LOCATION SCOUTING IN “PRETTY POLLY” (OR “A MATTER OF INNOCENCE”) PART 1
Film Title: Pretty Polly
Alternative Film Title: A Matter of Innocence
Year of Release: 1967
Directed by Guy Green.
Original story by Noel Coward.
Produced by George-Granat Productions & Universal Pictures.
Country of Production: United Kingdom
Synopsis:
Miss Polly Barton decides to leave England and spend a few months with her wealthy spinster aunt as a traveling companion. While in Singapore, the demise of her aunt leaves her alone to pursue her freedom and explore an arms-length romance with a local Indian Singaporean tour guide. (Source: Wikipedia.)
And here’s my take — sort of a re-interpretation — based on the first twelve minutes of the film…
……………..
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST –
“Pretty Polly’s Ambulatory Gaze in Singapore, 1967…. and Forty Six Years After.”
……………
LOCATION SCOUTING IN “PRETTY POLLY” (OR “A MATTER OF INNOCENCE”) [1967]:
This is Part 1 – Pretty Polly’s Ambulatory Gaze in a Former Colonial Town of Her Forebears’ Empire.
Part 2 – Pretty Polly’s Ambulatory Gaze in Singapore, 1967…. and Forty Six Years After.
Part 3 – Raffles Hotel: The Noel Coward and Pretty Polly Connection.
Part 4 – To Mount Alvernia Hospital.
Part 5 – An Obsession Over “Woodlands”.
Part 6 – Between Two Funerals – Jalan Sultan.
Part 7 – Between Two Funerals – Bidadari Cemetery.
Part 8 – ‘Round About Midnight, Bugis Street.
…………….
THE HUNTER 
Appreciate your blog! I accidentally bumped into this blog during a real estate research around Bidadari, but I ended up learning a lot more about Singapore’s old history. Please keep it up!
The ship based scenes for Pretty Polly were filmed on the P&O liner ss Arcadia, whilst in port at Singapore. Might have been late 1966 or early 1967.
I was an officer on the ship and remember watching Hayley Mills and Trevor Howard performing their scenes on deck. I was standing quite close to the point where Hayley is holding her binoculars.
As I recall, Trevor Howard was enjoying a little extra bit of “refreshment” between takes.
Great to see the pictures of Singapore as then, comparing to the very modern city it has become.
One of the aerial photos shows the Arcadia in dock.
The only disappointment on the day was that they used extras as officers in the ship and dockside scenes.
They could have used us, the real officers on the ship!
Very interesting website which gives you insight into the background of films.
Thank you!