Passport to Pimlico

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Audience Member A jolly good anti bureaucracy film. Down with the state, up with independence. I found this one of my favourite Ealing studio comedies. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review William L The postwar Ealing films inhabit a unique place in British culture - a series of lighthearted comedies that celebrates distinctive idiosyncrasies of the UK with typically internal conflicts that feel passionate but never descend into hatred. Based on generational and cultural distinctions alone, the films don't necessarily resonate with modern audiences in the same way that they did upon release (as an American watching more than 70 years later, neither the UK patriotism or commentaries on rationing feel incredibly sharp, but it is easy to see how contemporary audiences would have likely reacted to such a charming premise that handles its thoughts on national identity with poise and a note of well-balanced humor, even if it hasn't really aged exceptionally well. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/13/20 Full Review Audience Member A gem of the gentle if irreverent humour in which Ealing Studios excelled during the late forties and early fifties. Set against the continuing strictures of rationing in post-war Britain, the conceit of a piece of London being found to be sovereign territory of Burgundy leaves the way open for a tale of the little man against the state machinery. After temporarily enjoying freedom from the restrictions borne by the rest of the country, the newly independent Pimlico finds itself cut off from supplies by the British government until supportive citizens take it upon themselves to help out their oppressed neighbours. Margaret Rutherford is, as always, a delight and the rest of the cast, with so many familiar faces, carry the story forward in great form. Whilst it might be considered something of a period piece, Passport To Pimilico still resonates in its illustration of the struggle of the individual against the state and the ever-taxing question of self-determination. A wonderful comedy that deserves a far wider audience than it has enjoyed in recent decades. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Hilarious comedy about a street in Pimlico, London, which turns out to be part of the Duchy of Burgundy, making the residents technically foreigners. Of course this leads to all sorts of complications. Margaret Rutherford particularly hilarious as Professor Hatton Jones, but all the cast are good and you get a real feel of what postwar London was like. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Another of those Ealing Studios comedies - this time without Alec Guinness - that takes an absurd premise to the nth degree. In this case, Stanley Holloway falls in the hole created by a newly exploded bomb (leftover from the war) and finds some buried treasure. Said treasure includes a royal decree providing land to the Duke of Burgundy for his own separate country - and thus the fine folks on a few streets in central London suddenly find themselves foreigners. As the Home Office (led by those two comic Brits from Hitch's The Lady Vanishes) struggles to figure out what to do, Burgundy becomes lawless. Then begins a series of battles with Britain over customs, immigration, and the like. As I said, the film crosses merrily into absurd territory and makes some points about British society and the recent period of austerity at the same time. Amusing, if not hilarious. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Brilliant cast, and a brilliant idea. Bombed-out London is exhausted from war, sick of rationing and dreaming of the land for for heroes. They seize their opportunity to fulfill the dream of a better life. Superb. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Passport to Pimlico

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