo-American scenario) (as Nicholas Phipps { Great Britain })

Stars:

Anna Neagle, Rex Harrison, Dean Jagger

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anna Neagle	...	Lady Patricia Fairfax
Rex Harrison	...	Major David Bruce
Dean Jagger	...	Sgt. John Patterson
Robert Morley	...	Duke of Exmoor
Nancy Price	...	Mrs. Wilson
Irene Vanbrugh	...	Mrs. Catchpole (as Dame Irene Vanbrugh)
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Patterson
Elliot Arluck	...	Sgt. Benjie Greenburg (as P.F.C. Eliott Arluck U.S.Army)
Walter Hudd	...	Vicar
Edward Rigby	...	Innkeeper
Cecil Ramage	...	Trewhewy
Irene Manning	...	Self - U.S.O. Singer - Courtesy Appearance
Francis Pierlot	...	Postman
Aubrey Mallalieu	...	Bates
Michael Shepley	...	Lt. Lutyens

Storyline

This World War II romance, set in Grosvenor Square, a.k.a. Eisenhower's home where the GIs stayed in London. Lady Patricia Fairfax (Anna Neagle) loves Major David Bruce (Sir Rex Harrison). There arrives patriot GI Sergeant John Patterson (Dean Jagger) to rouse things up in the square. Snotty British Lady Patricia and Sergeant Patterson clash and fall for each other. What will Major Bruce have to say or do about this? What will the consequences be? Will the three finally become two and which two in this extremely patriotic love and war story.

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Plot Keywords:

love | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Morley played the grandfather of Anna Neagle in this movie. In reality, he was four years younger than her.

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Goofs

Early in the movie, Corp. Patricia tells Major David that an officer had just arrived on a DC-3. She should have referred to it by it's military designation of C-47.

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Quotes

2nd Girl in Guard's Van: Who gave you those?
Girl in Guard's Van: This Top Sergeant I was telling you about.
2nd Girl in Guard's Van: Coo... He must be a proper sport.
Girl in Guard's Van: He's a sport alright but I dunno about proper...

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Crazy Credits

Closing credits epilogue: 'Two together' Winds blow south, or winds blow north, Day come white,or night come black, Home, or rivers and mountains from home, Singing all time, minding no time, While we two keep together."

Walt Whitman.

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Connections

Featured in The Ultimate Film (2004)

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Soundtracks

Oh God Our Help in Ages Past
(uncredited)
Words by Isaac Watts and music by William Croft
Sung in the church

User Reviews

Romance at Eisenhowerplatz

Grosvenor Square in London, more commonly known as Eisenhowerplatz because that's where the Allied Commander in Chief lived and had his headquarters. A large concentration of American GIs lived there as well and that's where the story begins in I Live At Grosvenor Square.

In fact the entire United Kingdom was one large armed camp with GIs quartered in every nook and cranny. I find it singularly ironic in that one of the objections to the British that started the American Revolution was the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes. Look it up. 160+ years later and we're over there with the largest invading army in history and they're going out of their way to quarter us and like it.

American Army Air Force sergeant Dean Jagger is one of those quartered in a posh London home now used as a barracks a fact the British family there puts up with but not liking it. Jagger makes the acquaintance of Anna Neagle who comes from the upper crust as does her steady boyfriend Rex Harrison. The three form an unlikely trio, friendly at first, but when Jagger moves in on Neagle, Rex is put out.

Later on in America a decade later a similar film was made with Robert Taylor, Richard Todd, and Joan Collins entitled D-Day the Sixth of June. This film ends also with D-Day, but as to how the love triangle straightens out, you watch the film for.

Anna Neagle and her producer husband Herbert Wilcox produced this film and of course Neagle was top billed as always. But she sang not a note. Instead guest star from America Irene Manning best remembered for playing Fay Templeton in Yankee Doodle Dandy played herself at a USO show and sang the British ballad Home. It's quite a lovely piece, one of my favorites which Gracie Fields recorded over there and Dean Martin used on one of his albums 20 years later.

I Live In Grosvenor Square is a nice romantic type film, very well done by the impeccably cast ensemble.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

German English

Release Date:

3 March 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Yank in London

Filming Locations:

St Mary's Church, Totnes, Devon, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), Herbert Wilcox Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1