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Downhill (1927)
British boy pays man with halfpenny and man then has small French coins
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The 1927 film "Downhill" is a British silent film about two boys at an English school, Roddy and Tim,
who meet Mabel, a clerk at a small store. While Tim fools around with Mabel, Roddy works in front
of the store. Later Roddy moves to Paris and becomes financially broke.
At the store, a little boy spends a halfpenny on candy. Later Roddy shows two small French coins
to some sailors.
1. Title
Roddy Berwick (Ivor Novello) and Tim Wakeley (Robin Irvine) are schoolboys at an English school.
Mabel (Annette Benson) works at a small cake and candy store which caters to the students.
2. Ye Olde Bunne Shoppe
Mabel invites the two boys to visit her after the store closes for some partying.
3. Roddy, Tim, and Mabel dancing
Tim and Mabel spend some private time together while Roddy minds the store.
4. Roddy greets a customer
A little boy shows Roddy a coin.
5. The boy shows the money
He holds up a British halfpenny coin.
6. British halfpenny coin
Only the reverse of the coin is shown and the boy's finger covers the date.
As a joke Roddy gives the boy a box costing one pound.
7. Roddy gives the boy the box
The boy leaves but then returns with his friends.
8. More boys arrive with half-pennies
Mabel appears and sees the boys.
9. Mabel shoos the boys out
Roddy tells Mable what he did.
10. Roddy gives Mabel a one pound note
A one pound note is shown.
11. British one pound note
The king on the note is King George V (1910-1936).
A few weeks later the school headmaster summons the boys to his office.
Mable is there and is pregnant. She knows that Tim is the father but tells the headmaster that
Roddy is the father.
12. Mabel claims that Roddy is the one
Roddy's father is wealthy while Tim is a poor student on a scholarship.
Roddy decides to take the blame which means leaving the school.
Roddy goes to his father's London house and tells his father, Sir Thomas Berwick
that he is innocent but his father doesn't believe him and Roddy leaves home.
13. Roddy going downstairs
A scene of a subway shows Roddy going "downhill".
Roddy has several adventures, first working as an actor, then moving to Paris and marrying
and leaving an actress, then as a paid companion for older women.
He finally arrives in Marseille destitute and meets some sailors who are leaving for England.
14. Roddy and sailors
He asks them to take him to England and shows what little money he has.
15. Roddy shows the money
The coins are two French coins.
They appear to be a copper ten centime reverse and a five centime obverse.
On the boat Rodney has a bad dream.
16. Roddy's dream
The women in his life appear before him and laugh at him.
Roddy arrives in London and then walks home.
17. Roddy arrives home
Roddy's parents welcome him back.
His father tells him that he knows now what really happened.
Cast, Directors, Writers:
Ivor Novello as Roddy Berwick
Robin Irvine as Tim Wakeley
Annette Benson as Mabel
Norman McKinnel as Sir Thomas Berwick
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Eliot Stannard
Based on the stage play Down Hill by Constance Collier and Ivor Novello
Robin Irvine as Tim Wakeley
Annette Benson as Mabel
Norman McKinnel as Sir Thomas Berwick
Writers: Eliot Stannard
Based on the stage play Down Hill by Constance Collier and Ivor Novello
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