What's On in London - July 12th, 1957
I picked up a copy of "What's On in London" dated July 12th, 1957.
A weekly booklet with "News, Reviews and full details of all London's
entertainment".
The front cover advertises Miracle in Soho being premiered at the
Odeon, Leicester Square (Rank's flagship cinema) that week.
Inside, in the Cinema section, there's just one very short piece about it:
The "miracle" of the title of Pressburger's sentimental little fairy
story, MIRACLE IN SOHO, at the Odeon, Leicester Square, is LOVE. It hits philandering, unpleasantly-cocksure labourer John Gregson while he's digging up the road and overnight magically makes a new man of him. Equally miraculously it hits Italian Belinda Lee, who gives up going to Canada with her family in order to woo him. Silly girl.
Peter Illing, as Papa, brings this coloured celluloid confection to life every time he comes on the screen, and Cyril Cusack, as the Salvationist postman, is very good, too. Of course, this is isn't really Soho at all, but I don't suppose that's going to worry anyone except a few fussy Sohoians.
There are only 3 pages of film reviews in the magazine and the first page is taken up with Around the World in 80 Days. Despite Miracle in Soho being shown at The Empire, it's quite a long way down the list of films being reviewed. There are a couple of pictures from Miracle in Soho though whereas there aren't any from Around the World in 80 Days.
In the detailed cinema listings for all London cinemas (there were a lot more of them in 1957) it says:
Miracle in Soho
Pressburger's cinematic slice of London's international quarter, presented at a topical moment. With Belinda Lee, John Gregson and Cyril Cusack. Reviewed this issue. Odeon, Leicester Sq.
By an odd coincidence (or was it?) that was the week of the Soho Fair which had lots of events, shows and exhibitions. There's quite a lot to do with cinema in various events such as en open-air exhibition in Soho Square of 50 years of moviegoing. But the only mention of anything to do with the film is the
Miracle in Soho Window Dressing Competition
for the Belinda Lee Challenge Cup at the Lysbeth Hall, Soho Square.
I'd love to know what that was all about
In the "Show Talk" section they mention that:
Emeric Pressburger, producer of Miracle in Soho, will make another one at Pinewood - Night Fighter, the story of R.A.F. hero "Cat's Eyes" Cunningham.
Well that never happened, not by Emeric nor anyone else.
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