Movies
Cottage To Let (1941, Alastair Sim, John Mills)
Fast-paced comedy-thriller Cottage To Let stars Leslie Banks as inventor John Barrington who during the Second World War is working on a new bomb-sight at his home in a remote Scottish glen. He is unaware that he is the target of a Fifth Column organisation operating out of Glasgow who have already installed an agent in his household masquerading as the cook.
Also in the house are Banks’ wife Mrs Barrington (Jeanne De Casalis), daughter Helen (Carla Lehmann) and assistant Alan Trently (Michael Wilding), plus a Scotland Yard detective disguised as their butler who suspects Wilding of passing on Banks’ secrets. George Cole, in his film debut, is sharp London evacuee Ronald and Sherlock Holmes enthusiast who has his suspicions about Charles Dimble (Alastair Sim), the new tenant of the cottage in the grounds of Banks’ home. The plotters, forced by British Government interest in the new bomb sight, act more quickly than intended and abduct Banks and in the ensuing thrills, everyone turns out to be what they at first appear…
US Title: Bombsight Stolen
Cast: John Mills as Flt·Lieut. Perry; Leslie Banks as John Barrington; Alastair Sim as Charles Dimble; George Cole as Ronald; Wally Patch as Evans; Muriel George as Mrs. Trimm; Michael Wilding as Alan Trently; Sydney Tafler as RAF Officer; Hay Petrie as Dr. Truscott; Sydney King as Ministry Official; Muriel Aked as Miss Fernery; Carla Lehmann as Helen Barrington (as Carla Lehman); Ben Williams as Scottish Fisherman; Annie Esmond as Lady Wrapping Parcels For The Bazaar; Arthur Hambling as Scotland Yard Inspector; Brefni O’Rorke as Scottish Police Inspector; Catherine Lacey as Mrs. Stokes; Jeanne De Casalis as Mrs. Barrington; Frank Cellier as John Forest; Peter Gawthorne as Senior RAF Officer; Roddy Hughes as German Agent; Charles Rolfe as German Agent
Writers: Anatole de Grunwald, J.O.C. Orton, Geoffrey Kerr / Director: Anthony Asquith
UK / Gainsborough / 90 minutes / 1941