Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

blanche-2 "Passport to Pimlico" is another delightful film from Ealing Studios, released in 1949. The stars include Stanley Holloway, Margaret Rutherford, Betty Warren, and Paul Dupuis.It's after the war, and Pimlico still has many of the effects of a brutal bombing. While investigating one of the many holes made by the bombs, its residents discover a treasure -- and a treaty -- which shows that they are actually under the rule of Burgundy. The citizens break from the UK so that it can keep the treasure, and all manner of mayhem begins. There is a mad stream of vendors selling rationed and duty-free goods, and a mad stream of people coming in to buy them. The police are useless since they're British and no one pays any attention to them. A relative of the original Duke of Burgundy is found and becomes the town's leader. After trying to solve the problem and becoming frustrated, the British government sets up a customs desk and in order to enter the town, one needs a passport.It's all pretty hilarious, and the government tries everything it can to bring its former citizens into line, including turning off the water and starving them out. The townsmen sneak out at night and turn on the water, and town becomes a cause celebre, with people throwing food over the fence.Very funny political send-up. Highly recommended.

Tweekums In 1949 the people of Pimlico are waiting for the 'last bomb' from the war to be defused; however due to the antics of some children it detonates and exposes a hidden treasure trove. Amongst the items some ancient documents are found that show that part of Pimlico is actually not part of England but part of the Duchy of Burgundy! With this news the people enjoy life without ration books and licensing laws; they even tear up their UK identity documents. After the night's celebrations they get the hangover when reality hits; without their documents they aren't free to leave the new country and they are powerless to stop the hoards of spivs and blackmarketeers who descend on the area to sell they illegal produce. That is just the beginning it isn't long before border posts are put up and English utilities like water and Electricity are turned off as the government in Whitehall puts pressure on the people of Burgundy in an attempt to ensure the treasure is given to the treasury before the tiny country can be part of England once more.This early Ealing comedy works because it plays everything fairly straight; there are few obvious gags but the ridiculousness of the situation provides the laughs. The cast puts in a solid performance and the characters are quite fun. The obvious message of the film is that life on the ration isn't as bad as it seems; something clearly aimed at the viewers of the time who had several more years or rationing to look forward to. Of the 'classic' Ealing Comedies this isn't one of the funniest but it is well worth watching.

wes-connors "Welcome to Pimlico, a suburb of London where an unexploded bomb from World War II accidentally explodes. The aftermath reveals buried treasure and ancient documents that prove the region to be part of the French province of Burgundy, and consequently foreign territory. An un-amused British Government tries to regain control by creating border checkpoints and cutting off essential services. However, they haven't reckoned with the resolve of the 'Burgundians' who are determined to fight for their newly found independence," according to the folks at synopsis central...Betty Warren (as Connie) explains, "We always were English and we'll always be English, and it's just because we are English that we're sticking up for our right to be Burgundians!" This is the kind of humor prevalent in T.E.B. Clarke's witty script. British manners or lack thereof are quite nicely captured, but a closer inspection reveals fun poked at imperialism and classed society in general. The story was supposedly based on an actual Canadian incident; the notion is also evident in United States "Reservations" declared for Native Americans and the partitioning of Berlin.******** Passport to Pimlico (4/26/49) Henry Cornelius ~ Stanley Holloway, Hermione Baddeley, Margaret Rutherford, Paul Dupuis

ackstasis Say what you like about the cinematic importance of the Ealing Studios comedies of the late 1940s and early 1950s, but nobody can deny that pretty much all of them have a lot of heart, and always provide 90 minutes of solid, quirky entertainment. My #7 film from the studio is 'Passport to Pimlico (1949),' directed by Henry Cornelius {in his directorial debut}, which tells the peculiar story of a small London district that unexpectedly becomes its own separate nation. After a bomb left over from WWII accidentally detonates underground, a local resident of Pimlico discovers a stash of treasure belonging to Charles VII "The Rash", the last Duke of Burgundy. Also discovered is an ancient document declaring that the small district, in actual fact, is the last existing slice of Burgundian land, effectively making it a country of its own. The small band of friendly residents are initially excited about this discovery, but have some misgivings when criminals and black-market dealers realise that the London police have absolutely no jurisdiction in the streets of Pimlico. While the British government entangles the issue in lengths of red-tape, the newly-realised nation of Burgundy tries desperately to sort itself out.The scenario behind 'Passport to Pimlico' really isn't as ludicrous as it initially sounds. The screenplay, written by T.E.B. Clarke {who also wrote 'The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)'}, was inspired by a real-life occurrence during World War Two, when the Canadian government decreed that a maternity ward belonged officially to the Netherlands, to accommodate the birth of Princess Juliana's child {under Dutch law, a royal heir had to be born in the Netherlands in order to be eligible for succession to the throne}. It also appears that some of the events in the film were based upon the Berlin Blockade (June 24, 1948 – May 11, 1949), in which Western forces bypassed the Soviet blockades to sectors of Berlin via airlifts of food and other provisions. In this film, the British government's attempts to starve-out the troublesome Burgundians prove unsuccessful after crowds of sympathetic Londoners bombard the district with supplies, even air-dropping a fully-grown pig with a parachute.Though the story occasionally drags, 'Passport to Pimlico' proves worthwhile thanks to its unique storyline and a collection of entertaining characters. Police Constable Sid Spiller (Philip Stainton) is probably the film's funniest, particularly when he first realises the implications of Pimlico becoming its own nation ("Blimey, I'm a foreigner!") and when, working undercover to procure water for the reservoir, he must elude a drunk who simply insists on being arrested. Other notable players include Stanley Holloway, Betty Warren, Margaret Rutherford and Hermione Baddeley. Notably, Clarke's screenplay was nominated at the 1950 Oscars, and the film was nominated for Best British film at the 1950 BAFTA awards – in the latter category, Cornelius' film lost to Carol Reed's masterpiece 'The Third Man (1949),' but it was in good company. Also nominated were the other Ealing classics, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets,' 'Whisky Galore!' and {a favourite of mine} 'A Run For Your Money.'