While the British cinema was producing crime movies with low budgets (non costosi), some English film directors chose (scelsero) to move to America, where the market required more spectacular and rich productions with elaborate costumes and settings (scene). One of the first British director, successful on the overseas (oltremare) cinemas was Alexander Korda (1893- 1956), who directed the historical comedy The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), starring Charles Laughton (Henry), Robert Donat, Elsa Lanchester, Merle Oberon and James Mason. The English director continued with other historical movies: Rembrand (1936) always starring Charles Laughton and The Thief of Bagdad (1940) with Douglas Fairbanks. Between 1934 and 1936 Paul Czinner(1890-1972), directed Catherine the Great and Harold French (1897-1997) The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Leslie Howard. Zoltan Corda (1895-1961), brother of Alexander’s and former (prima) cavalry officer in Hungary, made a number of military action/adventure films, many of which were filmed in Africa or Indiasuch as Bozzambo, or Sanders of the River (1935) in Africa and Elephant Boy (1937), inspired by R. Kipling’s The Jungle Books in Asia. His production also includes 1939’s The Four Feathers, starring Sir Ralph Richardson, his greatest success; Sahara (1943), starring Humphrey Bogart and A Woman’s Vengeance (1947) with Charles Boyer and Jessica Tandy. The Second World War is often presented as the “golden age” of British movies as the war itself provided topics for film makers. Many of the most famous films from the 1939-45 period mix action films on war topics with love stories and other features (caratteristiche) of conventional entertainment cinema (cinema di intrattenimento). Even the government recognized the values (valore) of the cinema: it sustained civilian (civili) spirits and was a channel (canali) for propaganda.
While the British cinema was producing crime movies with low budgets (non costosi), some English film directors chose (scelsero) to move to America, where the market required more spectacular and rich productions with elaborate costumes and settings (scene). One of the first British director, successful on the overseas (oltremare) cinemas was Alexander Korda (1893- 1956), who directed the historical comedy The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), starring Charles Laughton (Henry), Robert Donat, Elsa Lanchester, Merle Oberon and James Mason. The English director continued with other historical movies: Rembrand (1936) always starring Charles Laughton and The Thief of Bagdad (1940) with Douglas Fairbanks. Between 1934 and 1936 Paul Czinner(1890-1972), directed Catherine the Great and Harold French (1897-1997) The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Leslie Howard. Zoltan Corda (1895-1961), brother of Alexander’s and former (prima) cavalry officer in Hungary, made a number of military action/adventure films, many of which were filmed in Africa or Indiasuch as Bozzambo, or Sanders of the River (1935) in Africa and Elephant Boy (1937), inspired by R. Kipling’s The Jungle Books in Asia. His production also includes 1939’s The Four Feathers, starring Sir Ralph Richardson, his greatest success; Sahara (1943), starring Humphrey Bogart and A Woman’s Vengeance (1947) with Charles Boyer and Jessica Tandy. The Second World War is often presented as the “golden age” of British movies as the war itself provided topics for film makers. Many of the most famous films from the 1939-45 period mix action films on war topics with love stories and other features (caratteristiche) of conventional entertainment cinema (cinema di intrattenimento). Even the government recognized the values (valore) of the cinema: it sustained civilian (civili) spirits and was a channel (canali) for propaganda.
2013-04-06