St. Martin's Lane (1938)

St. Martin’s Lane: Directed by Tim Whelan. With Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison, Larry Adler. On the sidewalks of the London theater district the buskers (street performers) earn enough coins for a cheap room. Charles (Charles Laughton), who recites dramatic monologues, sees that a young pickpocket, Libby (Vivien Leigh), also has a talent for dancing and adds her to his act. Harley (Sir Rex Harrison), the theater patron who never knew Libby took his gold cigarette case, is impressed by Libby’s dancing and invites her to bring Charles and the other buskers in his group to an after-the-play party. Libby comes alone. A theatrical career is launched.

“The street performers of London were a delightful bunch of people that eked out a living by doing what came to them naturally: singing, dancing, reciting poetry, or just plain entertainment, directed at the crowds of the West End of London. They belong in a time capsule. The buskers were a local phenomenon. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI discovered this forgotten film at the CUNY cinematheque. It is a film that shows the talents of the young Vivien Leigh, Rex Harrison and more established stars like Charles Laughton. In Tim Whelanu0026#39;s film they all come alive in this tale of an impossible love story. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe star turn of Vivien Leigh in the movie is just incredible. Not only could she act, but she was an accomplished dancer as well. Charles Laughton is perfect as the man who is vain enough not to admit to his own age because of the disparity between him and his beloved Libby. There are other delightful performances by Tyrone Guthrie, Larry Adler and other English theatre actors of that era.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis film should be seen, or at least shown on television more often.”