Passport to Pimlico

In this comedy from the Ealing studios, the explosion of a wartime bomb leads to the discovery of documents proving that the London region of Pimlico is, in fact part of Burgundy, France. It's not part of the UK. This has quite an effect on the locals, who declare themselves independent from the rest of the UK and all its laws, taxes & post-war restrictions.

At first this creates a wild sense of liberation. The local pub stays open as long as it likes with the constable's blessing, the bank manager sequestrates the reserves in defiance of head office, the dressmaker refuses to acknowledge clothing coupons. Suddenly a grubby set of London backstreets becomes a continental paradise, with sidewalk cafes and unlimited export goods in the shops.

The British Government attempt to regain control by setting up border controls and cutting off services to the area. Soon the Burgundians are checking passports on the subway (hence the film's title), keeping pubs open until all hours, and welcoming a brisk black market trade, in defiance of English post-war rationing.

The location filming gives us a real sense of what London was like after WWII, and as is so often the case, the black and white cinematography is perfect for the story.

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, Wayne Naughton, Basil Radford & Sir Michael Hordern.

Go To Page: 1