They Came to a City is a 1944 British black-and-white film directed by Basil Dearden and starring John Clements, Googie Withers, Raymond Huntley, Renee Gadd and A. E.

The nine people are Sir George Gedney, a misanthropic aristocrat; Malcolm Stritton, a bank clerk who is dissatisfied with the current political system; Dorothy Stritton, Malcolm's domineering and jealous wife; Alice Foster, an unhappy waitress; Mr. Cudworth, a money-obsessed businessman; needy Lady Loxfield and her compliant daughter Philippa; cynical, free-thinking seaman Joe Dinmore; and Mrs. Batley, a practical charwoman.

...The tale cross-sections humanity effectively, but by leaving everything to talk – the workings of the brave new halcyon administration, which roughly repudiates what the author bitingly describes as 'the dogfight round a dustbin" life followed by most societies, are never witnessed – and displaying obvious political bias, it becomes a task rather than a diversion.

B. Priestley tells the story, re-winds it in the middle and figures prominently at the fadeout, but the personal touch, at once both agreeable and formidable, fails adequately to compensate for its lack of movement.

"[5] In The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "as symbolism and an outlet for Priestley's philosophy, They Came to a City is eloquent and courageous, but as a motion picture it is immobile.