A Town Like Alice (1956)

Interesting facts

• Based on: A Town Like Alice
• Filmed in: Pinewood Studios

A Town Like Alice is a 1956 British drama film directed by Jack Lee and starring Virginia McKenna and Peter Finch. It was written by W. P. Lipscomb and Richard Mason based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Nevil Shute.The film does not follow the whole novel, concluding at the end of part two and truncating or omitting much detail. It was partially filmed in Malaya and Australia and produced by Joseph Janni.

Production

Leslie Norman expressed interest in making a film of the novel in 1952. In December 1954 Earl St John of Rank said he hoped Olivia de Havilland would star alongside Peter Finch, who had just signed a long-term contract with Rank.

Anna Kashfi screen tested for a small role and was given it, but had to turn it down to do another film. Jack Lee had worked with Peter Finch on The Wooden Horse, and cast him as the male lead. "I don't think we ever considered anyone else for the part."

The script was written by W. P. Lipscomb, who concentrated on the first half of the novel (the second half being set in Australia). Producer Joseph Janni sent a copy of the script to director Jack Lee, who later recalled, "the script made me cry and I knew it would make audiences cry too". Janni and Lee took the script to Rank, who agreed to finance it. Lee did further work on the script with Lipscomb and then with Richard Mason.

Lee flew to Singapore and Malaya, and "soon realised that if we cast the film in the UK, decided on their exact clothing and filmed their characteristic way of walking, we could find a second cast in Malaya, and, if we were careful, we could work very close to them on location". Lee shot some footage in Malaya then went back to Britain, where the majority of the film was shot at Pinewood Studios in London. Filming started September 1955.

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