THE NOTORIOUS LANDLADY

US
1962
2hrs 03mins
Dir: Richard Quine
Starring: Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon

An American junior diplomat in London rents a house from a woman suspected of murder

This American comedy mystery is actually rather good, and was adapted from The Notorious Tenant, a short story written by Margery Sharp in 1956. It features a short scene at London Paddington with Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon departing on a train. Chocolate & cream coaching stock is present in the platforms, and there is a glimpse of a locomotive. The carriage interior is a set, but the journey to Penzance is depicted by a stock shot of an express crossing a viaduct, a shot seen also in Train of Events (1949) and The Gold Express (1955).

The old taxi rank at London Paddington. This area adjacent to Eastbourne Terrace has now been completely redeveloped as the main entrance down to the Crossrail platforms.
Crowds congregate at Paddington with a named express formed of chocolate and cream coaching stock in the platform
The express pulls out at the start of its journey, revealing a former GWR locomotive to the right of the policeman’s helmet. Its exact identity can not be ascertained.
This stock shot of an express crossing a viaduct was seen also in Train of Events (1949) and The Gold Express (1955). In those films it is quite dark, but its clarity here finally reveals the locomotive to be an LMS ‘Jubilee’ with early ‘BRITISH RAILWAYS’ branding on the tender. The viaduct is thought to be Bushey Arches.