Trying to identify early Gainsborough film

[Dusty]

Hi! I'm a newcomer to these forums, and I'm really hoping someone may be able to help me.



My elderly Mum who died not long ago once appeared in a film being shot at Lime Grove Studios, as a stunt double for a leading lady.



All I know about the film is that the woman was supposed to fall (or jump) from a boat (liner?), and my Mum had to dive off the set into the tank at Lime Grove; she was recruited from her swimming club at the baths opposite.



I don't know the exact date, but from my Mum's age, I would guess it was between 1926 and 1936 --- i.e., when she would have been 16-26 years old.



Can anyone help me identify what film this was, and if possible, tell me where I might be able to see it --- I'd love to see my Mum in her one and only cinema appearance (though she had a lifelong interest in amateur dramatics!)



Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me!



'Dusty' old reels of film

[Hugo]

Possibly THE WATER GYPSIES (1932) a story about life on a canal barge, although from the little synopsis in 'British Sound Films' it seems to be a man who gets drowned not a woman.

[Dusty]

Thanks a lot, Hugo!



Mum said she had to dress up for the rôle, but never explained as a guy -- but it is quite likely, I think.



Please can you tell me where you found this info. --- is 'British Sound Films' a book, or a website?



I note this film is NOT listed in the Gainsborough filmography for 1932 --- was it in fact another studio that produced it, maybe making use of their [or in fact, by then the G-B] tank at Lime Grove?



By the way, it was a source of much excitement to me when I visited BBC L/G studios (many years ago now) to see the actual tank where my Mum had filmed all those years before!



Any further information gratefully received!



'Dusty' corner

[Dusty]

Well, thanks to Hugo's information above, I found further info on the NY Times movie site [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movie...l?v_id=116052], and it looks as if it was indeed the GIRL who gets drowned:



The Water Gypsies

1932 - UK



PLOT DESCRIPTION

Starring Sara Maritza, Richard Bird, Frances Doble, Ann Todd. Directed by Maurice Elvey. (NR, 76 minutes).

This realistic British drama chronicles the lives of gypsies who live in barges on the Thames. The story begins when a beautiful young gypsy finds herself becoming attracted to a luxurious life after she is hired as a famous artist's mode. To ensure she can stay, the woman makes romantic overtures toward the painter. The man's fiancee is most displeased by this and romantic conflict ensues, culminating in the drowning of the hapless fiancee. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide



It is all the more apt, since we used to live on a boat ourselves (much later on!), and were nicknamed by the locals 'The Water Gypsies'



'Dusty'

[Dusty]

Further research shows it was made by ATP [Ealing Studios], but possibly the drowning scene was shot at L-G because of the lack of a suitable tank at Ealing at the time? And if this IS the right movie, Mum was doubling for Ann Todd!



Can anyone help me locate a copy of the film to view, please?



'Dusty'

[DB7]

I'm pretty sure there were two water tanks at Ealing beneath the sound stages during the 30s, in fact both are still there.

[Dusty]

Thanks a lot, DB7!



I must admit, I felt pretty sure there were too --- I thought I remembered seeing them when I went their during the BBC tenure.



I wonder why they would go and shoot in a rival company's studio in that case? It's not as if there wasn't a similar swimming club in Ealing, I feel sure! And I can hardly imagine they were re-using a pre-existing barge set...



The mystery remains...



Less 'Dusty' now with all this water around