October 8, 2012

Hell Is a City: the making of a cult classic – in pictures

Hell Is a City is one of the great British cult classics – a 1960 cop thriller that doubles as an amazing record of Manchester as it was half a century ago

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Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — The Refuge Assurance building (now the Palace hotel) on the corner of Oxford Street and Whitworth Street was a key location in the film's climactic chase sequence. Here, lead actor Stanley Baker stands in front of its famous clock tower Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is City: Hell is a City — The crew perch precariously on the Refuge building's roof as they film Baker – who plays Inspector Harry Martineau – and John Crawford fighting on a parapet Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: Hell is a City — Baker (shown here looking through the camera), one of Britain's biggest box-office draws in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was also a keen student of cinematic arts. He would go on to produce a string of films, including Zulu (1964) and Robbery (1967) Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — Baker in conference with director Val Guest, who was responsible for many homegrown films that have since become cult classics, including The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Expresso Bongo (1959) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). The white mark in the sky isn't a plane, but an original crop mark left from when the picture was first used Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — Back on the roof of the Refuge building, Baker adds some fake blood to his shirt Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — Billie Whitelaw is placed in the correct position for an in-studio bedroom scene by director Guest. Crawford is standing next to Guest, opposite Whitelaw – who went on to a sparkling theatrical career as a regular collaborator with Samuel Beckett Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is City: Hell is a City — Baker fixes his tie during a break in the filming of the rooftop chase Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — Lois Daine, who played bookie's daughter Cecily Wainwright, touches up between takes. Hell Is a City was her first screen credit Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — Baker takes Daine's pulse – as a joke – as they prepare to shoot a scene. Daine's character has just been murdered and dumped on the moor Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is a City: On set of Hell is a City — An early example of product placement? Baker downs some liquid refreshment on the Refuge roof Photograph: StudioCanal

Hell is City: Hell is a City — Baker looking casual outside Errwood House, the exterior location of the Hawkins house where Don Starling hides out. It's in the Levenshulme area of the city Photograph: StudioCanal

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