Old man of class and character living in a London square after both have suffered from time. Before his house is pulled down the residents surprise him with a party.
Acting
A.E. Matthews' weathered face does the heavy lifting.
Direction
Winner at 22 directing like a veteran twice his age.
Cinematography
Black-and-white London that feels like a fading memory.

Director
Michael Winner
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Michael Winner's thesis film at Cambridge—he made it at 21, proving he had serious chops before becoming the 'Death Wish' guy.
The post-war demolition of London squares was real and traumatic; Winner captured a vanishing England that his later bombastic films seemed eager to bulldoze.