GB 1973 2hrs 58mins Dir: Lindsay Anderson Starring: Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren
The life and adventures of a trainee salesman
This sprawling, surrealist musical serves as an allegory for the pitfalls of capitalism, as it follows the adventures of a young coffee salesman in Europe. Many actors play multiple roles, giving the film a stagy tone, but it is quite confusing. A number of railway scenes feature in this odd production including an aerial view of the approaches to London Paddington. London Transport C stock is visible at Royal Oak Underground station, and plenty of wagons are present in Paddington Goods depot. There are also good shots of the approaches to London Cannon Street station and a number of blue-liveried EPB EMU’s can be seen. Finally, Malcolm McDowell drives over a level crossing on the way into ‘Cochranes Steel & Iron Works’. The exact location of this industrial site is not known, but it has been suggested that this may be the Clay Lane entrance to Cleveland Works, now gone. If so, then this is South Bank, Teesside. There is also an elevated shot of the entrance to Tottenham Court Road Underground station, although it isn’t all that apparent at first glance.
Malcolm McDowell drives his Ford Anglia Estate 1200 across a level crossing. The signal box behind is most notable, but the red oil lamp on the crossing gate is a lovely relic. This is thought be the Clay Lane entrance to Cleveland Works, South Bank, Teesside.
In this aerial view of the elevated A40 near Paddington, a London Transport train of C stock is standing in the platform of Royal Oak Underground station, on today’s Hammersmith & City Line but still part of the Metropolitan at the time. 4-wheel box vans are also visible in the adjacent sidings.
As the camera pans back we see a more expansive view. The building top left with the white gable ends is Paddington Goods Depot, built on the site of the original terminus of 1838. The newer station, built on its current site in 1854, is out of shot beyond this building, and located somewhere in the background haze.
As Malcolm McDowell looks out over the city of London, an EPB EMU runs along on the approach to Cannon Street
Another EPB is glimpsed between Helen Mirren and Malcolm McDowell
Looking out over London…. Cannon Street station is clearly visible to the right with two more EPB’s present.
Believe it or not, but Malcolm McDowell (in the grey suit) has just walked out of Tottenham Court Road Underground station. The entrance hereabouts has now changed considerably.
