The Knowledge (1979)
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- The Knowledge is the process all London black taxi drivers must go through in order to hold the coveted Green Badge.
This film takes a light-hearted look at the process in the 70's.
Credit: Thames Publications
Director: Bob Brooks
Euston Films
Can’t believe I was a knowledge boy in 1974. Retired 2018, !!!
Congratulations! You must have a book in you after all those years of being a cabbie, unless you've already written it!
@@citizen1163 a good book for you is it’s “Tales from the Ranks and Beyond
“by Roger Lewis
Ooh, how long did it take to pass?
13 months in total.!!!
@@Paul-fq9pj Thanks for the tip.!!!
I am only six and a half minutes in and the amount of actors I recognise is unbelievable. Can't believe I have never seen this before.
@Newsbender Hahaha! Yes. Mick Ford. Frank Gallagher was the original Archer.
@@lennywebb6740 Archer - my favourite character in Scum
neither can I 🙂
Great film. A real who's who of UK acting talent. Nigel Hawthorn, Michael Elphick, Gary Holton, Nicholas Ball and many more. Great rewatch.
First time I have seen this since it was first aired. Stands the test of time. Great.
Great scripts, actors and directors always do.
WOW
I loved the movie. 1st time watching this today on YT.
Didn't watch this back in 1979 coz I was a young lad.
Nice to see the old London I grew up in and nice to see no parking restrictions and no CCTV cameras.
As far I can recall most Londoners lived in the centre of London (Inner London) and then, eventually, most Londoners moved out for various reasons stemming from affordability to noise pollution and what have you.
Anyway, back then, the Knowledge to be a Black Cab driver was a great thing for earning very good money.
Now a days, the Knowledge is a dying thing coz mini cabbing/Uber has taken over with Smart phones having built in SatNav.
Mick Ford's first appearance (Test) had me in stitches. Seriously though, I now know why London's official Hackney carriages cost a fortune. Full respect to those learned men and women who've put in all that hard work as required by the Knowledge.
Ahh but can they speak English?
@@alan1340 well not nowadays so much
Do you still need to do the Knowledge for a black cab in London today what with SatNavs etc?
Wow. Loved this movie back in the day. I was a cabbie in Melbourne where we learned on the job. Took me years. Can't imagine having to do this. So good to see it again. There isn't much to thank YT for, but this deserves it. Thank you UA-cam.
Edit: In Melbourne we at least had a thing called the Melway, which is without doubt the greatest street directory on the planet. Beats the old A to Z hands down.
Wow. Written by Jack Rosenthal(husband of Maureen Lipman) and starring Nigel Hawthrone. I remember watching this on repeat on Channel 4 in the 1990s. A great little one-off TV drama.
Thanks for posting. Watched this film in my teens. Never forgot the scene at 24.54. Hidden Classic.
I've got the knowledge and did the job for 30 years. Absolutely mental job
The people want progress but none of them want to change. You try your best to move on in life and the moment you put your right foot first, then the questions come. Really good film about relationships, as well as cabbing.
Remember watching when it first came out, quality. Nigel Hawthorne brilliant as usual, loved when he asked Michael Elphick if he was a removal man or a kleptomaniac when he moved the chair forward.
😂😂😂
The wonderful Nigel Hawthorn. What a trip down memory lane this was.
Together with Michael Elphick, Maureen Lipman, and a brief visit from Nadeem Sawalha as the Arab. A really great fun film.
Don't forget Lesley Joseph
@@RobertLocksley385
Lesley Joseph of Birds of a Feather
Poor old Nadeem, he was always given jobs as an Arab guy. That's how it was back in the 70s and 80s and I guess he needed the money for his family.
He is Jordanian I believe.
I have always loved this film! I was mini cabbing at the time while a mate was doing the knowledge in an old 'Wangler'. Early 80s lots of lovely cash in hand & so much crumpet! Halcyon days.
I remember watching this decades ago and couldn't find it anywhere, so thanks for posting it. One of Nigel Hawthorne's most masterly performances.
This got him the Yes Minister job.
And he created a character masterpiece...
I'm 60 yrs now I do remember watching this so luved it excellent
Amazing performance from Nigel Hawthorne . Incredibly funny script for the introductory meeting .
A gem, but he romps this
A wonderful film - a real slice of London life. I've watched it many times. The story, writing and acting are the finest.
Just had our honeymoon in London and were fascinated by the taxi and uber drivers. I (a Dubliner) told my wife (a New Yorker) about seeing The Knowledge decades ago and SHE wanted to see it. The dialogue is hard to make out and the subtitles are unintelligible but it's still a fantastic look at Londeon in the Seventies, a goodhearted and entertaining TV movie. Glad it was posted here - cheers.
