They Came to a City

They Came to a City
They Came to a City
Directed by	Basil Dearden
Written by	Basil Dearden; Sidney Cole
Based on	They Came to a City; by J.B. Priestley
Produced by	Michael Balcon; Sidney Cole
Starring	John Clements; Googie Withers; Raymond Huntley; Renee Gadd
Cinematography	Stanley Pavey
Edited by	Michael Truman
Music by	Ernest Irving
Production; company	Ealing Studios
Distributed by
Release date	August 1944;
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

They Came to a City is a 1944 British film directed by Basil Dearden adapted from the 1943 play of the same title by J. B. Priestley. It stars John Clements, Googie Withers, Raymond Huntley, Renee Gadd, A. E. Matthews and others, and is notable for including a cameo guest appearance by Priestley as himself. The plot concerns the experiences of various people who have come to live in their "ideal" city, and explores their hopes and reasons for doing so. Many of the cast had also performed their roles in the original stage play. The film's art direction was by Michael Relph.^[1]^[2]

Cast[]

John Clements as Joe Dinmore
Googie Withers as Alice Foster
Raymond Huntley as Malcolm Stritton
Renee Gadd as Dorothy Stritton
A. E. Matthews as Sir George Gedney
Mabel Terry Lewis as Lady Loxfield
Frances Rowe as Philippa Loxfield
Ada Reeve as Mrs Batley
Norman Shelley as Cudworth
J.B. Priestley as Himself

Critical reception[]

In The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "as symbolism and an outlet for Priestley's philosophy, "They Came to a City" is eloquent and courageous, but as a motion picture it is immobile."^[3]

References[]

^ "They Came to a City". 5 February 1945. Retrieved 30 March 2017 – via IMDb.
^ "They Came to a City (1945)". Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
^ "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Here Come the Co-Eds,' Lively Burlesque, is Presented at the Criterion, With Abbott and Costello in Chief Roles 'They Came to a City,' Film Made From a Priestley Play Depicting Haman Problems, Appears at Little Carnegie". New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2017.

This article related to a British film of the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

[1] "They Came to a City". 5 February 1945. Retrieved 30 March 2017 – via IMDb.

[2] "They Came to a City (1945)". Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2017.

[3] "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Here Come the Co-Eds,' Lively Burlesque, is Presented at the Criterion, With Abbott and Costello in Chief Roles 'They Came to a City,' Film Made From a Priestley Play Depicting Haman Problems, Appears at Little Carnegie". New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]