GB
1969
1hr 32mins
Dir: Joseph McGrath
Starring: Peter Sellers and Isabel Jeans
The richest man in the world shows how people will do anything for money
This surreal satire may have been typical of the period but like the others it has not aged well. Loosely based on the 1959 comic novel of the same name by US author Terry Southern the film does at least feature some good railway shots. These were filmed on the Twyford – Henley-on-Thames branch and utilised Class 47 No.1649 and three Mk.1 coaches as train 3Z10. Filming took place over one wet weekend on the branch, with excellent shots of the train arriving at Wargrave station which poses as ‘Auchengillan’. Peter Sellers has a mobile company boardroom onboard the train but this is almost certainly a set. There are scenes, however, that were filmed onboard genuine Mk.1 stock but these take place on the ‘main line’. A surreal sequence takes place during this journey which has some stock shots of a ‘Blue Pullman’ DMU slotted in, scenes that were taken from the critically acclaimed 1960 British Transport Film Blue Pullman. The comedy scene where Peter Sellers buys a hot dog was filmed at Henley station. Two of the Mk.1 coaches are TSO No.4415 and BFK No.14000.