Only offical London Black Taxis have to endure 3/4 years on the Knowledge.. Uber drivers haven’t a clue where they’re going.
@@D1CE579 They use sat nav
brilliant watched this because my boyfriend recommended it to me as hes an ex london cab driver and said it was so true to life
One of the funniest dramas ever made! Watch out for Gary Holton who went on to star in Auf Wiedersehen Pet and tragically died during the second series. The casting and script is second to none - just like Auf Wiedersehen Pet!
The History of the Hackney Carriage: The horse drawn carriage service first began in central London in 1636, a maximum of fifty was set. Today a 'Knowledge Boy' has to know 25,000 streets, within the 6 mile radius of Charing Cross Station, to be awarded his green badge.
Plus the 150,000 points of interest and the routes between them - in both directions as the one way systems make it different each way.
I’ve retired now and I worked out that I drove 1.3 million miles in my 37 years driving various makes of taxi. FX4s, FX4Rs, FX4Ss, TX1,2,3 and 4 also Metrocab and Vito. I loved every single day and night of it.
@@ruadhagainagaidheal9398 you bring whole new meaning to the term 'the knowledge', you must have met some interesting people, those that were sociable enough to chat.
What’s the blue badge?
Blue badge is a tourist guide badge, it has nothing to do with the knowledge although some cabbies did it as was extra income i suppose, I'm presuming you took a test on the history of london and it's buildings, london cabbies had a green badge which gave the right to ply for hire in the whole of the Met police area and a yellow badge which is a suburban badge and was specific to a suburb area@@robmckay5700
A masterpiece. Loved every single minute of it.
A delight, thanks for posting. Thames TV did some very good dramas.
They've turned this into a west end theatre show now. Charing X theatre
That London is gone. Most of the buildings and infrastructure is still there but the civilisation that built it is mostly gone. Sad, very sad.
And they keep letting them in and let them breed.
Time for change
Brilliant stuff. Also from the writer Jack roshenthal is a film called. “The Chain” a similar ish film about 7 different house moves in London. Starting with a flat in Hackney and ending in Knightsbridge. Well worth watching. Tons of actors you know, and Nigel hawthorn plays a great character in this one too. Well worth looking for. It’s actually on UA-cam ( just checked 😉)
Thank you for upload. A great British gem I remember from my childhood.
Every one of the actors in this film have appeared in Minder and the Professionals. Great film.
Made by the same people - Euston Films - who made Minder.
Jack Rosenthal was a complete genius. Loved it.
He had a talent for quirky characters, for sure!
This film is about the many sides to being British i recognize everyone of these characters it's one of the great British films shame it's been "hiding" in a cupboard somewhere.
Saw it once in 1980...still great!
Wow, thanks for posting this. This is a real gem.
Grew up in Barnsbury and went to school just round the corner...Copenhagen Street and School...some of the BEST years of my life!!!
I was across the road in Amwell St. I remember the cafe they all used; corner of Penton and White Lion st. It had a sign that said.. "All the water in this establishment has been passed by the Management". As a child I thought it was hilarious. Ironically I live in Gibson sq now
@@rockingmods Trying to buy a house in Thornhill Sq. But at 2mill, it's not easy...l really don't want to live anywhere else in London but Barnsbury; it's STILL the best!...Home is where the heart is...
@@Kenistyless Yep.
@@rockingmods you're So lucky; l'm jealous...
I worked in the area for 19 years and must have walked round every street and square in that part of London in my lunch hour. I particularly liked Myddleton Square and the church of St Mark. There's a novel called 'Riceyman Steps' by Arnold Bennet set around there which is very good.
Thank you for this one, haven't seen it in yonks. A really great film.
I faced the dreaded Mr Findley. Drove a cab 30 years. Happy days be lucky. 22402 1975.
Me too, back in 1974, did 44 yrs, found him tough but fair, as long as you didn’t move the chair.
@@wilbursmith2955 I had an appearance with Mr Findley and every time e he asked me a question he would ask the first part fairly clearly as he had a Scottish accent but the last part of the points he turned his back on me and looked out tbe window and in a strong Scottish accent in a very low voice asked the second point I asked him to repeat the last point and he got angry and said it again in that strong Scotish accent I couldn't u understand so I just said sorry I don't know it sir he asked me about 5 different points the same way and I didn't answer any becouse I was frightened he was going to get angry and thought I never want to have him again but when I went up for my next appointment the examiner said you had a good appearance with Mr findley I said no I didn't think so but mr whicks said he gave you good Mark's so all I can say is it was a test to see how I reacted
I remember when this was on telly a huge hit thanks for posting . I was 14 then wow
A few good memories popped up
in this gem of a film!
