Heavenly Pursuits
Released; 1986
Location; Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
This 1986 film by Charles Gormley is often forgotten when people think of films shot in Glasgow but it certainly deserves its place.
Heavenly Pursuits (known as The Gospel According to Vic in some countries) stars Tom Conti as a remedial teacher who is initially a non believer but over the course of the film starts to believe he can perform miracles.
Also starring Helen Mirren, David Hayman and a very young Ewan Bremner among others the film manages to visit the Vatican in Rome without ever leaving Glasgow.
In the opening shots of the film we see Father Cobb played by Brian Pettifer visiting the Vatican in Rome. These scenes were actually filmed in a branch of the Clydesdale bank on St Vincent Place in Glasgow city centre and the marble staircase featured in the film is the interior of Glasgow’s city chambers and is actually a larger marble staircase than the one in the Vatican.
Another location that is very much worth a mention but sadly missing in any detail in my project is Queens park school in the Battlefield area of Glasgow.
This school burned down in the late 90’s but it held the claim to fame of being the school attended by Stan Laurel and it was featured in The pride of Miss Jean Brodie as well as supplying interior and exterior locations for Heavenly Pursuits. The area where it stood is now the New Victoria hospital and car park.
I hope you enjoy the videos and picture sets below and if you have any connection to the film please get in touch and let me know.
P.S. Can you spot the actor who appears in this and Local Hero?
Heavenly Pursuits
Released; 1986
Location; Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
This 1986 film by Charles Gormley is often forgotten when people think of films shot in Glasgow but it certainly deserves its place.
Heavenly Pursuits (known as The Gospel According to Vic in some countries) stars Tom Conti as a remedial teacher who is initially a non believer but over the course of the film starts to believe he can perform miracles.
Also starring Helen Mirren, David Hayman and a very young Ewan Bremner among others the film manages to visit the Vatican in Rome without ever leaving Glasgow.
In the opening shots of the film we see Father Cobb played by Brian Pettifer visiting the Vatican in Rome. These scenes were actually filmed in a branch of the Clydesdale bank on St Vincent Place in Glasgow city centre and the marble staircase featured is the interior of Glasgow’s city chambers and is actually a larger marble staircase than the one in the Vatican.
Another location that is very much worth a mention but sadly missing in any detail in my project is Queens park school in the Battlefield area of Glasgow.
This school burned down in the late 90’s but it held the claim to fame of being the school attended by Stan Laurel and it was featured in The pride of Miss Jean Brodie as well as supplying interior and exterior locations for Heavenly Pursuits. The area where it stood is now the New Victoria hospital and car park.
I hope you enjoy the videos and picture sets below and if you have any connection to the film please get in touch and let me know.
P.S. Can you spot the actor who appears in this and Local Hero?
Then and now gallery
(click each image for a larger picture)
