St. Martin's Lane

Reading the comments above from American users I was surprised about their apparent ignorance of London buskers or street performers.I am sure that they had their equivalent in New York's theatre district in 1938.Vivien was an accomplished dancer (witness her role of Myra the ballet student in "Waterloo Bridge" (1940) with Robert Taylor, and she had the opportunity to show off her terpsichorean ability in this film.I agree however with many of the comments above praising the acting of the three stars, Charlie Laughton, Rex Harrison and of course Viv.Nowadays, from what I can see buskers perform in one place in London's theatre district, at a big paved off area at Covent Garden - (the Health & Safety executive lobby is wide & all powerful!) Obviously this film has been overshadowed by Viv's more famous films, but I awarded it 7/10 as it shows off her versatility.My only criticism was her difficulty in maintaining an authentic Cockney accent but of course drama schools in the 1930s drummed out regional vernacular accents from their students, long before the current trend of casting actors with authentic sounding voices.

My copy is on a "Double Kino Video Feature" along with Henry Fonda's "Wings of the Morning".Users who like this film should also seek out "Storm in a Teacup" who apart from Viv & Rex has Cecil Parker.

This is a wonderful story of love, ambition and sacrifice among the buskers (street performers) of London. Everybody's good, but Laughton and Leigh will stay in your mind and your heart long after you've seen this great film.

Laughton's performance should be studied by every acting student. He gives us a Charlie Staggers who is funny, resourceful, honest and pathetic and with a great capacity to love and do right by others. He is a simple and good man with a deep soul, and his audition in the theatre at the climax of the picture is both sad and uplifting.

Viven Leigh demonstrates a great talent and the characteristics that made her so successful the following year as Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind." In this film she begins as a self righteous and petty thief and by the end she has grown to become a highly successful but humbled actress. Leigh carries this change superbly and makes it completely believable. By any measure it is a great performance.

"Sidewalks of London" is also very well written, directed and edited. I rank this as one of the best English language films of the 1930s.

When St. Martin's Lane first came out it was not given any release in the United States, I suppose because American audiences would not be attuned to buskers. We have no equivalent of that here.

Nevertheless it's a nice film. Charles Laughton is the head of a troop of buskers (British street entertainers)who inhabit and perform in and around the London theater district. The group takes in street waif Vivien Leigh and it's obvious she's got real talent. And theatrical composer Rex Harrison appreciates her charms even more than her talent.

Laughton is not a man who takes betrayal gladly as he sees it. The rest of the film you'll have to see for yourself.

It's nice to see both Harrison and Leigh in good parts before they became big stars. Laughton as always is fabulous, he's got the London cockney accent down pat.

After Vivien Leigh became a star with the release of Gone With the Wind, St. Martin's Lane made it to the states in a limited run. It was no big hit in Great Britain for Laughton who co-produced it with Erich Pommer, the second of three films they did. But Vivien Leigh's success helped them recoup a bit.

I cannot praise this film enough. ST. MARTIN'S LANE captures the feeling and mood of the time so well. The performances are outstanding. In one film you have 3 of the centurie's greatest actors Rex Harrison, Vivian Leigh, and Charles Laughton.

Vivian Leigh was never more fetching,gutsy or charming.not even in Gone with the wind or waterloo bridge. Harrison make the most of his typical leading man role and Laughton evokes such sympathy. it is his finest performance as well. my onlt question is why has this gem been almost forgotten? I was lucky enough to catch it on television about 8 years ago. it is only now being released on video.My advice...purchase this film,you need it in your personal collection !

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.

I 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 Whelan's film they all come alive in this tale of an impossible love story.

The 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.

This film should be seen, or at least shown on television more often.