London on Location | The Horse’s Mouth

Director: Ronald Neame

Release Date: February 1959

On 9 April 1958 the Daily Mirror reported that Alec Guinness had been filming yesterday ‘on London’s Embankment.’ The report continued that when Guinness arrived at a Variety Club of Great Britain lunch ‘He was in a baggy, frayed suit, blue sweater and open-necked khaki shirt’ which prompted the actor to add that ‘I may look like the state of the British film industry but I’ve just come from the Embankment.’ After the lunch Guinness was ‘Back at the Embankment by Battersea Bridge’ as filming continued. The Shepherds Bush Gazette, 11 April, added that ‘Crowds gathered outside the main gates of Wormwood Scrubs on Wednesday morning [9 April] to watch filming of “The Horse’s Mouth,” starring Alec Guinness and Kay Walsh. The film unit was at the Scrubs for two days – Wednesdays and Thursdays – shooting the opening scenes of the film’ where, after filming Guinness leaving prison, scenes were shot in Du Cane Road. The unit then ‘went to Belgrave-square, and the rest [of the shoot] will be spent on the Thames at Chelsea. It will cost £300,000.’ If scenes were shot in Belgrave Square they ended up on the cutting room floor.

Capture 1

Facing west along Du Cane Road, with Wulfstan Street to the right, as Mike Morgan, on his bicycle, follows the bus.

Capture 2

Morgan in Du Cane Road where the house backs, beyond the Central Line embankment, are on the north side of Westway.

Capture 3

The view from Du Cane Road as Morgan arrives at Wormwood Scrubs to meet Alec Guinness.

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Guinness and Morgan and the view east along Du Cane Road.

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The view from Du Cane Road, into Wulfstan Street, as Guinness rides off on Morgan's bike and Morgan gives chase.

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Wulfstan Street, with Du Cane Road in the distance, as the police and bystanders join the chase.

Capture 7

Guinness stepping out of Cheyne Walk nearing his houseboat home.

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Guinness's boat with Battersea Bridge in the background.

Capture 9

As Guinness clears the children away he is framed by Cheyne Walk where the newer building is on the corner of Millman's Street.

Capture 10

The riverfront at Cheyne Walk, with Battersea Bridge behind the camera, as Guinness is warned about making threatening phone calls. The Chelsea Flour Mill and Lots Road Power Station are in the distance.

Capture 11

Guinness and Kay Walsh take the bus, at right, to Falcon Grove, Battersea. The building between the busses, which still survives (2023), is listed on old maps as 'Hall' and is presumably Unity Hall, National Union of Railwaymen.

Capture 12

Guinness stepping from the bus in Falcon Grove with Este Road in the distance.

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Walsh and Guinness in Falcon Grove.

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Walsh and Guinness exiting 'Lowndes House', Lowndes Place, with Eaton Place in the distance.

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Guinness in the south west corner of Grosvenor Square where the redbrick building is on the corner of South Audley Street and Upper Grosvenor Street.

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As he leaves the taxi Guinness approaches 35-37 Grosvenor Square.

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Morgan joins Guinness as he steps from a pawn shop at 105 King's Road.

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The view from 105 King's Road as Morgan approaches Charles II Place with Smith Street in the distance on the right.

Capture 19

Guinness in Grosvenor Square with the north side of Upper Brook Street in the distance. The building site for the American Embassy is behind the blue fence.

Capture 20

Guinness, playing Gulley Jimson, has an exhibition at the Tate Gallery.

Capture 21

Guinness leaving the Tate Gallery.

Capture 22

As Guinness leaves the Tate Gallery a funeral passes, in Millbank, with Vauxhall Bridge in the distance.

Capture 23

Morgan visits Falcon Grove looking for Guinness.

Capture 24

As Morgan and Guinness exit the back of the house in Falcon Grove the location cuts to this seemingly unnamed alleyway in South Lambeth. The alleyway runs from South Lambeth Road behind the southern range of Aldebert Terrace with the eastern end of the alleyway next to 14 Albert Square.