Mull phone box seen in classic romance film saved from removal
18 minutes ago
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A phone box on the Isle of Mull that featured in one of Martin Scorsese’s favourite films has been saved from removal
The red phone box at Carsaig was made famous by the 1945 classic romantic comedy I Know Where I’m Going!
Positioned beside a waterfall, the location has long been a destination for film fans ticking off the Mull locations seen in the movie
However BT’s rationalisation plans risked the Category B listed phone box being removed. After appeals from film buffs, Argyll & Bute Council presented a case to BT for keeping the box, which the phone operator has accepted
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I Know Where I’m Going! was directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, who helmed a string of other classic films including The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus and A Matter of Life and Death
It was filmed in Mull and and at studios in Buckinghamshire in 1944 and 1945, while World War Two was still being fought, and is often praised as one of the duo’s best films
Martin Scorsese is a huge fan of Powell and Pressburger, and I Know Where I’m Going! has also been praised by the likes of Tilda Swinton and Scottish director Bill Forsyth
It centres on an Englishwoman played by Wendy Hiller, who is travelling to the fictional Scottish island of Kiloran to marry a rich businessman
However she is stranded on Mull during a storm and falls in love with Roger Livesey’s Royal Navy officer, who is home on leave
The phone box being next to a waterfall is played for laughs at one point, with Livesey’s character frustrated that he cannot hear anything due to the nearby water
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Argyll and Bute Council leader Jim Lynch said keeping the phone box in place would benefit the wider community
He said: “The Carsaig phone box is a brilliant example of the power of film
“A memorable location can inspire people to travel and spend time in our communities – sometimes decades after the cameras stopped rolling.”
He added that the story highlighted the appeal of Argyll and Bute as a location for films and TV productions, and showcased the importance of the the Film in Argyll service that aims to champion the region as a filming location
Councillor Lynch said: “Through Film in Argyll, we want to make it as easy as possible for productions to discover the incredible locations we have here – and for local people and businesses to benefit from the opportunities filming can bring.”
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Isle of Mull
Argyll and Bute Council
