1957 ‘The Square’

Here’s Michael Winner’s short film ‘The Square’ shot in Edward Square, Islington (not Argyle Square, King’s Cross, a little to the south – thanks Maurice!), London, in 1957 (the film went unreleased at the time). It is the story of an Edwardian gentleman who marries and buys a house on the square and is reminiscing as a widower in the 1950s before joining in with the local festivities and the friendly inhabitants outside his house. 

The skiffle band are none other than Rory McEwan singing ‘it takes a worried man’ and ‘crawdad hole’ while the local inhabitants jive. The members of the group – credited in the film as the Rory McEwen Skiffle Band – were Rory McEwen (guitar), Jimmy MacGregor (guitar), Shirley Bland (washboard), and Russell Quaye or Red Sullivan (tea-chest bass) were usually performing at the time as the City Ramblers. Geraldine Lynton, the dancer with a two-tone skirt who dances with the old gentleman would eventually become Michael Winner’s wife. Note that in a YouTube rehash the swinging scene is overdubbed by Danny and the Juniors’ ‘at the hop’ (running from 0:05 up to 0:49, and 1:00 to 1:19). And the rehash makes use of the ‘We are the Lambeth Boys‘ film from 1958.

POSTED November 2023.