Just ended up watching this film for the second time and not because its that good a film, more for a want of anything better.

It's made at the fag end of World War II as I imagine, a kind of propaganda film of the we're all in the same boat variety. This notion is woven as a thread throughout the movie, popping up in different guises.

One of the most convoluted being after a USAF plane crash, in the vicinity of a west country village. The aircraft of course has a yank flag, the decision is made to present it to the local school. The Duke makes a ceramonial occasion of it, but this is where it gets very contrived. The kid he hands it to is supposed to be a school pupil, but and here's the Duke's speech to the lad (paraphrased). "Your ancestor left this village and travelled on the Mayflower, to the country where this flag comes from" so of course who better?

Because we have two stars of the silver screen Neagle and Harrison they're of course of the upper class "don't you know old bean" in their stately pile. With dear old Robert Morley as the Grand Old Duke of the Manor. They're living just the same as the rest of us, having to vacate it for the War Effort.

The romantic couple Neagle and Harrison turned into an infernal triangle, when the yank muscled in chancing his arm.

Quite appropriate given the apparent want of his compatriots in both world wars, last in and claimed the Star Prize.

According to the cover on the DVD of this film, "The story is based on a true incident in which an Air Corps crew deliberately sacrificed their lives to save an English village of no strategic importance." But, I could find no further reference to provide more details or to substantiate that statement. If there is such a connection, it most likely would be just with the very end of the movie in which that plane crash occurs. It's highly unlikely that it would be based on the plot of the film, however, or surely there would have been a book or story written or printed somewhere about the people and incidents of the main plot.

"A Yank in London" was the film's title when it was released in the States after its original showing in the U. K. as "I Live in Grosvenor Square." It debuted in March of 1945 while the war was not yet over in Europe. Although it doesn't specify the date, it was in the months leading up to the D-Day Landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

The build-up of American and other forces for the invasion had been going on for some time. Allied servicemen were being billeted in English homes and manors; and military units had taken over whole estates and buildings. This film gives a good portrayal of that, and, in this case, of the affability and congeniality of many of the Brits, including the landed aristocracy with and toward their "guests." While all of this was taking place, the Allied air forces were continuing to make bombing raids into Germany to cripple its war capacity and try to bring it to the peace table.

So this story develops as a sort of love triangle when an American Army Air Corps sergeant meets and is housed with the Duke of Exmoor and his family. The duke's niece, Lady Patricia Fairfax, is the female in this triangle, and the other male is Major John Patterson, a boyhood friend and close friend of the family. Patricia and David are engaged, but John and she fall for each other after a while. By stretching one's imagination, it's possible to think there is a real attraction between Patricia and John, but it takes that because it otherwise isn't apparent in the film. This might be a way of showing something of a more mature relationship than might be with a young GI and a young British lass. But, still, neither Anna Neagle nor Dean Jagger display any real sense of falling for one another. Rex Harrison plays Major David Bruce, and while his role is better, it's also not terribly convincing.

The best performance in the whole thing is by Robert Morley as the Duke of Exmoor. Elliot Arluck seems a bit overboard as a stereotypical gum-chewing, boisterous Yank from New York. He's Sgt. John's sidekick and fellow crewman who has also been on rehab leave with John.

This film has a couple of strange twists - Major Bruce gets a short leave from duty to run for a vacant seat in Parliament. And, toward the end, he gets a short leave while in uniform and his paratroop unit is waiting the word to take off on its invasion flight. The screenplay can't handle well the sudden change in heart of Sgt. John for not wanting to go between David and Patricia. So, John goes back into combat flying bombing missions as a gunner, and his plane crashes and explodes on its return with two engines out. The film shows him assisting the captain and pulling up to keep from crashing into the church tower of a small English village. After a memorial service on the ground, Major Bruce joins his unit and they all hit the silk (that's we airborne guys' lingo for jumping) supposedly during Operation Overlord, i.e. D-Day.

The film's rather slow and tame, with not much life in it except for the portrayal of the local Brits and the duke's family and estate. A somewhat better and similar story was made in 1956 by 20th Century Fox. "D-Day the Sixth of June" starred Robert Taylor and Richard Todd with the love triangle around Dana Wynter. That story also had a different ending from this film and also from the ordinary. But, it was a better scripted and believable romance and war story. It didn't show the British amiability of its hosting the Yanks like this film does, but the story seemed more plausible. That movie was based on a 1955 novel, "The Sixth of June," by Lionel Shapiro.

Here are a few favorite lines from this film.

Duke of Exmoor, "When was the last time you packed?" Parker, the butler, "The Boer War, your grace."

Sgt. John Patterson, "All this excitement for one member of parliament. It's a good thing you don't elect your kings over here."

Pub patron, "Well, the government may be all right for now, but what about later on?" Innkeeper, "Ah, you ain't voting for later on." Pub patron, "No? When shall I be then?" Innkeeper, "Later on." Pub patron, "I may not be here then." Innkeeper, "When?" Pub patron, "Later on." Innkeeper, "Well, what're you worrying about?"

Grosvenor Square in London, more commonly known as Eisenhowerplatz because that's where the Allied Commander in Chief lived and had his headquarters. A large concentration of American GIs lived there as well and that's where the story begins in I Live At Grosvenor Square.

In fact the entire United Kingdom was one large armed camp with GIs quartered in every nook and cranny. I find it singularly ironic in that one of the objections to the British that started the American Revolution was the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes. Look it up. 160+ years later and we're over there with the largest invading army in history and they're going out of their way to quarter us and like it.

American Army Air Force sergeant Dean Jagger is one of those quartered in a posh London home now used as a barracks a fact the British family there puts up with but not liking it. Jagger makes the acquaintance of Anna Neagle who comes from the upper crust as does her steady boyfriend Rex Harrison. The three form an unlikely trio, friendly at first, but when Jagger moves in on Neagle, Rex is put out.

Later on in America a decade later a similar film was made with Robert Taylor, Richard Todd, and Joan Collins entitled D-Day the Sixth of June. This film ends also with D-Day, but as to how the love triangle straightens out, you watch the film for.

Anna Neagle and her producer husband Herbert Wilcox produced this film and of course Neagle was top billed as always. But she sang not a note. Instead guest star from America Irene Manning best remembered for playing Fay Templeton in Yankee Doodle Dandy played herself at a USO show and sang the British ballad Home. It's quite a lovely piece, one of my favorites which Gracie Fields recorded over there and Dean Martin used on one of his albums 20 years later.

I Live In Grosvenor Square is a nice romantic type film, very well done by the impeccably cast ensemble.