A 1960’s cinema thriller – filmed in and around Bath – is getting a special showing back in the city where it was made.
The Museum of Bath at Work will be the venue for ‘80,000 Suspects’ on 19th November – the fictionalised story of an outbreak of Smallpox in Bath in the winter of 1962/3. It was filmed almost entirely on location – using many local residents as extras.
The film stars Clare Bloom and Richard Johnson and film locations include the Roman Baths, the Pump Room, the Assembly Rooms (which is used as an Emergency Inoculation Centre, Bath Spa station and the city centre. Without giving the story away the film tells the story of an outbreak of Smallpox that gets out of control and has the City of Bath put into quarantine.
Museum Director Stuart Burroughs said: ‘Val Guest, who directed the film, shows the city off to its best advantage, despite the weather, and anyone interested in film of how the city looked – with views inside the Bath Chronicle printing room for example- will be fascinated.’
Filming began during the coldest winter of the century and gives a fine idea of how the city looked fifty years ago.
The film will be shown at 7.30 on Wednesday November 19th at the Museum of Bath at Work in Julian Road BATH and admission is free.
For more details contact Stuart Burroughs at the Museum of Bath at Work on 01225 318348 or director@bath-at-work.org.uk