I managed to get this on DVD a few
years ago. How it landed on my list
to watch I've no idea but i was
surprised and happy to see it and
watched it straight away!
Thank you for uploading 💖
🛵👍💞👏🚦💖🚦👏💞👍🛵
🚦..Remembering..Jimmies,🚦
🛵.....a.fellow.'Knowledge'.....🛵
🚦.............successor.............🚦
🛵👍💞👏🚦💖🚦👏💞👍🛵
Lovely to watch this again, it's as good as I remembered it. Thank you for uploading.
The bit I didn't like was near the end when the actor playing a bowler city type character (the late Royce Mills) said "I'll have your bloody number" as it wasn't necessary (1:24:44 1:24:56) Also to pick a fare up (by the female actor taxi driver) in front of a taxi which has come from a taxi rank or is close by is actually illegal. Having said that an enjoyable comedy drama from many years ago. By the way i'm still a working London taxi driver now on my fifty first year as I got my license on the 2nd of October 1974. I completed the Knowledge of London in sixteen months although I could have done it in fourteen but I missed my second "appearance" as I forgot the date because I was working so hard on the damn thing.
Can’t believe I’ve never saw this. Thanks for the upload
I used to work near the cafe where this was filmed and used to see the actors filming in Smithfield Market.
I was across the road in Amwell St. I remember the cafe they all used; corner of Penton and White Lion st. It had a sign that said.. "All the water in this establishment has been passed by the Management". As a child I thought it was hilarious. Ironically I live in Gibson sq now
Great stuff 👍💯🇬🇧 all our old friends, 🙏💯 bless them, as a SOUTH LONDONER 🇬🇧 great location's, memories 💓🇬🇧🗣️💯🙏😇💪👁️☠️👁️🎬🧐
Nigel Hawthorn “The Vampire”🧛🏻 ..... the man is a legend! 😆😆😆😆😆
Worked on that as assistant editor
Nigel Humphries and Mick Ford being in the 1979 film 'Scum' where Mick Ford played the part of Archer.
A gem of an upload, thank you!
Loved it.. Cheers and God bless. Thank you. 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you so much for posting this I was kid when this was first shown ❤️
Brilliant BRILLIANT film. Love it
I remember this being on ITV in I think 1981 and then reshown on Channel 4 in 1985 or so-not too sure about that though. Great film, so thank you there then so too!
Geat film. Noticed Ang and Laurence from Abigail's in there too.
When I first saw this, would have never dreamt of sat nav
I'm surprised they've not included pub recommendations in the knowledge - that's what I go for whenever I visit London and take a taxi - a good pub
Not the best of pints in London, no head on their lager, what's that all about?
As I remember , there were some pubs included in the Knowledge, The Anchor , Bankside; The Grenadier in Knightsbridge; and The Sherlock Holmes off Northumberland Ave come to mind. Most of them come with experience though. No point in asking about what goes on inside them as I never drink and drive ;)
I was never asked about pubs whilst on the "Knowledge" in 1973. Without being snooty I can't even remember the last time I went to one as I don't like alcohol, i'm not teetotal I just don't like the stuff. The only pubs I can think of off the top of my head are, The Sherlock Holmes as mentioned elsewhere just off Northumberland Ave near Trafalgar Square, the Spaniards Inn Hampstead near Whitestone Pond, The Flask at the top of Highgate West Hill and the The Churchill Arms in Kensington Church Street as it's usually smothered in foliage. That's it, either way I wouldn't know a good pub from a bad one.
.
Another classic from 79. Mick Ford was also in Scum with Ray Winstone. What with Ray also being in That Summer and Quadrophenia they both had a cracking year.
4721, Archer, sir.
@ “Dirty cell. Governor’s Report!” 👍
@ "Mecca? MECCA?"
@newsbender Lol! I was going to use that one at first! 🤣👍
“Yes Sir, I feel myself strongly drawn towards Mecca.”
@@oleggorky906 pretty much every line is a gem in this and the more you've seen it, the funnier it is 🙂
Excellent upload Thanks :}
Surely the Satnav has put paid to the knowledge!
I never heard of the knowledge even although I lived in London for a time. I was told oal abaht i’ by Brian Conley when he was a young act in Jersey. His dad was a black cabbie. I found the story unforgettable!
A knowledge boy would leave a driver with a satnav well behind, road closures, different lanes, unprecedented events etc these add more time on to any driver, but a knowledge boy will be impacted least, look a Uber drivers, they're not usually the brightest, and they have to go exactly by what their satnav says, even when it's not always right.
