Boot Inn (1958)

Vernham Dene, Hampshire.



Exterior. L/S of a thatched country pub, The Boot. A middle-aged couple, Jim McNaulty and Mary Jones (who is in fact the landlord's wife), walk past the free standing sign and enter the pub. Low angle C/U of the pub sign which has instead of a traditional picture a real boot hanging beneath the name (originally part of the landlord's Indian Army uniform). M/S of the couple and their dachshund entering the porch to the pub. Jim pauses to use the old fashioned boot scraper next to the doorway. C/U of the boot scraper. Next to the scraper is a garden gnome and a couple of old boots. Low angle C/U of the couple admiring one of the ornamental boots hanging in the door frame. Jim takes one down for closer inspection before hanging it back in its original place and entering the pub.



Interior. M/S of the couple entering the pub. As Mary enters she encounters various old hobnail and riding boots hanging from the ceiling. M/S of the bar which is also surrounded with boots. John Jones, the landlord, stands behind the bar and greets the couple. He began the collection six months ago when he first took over the pub - he now has over a hundred boots. First Mary comes into frame and takes a seat at the bar before being joined by Jim. The landlord exits to fetch the drinks and leaves the couple to admire a Florentine china boot on a glass shelf on top of the bar. The landlord re-enters and reaches for a glass on a high shelf. He places the glass under the pump and fills it with beer. C/U of Mr. Jones' face as he chats to his customers. C/U of the glass being filled with beer. The landlord passes it to Jim. The glass is not a conventional beer glass but is shaped like a riding boot and is from Munich. Jim accepts the drink and makes a toasting gesture before knocking back the beer. The beer sloshes out over Jim's face and soaks his large waxed moustache - "drinking from it is quite a feet".



C/U of Mary laughing. C/U of Jim twitching his sodden moustache and licking the spilt beer from his chin. M/S of the amused landlord passing Jim another glass of beer, indicating this time he should drink with the toe of the boot facing downwards. C/U of Jim successfully drinking from the glass. Jim wipes his chin with a handkerchief and nods his approval. Mary takes an antique silver boot from the glass shelf and admires it before replacing it. C/U of Mary as she is passed a "replica of a wooden boot used by a gentleman two hundred years ago". As she holds the boot, the landlord demonstrates how the hole in the heel can be used for keeping money in.



M/S of Fred Williamson and one other of the pub regulars playing a board game - 'shove-a-penny'. A black riding boot lies on the table next to the board. One of the men uses the boot to rest his cigarette on.



C/U of a pair of desert boots lying next to a fireplace. Tilt up to a pair of feet in woolly socks, belonging to Jeff Dowdy, being warmed by the heat of the fire.



M/S of the bar maid, Elsie Stocky, polishing some of the ornamental boots. C/U of the silver boot being polished.



C/U of the dachshund with his head stuck in a Wellington boot on the floor. The dog pulls out an old sock and shakes it in his mouth - "the people here are so conscious of the subject that when the dog asks for a bone they give him an old boot to play with ... the heels!"
FILM ID:71.19

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