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poster of I Live in Grosvenor Square
Rating: 7.1/10 by 8 users

I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945)

The WW II romance set in Grosvenor square aka Eisenhower's home where the GIs stayed in London. Neagle loves Harrison. There arrives patriot GI Dean Jagger to rouse things up in the square. Snotty British Neagle and Jagger clash and fall for each other. What will Harrison have to say or do about these? What will the consequences be? Will the three finally become two and which two in this extremely patriotic love and war story.

Directing:
  • Herbert Wilcox
Writing:
  • Maurice Cowan
  • William D. Bayles
  • Nicholas Phipps
Stars:
Release Date: Fri, Jul 20, 1945

Rating: 7.1/10 by 8 users

Alternative Title:
A Yank in London - US

Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 54 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: london, england, world war ii

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
Jane Darwell
Mrs. Patterson
Eliott Arluck
Sgt. Benjie Greenburg
Irene Manning
Herself - U.S.O. Singer
Ronald Shiner
Paratrooper
Brenda Bruce
Girl in Guard's Van
Shelagh Fraser
2nd Girl in Guard's Van
John Slater
Paratrooper
Neville Mapp
Paratrooper
Helen Lowry
Miss Barrow
Alvar Liddell
Radio Announcer
Peter Hobbes
Paratroop Colonel
David Horne
War Office Major
Cyril Baker
American Pianist
Frank Webster
Devon Farmer
Lionel Murton
Dakota Pilot
Arvid Dahl
Minor Role
Gerry Wilmot
U.S.O. Singer/Narrator
Robert Farnon
Himself - Band Leader
Carroll Gibbons
Himself - Band Leader
Joan Hickson
Minor role (uncredited)
Duncan McIntyre
Minor role (uncredited)
George Spence
Heckler at Hustings (uncredited)
John Stone
Minor role (uncredited)

CyrusPK

This seems to be something of a forgotten film despite being a major moneymaker of its year and starring Anna Neagle, a massively famous British star who never managed to conquer the American market. Evidently written as a means of encouraging co-operation and mutual understanding between British citizens and the American troops stationed in their homes during the massive build up to D-Day, the first half of the film as a result suffers badly from some forced comedy around linguistic and geographical differences. The actors all look a little uncomfortable in these sequences. The first half of the film is largely devoted to this strained humour and the building of a romance between an English woman (Neagle) and an American flyer (Dean Jagger.) Much time is also given over to Rex Harrison’s character who is engaged to Neagle and campaigning for election as the local MP for a rural constituency, the latter overseen by his father (Robert Morley) – a kindly but very tradition-bound individual. I was finding all of this to be a little labored until the final third of the film which suddenly changes gears to become a minor masterpiece of sentiment and emotion. At that point I realised the writers have deliberately spent a lot of time setting up the characters and their interactions so that when the key moments occur they are underpinned by real knowledge of who these people are. Several scenes in this final act are played to emotional perfection; • Nancy Price as a harridan of a housekeeper revealed to have a deeply caring relationship with the American pilots in her care, so much so that she wants to leave her savings to one who she regards as a son. • Robert Morley almost casually placing a watch on a man’s wrist and mentioning that it belonged to his son who died in the First World War. • Rex Harrison giving up his chance at marriage to stage a simple meeting between the two people he knows to be in love. • Anna Neagle writing down a list of names of deceased air crew she is receiving over the phone as part of her military duties, pausing only slightly at the identity of one of them who is known to her. As a very talky piece the need for good performances is essential. Neagle carries with her a great weight of emotion constantly visible in her eyes, Morley (four years younger than Neagle) plays her father with great sincerity and emotion and Rex Harrison shows both class and dignity in his role. Production values are adequate but there is a reliance in one important scene on very scratched stock footage. Overall, this is a sentimental piece that will grab at your heart in ways least expected.


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