Thanx for this
Really enjoyed that. What a cast too.
I remember seeing this on Australian telly as a kid.
Gold! Nuff said.
Amazing film!!
Past the knowledge in 1966 did it for 6 years got fed up with it and worked with a plumber fo6 years just going out on the cab on sundays and worked at Frankam and kay the opend a plumbing shop for another 5 years still going out on a Sunday to keep my hand in when I sold the shop I went back full time doing nights that was 1986 and I packed up and retired in 2001 and I could write two books the things that happened to me
You should…I would read it mate 👍👍
I know Londons' streets really well from cycling around it for many years.
But do you have 'The Knowledge' ???
Seeing that job centre brought back some memories and I’m only 50 most of the time you would go the ball were empty they just was no work
at 18.8 is one Kim Tallyforth who was a special constable at my old nick Kings Cross and then joined the Met. Lovely lady then and still is
1:25 absolutely classic! I go down t’main road, and then i what?
If you could learn The Knowledge, you could learn anything!
Dad used to make me test his him on runs, I think I knew the knowledge when I was 12 lol
Did you take the knowledge later?
I knew a bloke who passed the knowledge but he was never able to get a drive (a taxi to use).
@@Retro-Future-Land no mate, lot of mates from school did but I didn’t
Great film of a bygone era - certainly Very realistic and brings back memories of the carriage office in penton street . Sadly now governed by tfl who don’t seem to have London’s finest taxi drivers best interests .
I was a cabbie for eight years, four in Portsmouth UK and four in Sydney Aus.
Not once did I get any aggro. I had plenty of potential but it was always sorted out, mostly over money.
I found plenty of fares would get physical given the slightest excuse so the knack was never to give ‘‘em any.
I did it and to this day don't know how. In my 30th year now. The maddest job I've ever done. Had a few funny apearences . All in all glad I passed it.
When I was on the knowledge one of my mates, an ex copper called George, had the temperament test where they wind you up to see how you react to stress. Poor George came back to the knowledge school in tears. We all told him that the “ wind up” was normal and we all got it, but George took it badly. We didn’t see him after that , we learnt later that he took a shotgun to Epping forest and shot himself. The knowledge can be like that.
Hang on! what? How does that work? They send a "customer" who tries to drive you mad? Poor bloke! A "temperament check" I have only been to London a few times but I always thought that the Black cab guys don't take any crap from anyone and will just chuck you out of there cab?
A gem
euston films classic
You see them all over London on scooters with a clipboard the windshield Doing the Knowledge !
Never forgot that final speech by Nigel Hawthorne - before he was Sir Humphrey, he was 'The Vampire'.
Jack Rosenthal is a genius. This, the Evacuees, Ptang Yang Kipperbang (had a huge crush on Abigail Cruttenden by the way) etc.
Ptang Yang Kipperbang was considered extremely 'racy' when I was at school!
Excellent film,great entertainment
Now we commit to memory “Hey Siri,”
I think Lesley Joseph from Birds of a Feather is in this too
Yes, do you think she had a nose job?
Mrs Weller is Dame Maureen Lipman now!
And not forgetting Lesley Joseph of Birds of a feather
Yes, and it wouldn't have mattered how tired l was.....
1:45
"What's the Knowledge, then"
"It's a form of euthanasia"
I. Love. This. Movie. If I ever get to the UK, the highlight of the trip would be to afford a day in a Black Cab watching a Master of the Trade.
I wouldn't, mate. They'll take you four miles to get 300 yards.
Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view !"
Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam."
Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!"
Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..."
Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!"
Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky."
Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction."
Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?
Retired now but did the knowledge in 81....thanks to uber,the game is well and truly finished. Sad,but joe public gets the service they wished for Sad times.
With the uber's loss in the courts recently things may well change, there are other PHV apps out there but they play by the rules uber (small "u" by the way) most certainly has not and do not. They also base themselves abroad so pay no corporation tax and VAT therefore they contribute nothing into the UK's economy. I don't feel that "the games dead" but it certainly isn't what it was that's for sure.
People don't expect plumbers, electricians, roofers & builders plus others who have studied and trained to learn their trade with NVQ's etc, etc to offer their services for nunpence. But they expect to get into our very expensive purpose built taxis with proper wheelchair accessibility with all the studying we did (there is a massive value to that) and offer the same prices as someone who does no studying, no training and offer their services in an ordinary cheap-ish car. Basically you get what you pay for and when the general public are involved in accidents very often caused by their PHV driver (see many pictures of that on the web) that's their problem end of.
