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Soho Bites Podcast

Soho Bites Podcast

Written by: Dominic Delargy
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 A surpisingly large number of films have been set in Soho - that one square mile which has, for decades, been the beating heart of bohemian, cosmopolitan London. In each episode of Soho Bites, we talk to a special guest about a different Soho film and accompany it with a shorter, thematically linked item which may or may not be film related. Written, produced & presented by Dominic Delargy Based on an original idea by Dr Jingan Young https://bsky.app/profile/sohobites.bsky.social https://sohobitespodcast.com/donate https://sohobitespodcast.com/reviewDominic Delargy 2019-26 Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Soho Bites 49: Noose (1948)

    Soho Bites 49: Noose (1948)
    Feb 6 2026
    Spiv Noir.According to the billing, the stars of 1948's Noose (known as The Silk Noose in the US) are Carole Landis, Joseph Calleia & Derek Farr, but the real star of the film is Nigel Patrick who is cast against type as Bar Gorman, a sharply dressed, fast talking spiv.Set firmly in Soho, it tells the story of how the police, the press & a group of normal citizens, try to loosen the choke-hold of gangsters on the city. The film is one of a group of films known as "the spiv cycle".The director, Edmond T. Gréville, also directed Beat Girl which is straight from the fridge daddio.Dr Josephine Botting, curator at the BFI, joins us to talk about Noose, Edmond T. Gréville and the spiv cycle.Interesting article about the spiv cycle of films.In the first half of the show we were joined by the mighty Steve Hayes to talk about the life and death of Carole Landis.Steve has a brilliant YouTube channel, Tired Old Queen at the Movies and, rather like Morgan Freeman, George Burns and John Huston, he once played God in a movie.In our interview, Steve mentioned those two famously bitchy and competitive Hollywood gossip columnists, Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.Here's the listing for the 1947 stage version of Noose on the Theatricalia website and also a copy of the programme.We're fans of vintage lobby cards on Soho Bites - here's a couple of colourised ones for Noose.Friend of the show, Rob Baker, wrote an article about British post-war gangster films on his Flashbak website.A
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Soho Bites 48: Mona Lisa (1986)

    Soho Bites 48: Mona Lisa (1986)
    Jan 6 2026
    After two years in the wilderness, we return to your ears with episode 48 and a brilliant film - Mona Lisa (1986).Directed by Neil Jordan and written by David Leland, it’s a noir thriller with a fantastical edge - or perhaps a fantasy cloaked in noir - about humans finding connection in a grim world.Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Michael Caine and Robbie Coltrane all turn in beautiful performances and we catch a glimpse of the real Soho as it was before gentrification began.Soho based film producer, Colin Vaines, returns to the show to talk about Mona Lisa.Our guest for the thematically linked supporting feature© is Professor Oliver Carter of Birmingham City University. Oliver has been running a research project called Under the Counter looking at the history of the British pornography industry for several years and he shares some of the nuggets of his extensive research.Mona Lisa is available to stream on various platforms but if you’re a physical media person and if you prefer to not give money to Jeff Bezos when you can help it, you can buy it from Arrow Films.The famous scene in which Bob Hoskins walks around Soho is, perplexingly, accompanied by In Too Deep by Genesis.We try not to promote Xwitter these days so follow Colin on Facebook.Oliver has various links - his website, the Under the Counter website from where you can buy his book and the Under the Counter archive at the Bishopsgate Institute (slightly NSFW).Check out Mona Lisa’s then & now locations thanks to our friends at Reelstreets.Thank you to the Museum of Soho for allowing us to record in their gallery at All is Joy, 75 Dean Street, Soho.Thank you for listening.Follow us on
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Soho Bites 47: Monsieur Ripois (1954)

    Soho Bites 47: Monsieur Ripois (1954)
    Feb 1 2024

    Bienvenue dans le premier épisode de 2024.

    Monsieur Ripois (1954) was directed by René Clément and stars the French heart throb, Gérard Philipe along with the English beauties, Joan Greenwood, Natasha Parry & Valerie Hobson. It was based on the 1912 novel, Monsieur Ripois et la Némésis by Louis Hémon.

    The film was released under several other titles including “Lovers, Happy Lovers” & “Knave of Hearts” and was made in both English and French with the two versions being shot concurrently.

    We talk about Monsieur Ripois to the actor and director Jason Morell, whose mother was Joan Greenwood, one of the stars of the film. Listen out for some seventy year old hot gossip!

    Also on the French theme, we revisit an episode of Mural Morsels to hear about the notorious bohemian French poet, Paul Verlaine. This was an interview I did with another poet, Niall McDevitt, back in 2020 who has since sadly passed away. We’re using this interview with the blessing of his partner, Julie Goldsmith.

    Read this article by Jason Morell about dear old mum.

    Follow Jason on the Twitters.

    Here’s a little extract from the film.

    Of course our friends at Reelstreets have watched M. Ripois and you can look at some of the locations from the film HERE.

    Julie Goldsmith, the partner of the late Niall McDevitt, is a sculptor. You can see some of her work on Instagram and on her website.

    Niall’s obituary in The Irish Times.

    The 1995 Paul Verlaine biopic, Total Eclipse is worth watching if you can find it - although it’s quite difficult to track down.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
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