LEASE OF LIFE

GB
1954
1hr 34mins
Dir: Charles Frend
Starring: Robert Donat and Kay Walsh

With his imminent death, the parson of a small rural community reconsiders his life and what he can still do to help the community

This Ealing drama was a prestige production and it is now thought of respectfully by those who wish to understand its themes. The film is unique in the Ealing canon in having religion as its dominant theme. Few contemporary films address religion with any sense of the nuances inherent in a belief in the supernatural but this film does just that. Although set in Beverley, East Yorkshire, the railway scenes were filmed at Windsor & Eton Central station, and they are particularly good because they are in colour. There are excellent shots of carmine & cream liveried mainline stock and all red non-corridor coaches, whilst one locomotive identifiable is BR Class 7MT ‘Britannia’ 4-6-2 No.70020 Mercury. The station masquerades as ‘Gilchester’.

Passengers board a train at Windsor & Eton Central station one sunny day in 1954. This shot shows the BR Carmine & Cream (aka Blood & Custard) coaching stock livery to excellent effect. The livery was lined in black and gold and was a fine colour combination. The locomotive visible at the front is a relatively new BR ‘Britannia’.
Kay Walsh on the platform of Windsor & Eton Central station, masquerading here as Gilchester. Note that the remainder of the train is formed of non-corridor stock for which plain red was chosen.
Passengers alight at Windsor & Eton Central in this later night time arrival scene. The suburban non-corridor stock in this instance has additional gold and black lining.
The porter and driver exchange glances as the locomotive, BR ‘Britannia’ 4-6-2 No.70020 Mercury, simmers gently