I passed out in '74 and because of the pandemic I have not worked since the last week of March 2020 but I will be going back when things improve later this year. I believe that when I originally passed out I may well have been the youngest on the road at that point. Anyway enjoy your retirement, but at 69 i'm not ready for that yet.
I take a normal cab when in London, and don't need the drive into the ground. Just like @licensedtaximan4271 says, it's double whammy. Not taxes and no knowledge.
How's Londen with the current 20mph, and all those road narrowing. I've just so much respect you can do it for a living, and not get completely mad!
I drove a cab in Baltimore for 5 years...took me a year to really learn how to get around at all...people think it`s easy till they try to do it...the company I worked for most of the drivers didn't last a week
The Mr Burgess Character was based on Mr Finley (A Scottish Examiner who really did those things to put people off) Luckily he had already retired when I was a knowledge boy!
I had Finley (so to speak) and got my rec from him, having said that the creep did try to wind me up earlier by putting me back onto my twenty eight day appearances from my twenty one's. I complained at the appointments window as I had answered my runs ok so the girl went off and got him out of his office whereby he put me back onto my twenty one's. Obviously he was trying it on but I wasn't standing for it especially as I was on the Knowledge full time so no pay until I gained my license and badge.
Brilliant stuff. Nigel Hawthorne in top form as the bureaucratic martinet and CEO of Misery Inc.
They don't make 'em like this anymore.
In room 12, I thought I saw Paul Eddington, but dismissed it saying, "what would an actor of that calibre/magnitude be doing in something like this?"
And then in walked Nigel Hawthorne.
This is a Jack Rosenthal play.....any actor would be proud to do it
they all had to start somewhere. So why not in this? Remember Eddington did The Good Life which was stupid.
@@PetroicaRodinogaster264 They do all have to start somewhere, true, but Eddington started decades before this tripe.
@@illaveyoubutler3588 Wake up. Anyone who promotes and glorifies infidelity is simply state sponosored scum.
@@krell2130 Take your medication weirdo!
THE CYCLIST WAS PHOEBE,S DAD ERIC IN GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART
David Ryall (Titanic) cycling by the church message board 🤣
Great British movie. This should have cult status
🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿has
Our dad loved it!...Chips up nose if I remember from decades back...
It does, took 40 years to find this gem!
@@darganx It is on a Network DVD box set called ‘Jack Rosenthal at ITV’....Full of likewise gems
Amen
God, London was grim in the 70's........still is..
QUESTION: in these high=tech days of satnavs, etc. do London cabbies still have to prove their knowledge?
Take a black cab then take an Uber, you’ll see
You do if you want a Hackney Badge.
Blair
I preferred the old London. Why ? no parking restrictions, no congestion charge/ULEZ, just great to drive to London and park any where you like.
Gone them days.
@@spidyman8853 HI Spidy Man, I recall London in the 60's..walking down carnaby Street and Petticoat Lane..... The summer of 67 was incredible ..
Imagine going for your appearance and finding Sir Humphrey Appleby is your examiner!
Mick Ford would've been perfect to play Nick Drake in a biopic, he might not have had Drakes height but facially he's a dead ringer and even has a similar timbre in his voice
Love the movie, but wondering now that there's GPS, how has the system changed? Can a current London cabbie please advise? Thanks!
George Chen Still the same system in principle, however the methods have changed slightly. 3 - 4 years of study in total. Exams are the same format.
Working and doing the Knowledge is bloody hard.
Remember watching this when it was first aired. All I remember was the theme song 😂😂😂😂 Know What I Mean? God Save The Queen 😂😂😂
Just seeing this film makes me nervous.
Euston Films- Minder, Prospects
Jack Rosental- Londons Burning
Verity Lambert- Eastenders
Mick Ford - Scum
Michael Elphick -Boon
Kim Taylforth -The Bill
Maureen Lipman -Coronation Street
Lesley Joseph -Birds of a Feather
Hugh Quarshie -Holby City
Gary Holton - Auf Wiedersehen Pet
Great film. If only they knew then that in 40 years time , tfl corrupted with Uber will take over with sat navs and No knowledge comedian prius drivers! Respect to all london black cabbies.......you are the real london taxi!
One problem in London is the number of streets with the same name. My first trip to London I was to attend a New Year's Eve party in a pub on King Street. I was staying in the West End, and the cabbie asked me which King Street. There are ten or so King streets in London, plus all those named for specific kings. But I was lucky when the cabbie tried the one nearest my hotel, and it was hosting a most enjoyable party.
Gary Holton at it again lol!