Paris: Ealing Comedies (Monday 23/10/2017).
As a boy my Dad lived in Ealing, London and our slightly far fetched family stories record his credits in more than one of the classic Ealing comedies. A Sunday afternoon family favourite was his brief screen time shared with Terry Thomas in Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines . This was a gap toothed tale of aviation chicanery during a winner takes all air race from London (RAF Booker) to Paris (The Eiffel Tower). This was the golden age of flying tomfoolery, leather goggles and the handlebar-moustache. What a Cad! Ever since, Paris has held an enduring appeal for me. I have been there so many times, always intending to climb to its highest point for a view of the city but never managing to do more than get a stiff neck. Standing between the legs of the Eiffel Tower and gazing up her skirts, I often wondered whether the vista from the top was a view to a kill or just one to die for. It's smaller than it looks. Only with the encouragement of ...