
Passport to Pimlico
1949, Comedy, 1h 25m
17 Reviews 1,000+ RatingsYou might also like
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Passport to Pimlico Photos
Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Arthur Pemberton
Edie Randall
Professor Hatton-Jones
Duke of Burgundy
Gregg
Straker
Critic Reviews for Passport to Pimlico
Audience Reviews for Passport to Pimlico
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Dec 12, 2021An entire block of postwar Ealing Studio regulars pepper this bit of nonsensical whimsy as found riches lead to an impoverished part of cockney London improbably ceding from the realm. It's all a platform to get a couple of real local beefs aired (rebuilding the Empire's quite naturally gonna have problems) in a lighthearted way and a kind of inhouse "stiff upper lip, ol'boy!" There's a smile or two to be had what with the goofball shenanigans, as well as a look at life on the streets of London after a devastating war no less.
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Sep 08, 2013"Passport to Pimlico" starts innocently enough on a sweltering day in London, or as innocently as it can with an unexploded bomb in the vicinity. That's okay because the authorities have decided to leave it alone for now. And then having a bit of fun, a bunch of boys accidentally set it off, with thankfully no injuries. At least, until Arthur Pemberton(Stanley Holloway), a shopkeeper, stumbles down the hole to get a closer look and thinks he sees treasure. That is confirmed later when he and his daughter Shirley(Barbara Murray) have a closer look. They get even more information when Professor Hatton-Jones(the always delightful Margaret Rutherford) testifies at the inquest including one big surprise. "Passport to Pimlico" is a funny bit of nonsense, albeit one that has some grounding in reality, from its slow start in the reality of post-war London(the movie is actually dedicated to ration books) to historical discoveries lying just underneath the ground.(Considering they just discovered the remains of Richard III, anything is possible, right?) And as much as it may feel like the movie is getting out of hand later, it is grounded in a remarkably astute Cold War satire that is still relevant today, as it possibly foresees free trade zones. After all, what can be sillier than borders that keep people apart?
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Feb 04, 2012I found the film a little dated and not as skillfully shot as later classic Ealing films but I enjoyed the central idea around the film and the lengths the members of Pimlico go to in order to make a stand against England. Maybe not as 'funny' as other well known Ealing films (The Lavender Hill Mob and Kind Hearts and Coronets for example) this is still an enjoyable British film made long before Richard Curtis started churning them out.David S Super Reviewer
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Feb 06, 2008When it comes to Brit movies I prefer ones from the 60s but this was actually alright and better than I expected. Margaret Rutherford was rather funny too.Emily B Super Reviewer
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