''Bond Street'' is a 1948 British portmanteau drama film directed by Gordon Parry and based on a story by Terence Rattigan. It stars Jean Kent, Roland Young, Kathleen Harrison, and

Derek Farr Derrick Capel Farr (7 February 191221 March 1986) was an English actor who appeared regularly in British films and television from 1938 until his death in 1986. His more famous roles include Group Captain John Whitworth in '' The Dam Busters' ...

. The film depicts a bride's dress, veil, pearls and flowers purchased in London's

Bond Street Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north. Since the 18th century the street has housed many prestigious and upmarket fashion retailers. The southern section is Old Bond Street and the l ...

—and the secret story behind each item.

Plot

There is no overarching story, other than a series of short stories, each linking to Bond street. Stories include: a deliberately ripped dress; a man ripping his trousers, and getting a lunch-date with the seamstress; and a man trying to avoid a suddenly materialised love interest from Denmark.

Cast

* Jean Kent as Ricki Merritt * Roland Young as George Chester-Barrett * Kathleen Harrison as Ethel Brawn *

as Joe Marsh *

Hazel Court Hazel Court (10 February 1926 – 15 April 2008) was an English actress. She is known for her roles in British and American horror films during the 1950s and early 1960s, including Terence Fisher's ''The Curse of Frankenstein'' (1957) and ...

as Julia Chester-Barrett * Ronald Howard as Steve Winter *

Paula Valenska Paula Valenska (2 July 1922 – 26 September 1994) was a Czech actress noted for her roles in 1940s films. After appearing in several films in her native Czechoslovakia she went to Britain to star in two films produced by Anatole de Grunwald. Val ...

as Elsa * Patricia Plunkett as Mary Phillips * Robert Flemyng as Frank Moody * Adrianne Allen as Mrs. Taverner * Kenneth Griffith as Len Phillips * Joan Dowling as Norma * Charles Goldner as Waiter * James McKechnie as Inspector Yarrow *

Leslie Dwyer Leslie Gilbert Dwyer (28 August 1906 – 26 December 1986) was an English film and television actor. Career He was born in Catford, the son of the popular music hall comedian Johnny Dwyer, and acted from the age of ten and appeared in his firs ...

as Barman * Aubrey Mallalieu as Parkins *

Darcy Conyers Darcy Conyers (1919–1973) was a British screenwriter, actor, producer and film director. He is sometimes credited as D'Arcy Conyers. He was the founder and creator of Bistro Vino in South Kensington, London, in 1964 - possibly the first casua ...

as Bank Clerk

Critical reception

*'Britmovie' called the film an "entertaining portmanteau comedy-drama charting the events occurring during a typical 24-hour period on London’s thoroughfare Bond Street. Linking the four stories together is the impending wedding of society girl Hazel Court and Robert Flemyng. Producer Anatole de Grunwald and co-writer Terence Rattigan would later revisit the formula for Anthony Asquith’s '' The V.I.P.s'' (1963) and '' The Yellow Rolls-Royce'' (1964)." *'' The New York Times'' called the film "an entertainment grab bag, which, in this case, means that some of the parts are better than the whole...But this spectator's favorite ''Bond Street'' interlude is the final chapter, concerning a bouquet and an old flame who turns up at an inopportune time to claim the groom as her own. Roland Young is vastly amusing as the droll father of the prospective bride...''Bond Street'' is fresh enough to have a certain amount of novelty appeal which helps to compensate for the inconsistencies of its dramatic construction. It may not be in a class with ''

Quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

'', a handy point of reference, but the new film can stand on its own merits with any audience that is willing to accept half a loaf." Trade papers called the film a "notable box office attraction" in British cinemas in 1948.Robert Murphy, ''Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain 1939-48'' 2003 p211
/ref>

References

External links

*
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{Gordon Parry 1948 films 1948 drama films British drama films Films directed by Gordon Parry British anthology films Films set in London Films with screenplays by Terence Rattigan Films with screenplays by Anatole de Grunwald Films produced by Anatole de Grunwald Films scored by Benjamin Frankel British black-and-white films 1940s British films