Passport to Pimlico (1949)

Residents of a part of London declare independence, when they discover an old treaty. This leads to the need for a 'Passport to Pimlico'.

Director:

Henry Cornelius

Writer:

T.E.B. Clarke (original screenplay)

Stars:

Stanley Holloway, Betty Warren, Barbara Murray

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stanley Holloway	...	Arthur Pemberton
Betty Warren	...	Connie Pemberton
Barbara Murray	...	Shirley Pemberton
Paul Dupuis	...	Duke of Burgundy
John Slater	...	Frank Huggins
Jane Hylton	...	Molly
Raymond Huntley	...	Mr. Wix
Philip Stainton	...	P.C.Spiller
Roy Carr	...	Benny Spiller
Sydney Tafler	...	Fred Cowan
Nancy Gabrielle	...	Mrs. Cowan
Malcolm Knight	...	Monty Cowan
Hermione Baddeley	...	Edie Randall
Roy Gladdish	...	Charlie Randall
Frederick Piper	...	Garland

Storyline

When an un-exploded WWII bomb is accidentally detonated in Pimlico, London, it reveals a treasure trove. They find documents proving that the region is, in fact, part of Burgundy, France and thus foreign territory. The British government attempts to regain control by setting up border controls and cutting off services to the area. The 'Burgundians' fight back.

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Plot Keywords:

pimlico london | burgundy | bomb | state within a state | london england | 

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Taglines:

Pimlico is the home of hilarity! To Fun! To Laughter!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pasaporte para Pimlico

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 70 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the traders invade Pimlico, a comment is made about it becoming "a spiv's paradise". A spiv is/was a minor criminal who dealt in stolen or black-market goods of questionable authenticity. Spivs were often well-dressed and were noted for offering goods at bargain prices, though the goods were generally not what they seemed or had been obtained illegally. The term was particularly used for black-market dealers during the Second World War and in the post-war period.

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Goofs

Frank Huggins appears with a group of men refilling the reservoir with a hosepipe, while simultaneously refilling his goldfish tank back at the shop.

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Quotes

Straker: Do you think we shall get more than two main dishes?
Gregg: Oh, I hope so. I haven't had a good feed since that last deadlock in Moscow.

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Crazy Credits

The J. Arthur Rank logo segues into the opening credits.

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Connections

Featured in London: The Modern Babylon (2012)

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Soundtracks

La Guajira
(uncredited)

User Reviews

Next Stop, Burgundy!

This very funny British comedy shows what might happen if a section of London, in this case Pimlico, were to declare itself independent from the rest of the UK and its laws, taxes & post-war restrictions. Merry mayhem is what would happen.

The explosion of a wartime bomb leads to the discovery of ancient documents which show that Pimlico was ceded to the Duchy of Burgundy centuries ago, a small historical footnote long since forgotten. To the new Burgundians, however, this is an unexpected opportunity to live as they please, free from any interference from Whitehall.

Stanley Holloway is excellent as the minor city politician who suddenly finds himself leading one of the world's tiniest nations. Dame Margaret Rutherford is a delight as the history professor who sides with Pimlico. Others in the stand-out cast include Hermione Baddeley, Paul Duplis, Naughton Wayne, Basil Radford & Sir Michael Hordern.

Welcome to Burgundy!