Fascinating trivia (and any goofs) connected with the film
- Because the "real" Canterbury Cathedral had had all it's windows
taken out because of the air raids, they re-built the interior
of the cathedral in Denham Studio.
- The blacksmith's and wheelwright's used in the scenes where they
put a new wheel on Alison's cart were run by
Claude Horton (the wheelwright) and
Neville Horton (the blacksmith) at Shottenden. The film
not only keeps their surname but they may be seen amongst
the bystanders.
- Bill Paton was regular assistant of Michael Powell's and
visited the crew on location whilst on leave from the Royal
Navy. There he met his future wife Myrtle, the daughter of
Neville Horton the blacksmith at Shottenden.
Myrtle was home on leave from duties as a hospital matron.
They married 6 months later at Chilham.
- When Bob is talking about wood to Jim Horton (Edward Rigby) and Bob says how
they lay out two planks at a time, Jim replies "Well so do us". But that's
more like Yorkshire dialect (or somewhere oop North). It certainly isn't
Kent dialect, I checked with a few locals.
- When Alison & Bob ask about the news and Ned Horton (George Merritt) says
they get their news when the pub opens, the real Neville Horton (wire-frame
glasses and no hat) starts to laugh before the joke.
- The organ music had to be played on the St Alban's cathedral
organ because the one at Canterbury Cathedral had been
dismantled and stored away for the duration.
- The Cathedral bells seen in the opening and closing shots
were a miniature replica of Canterbury's Bell Harry Tower
to allow the camera to track up to and through them. The
bells were "rung" by bell ringers from the Cathedral who
pulled the strings with finger and thumb to a playback
of the real bells.
- The hay waggon is pulled past the inn where Sgt Bob is staying by
two horses, one of them was called Turps.
- The boys in the river battle were paid £9 each for two weeks work.
£1 10/- when on standby and £3 per day when working.
See
Notes of pre-decimal British currency
- James Tamsitt had a haircut to make him look tidy before he
went to London with Leonard Smith and David Todd
to do some scenes at Denham Studio. But his new haircut didn't match
the unruly mop he had in scenes filmed on location. So he had to
wear a wig.
- Among the various books and pictures seen in Colpeper's sitting
room is a photograph of the Shetland Island of Foula, the location
of director Michael Powell's first acclaimed feature film
The Edge of the World (1937).
- The lines on verse of the board outside the "Chillingbourne Institute"
are the last two lines from Happy The Man by John Dryden
(1631-1700), Poet Laureate and Dramatist.
Happy The Man
Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair or foul or rain or shine
The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine.
Not Heaven itself upon the past has power,
But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.
Imitation of Horace. Book iii. Ode 29
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