The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema
The British Film Industry in 25 Careers tells the history of the British film industry from an unusual perspective - that of various mavericks, visionaries and outsiders who, often against considerable odds, have become successful producers, distributors, writers, directors, editors, props masters, publicists, special effects technicians, talent scouts, stars and, sometimes, even moguls. Some, such as Richard Attenborough and David Puttnam, are well-known names. Others, such as the screenwriter and editor Alma Reville, also known as Mrs Alfred Hitchcock; Constance Smith, the 'lost star' of British cinema, or the producer Betty Box and her director sister Muriel, are far less well known. What they all have in common, though, is that they found their own pathways into the British film business, overcoming barriers of nationality, race, class and gender to do so.

Counterpointing the essays on historical figures are interviews with contemporaries including the director Amma Asante, the writer and filmmaker Julian Fellowes, artist and director Isaac Julien, novelist and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, and media entrepreneur Efe Cakarel, founder of the online film platform MUBI, who've come into today's industry, adjusting to an era in which production and releasing models are changing – and in which films are distributed digitally as well as theatrically.

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The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema
The British Film Industry in 25 Careers tells the history of the British film industry from an unusual perspective - that of various mavericks, visionaries and outsiders who, often against considerable odds, have become successful producers, distributors, writers, directors, editors, props masters, publicists, special effects technicians, talent scouts, stars and, sometimes, even moguls. Some, such as Richard Attenborough and David Puttnam, are well-known names. Others, such as the screenwriter and editor Alma Reville, also known as Mrs Alfred Hitchcock; Constance Smith, the 'lost star' of British cinema, or the producer Betty Box and her director sister Muriel, are far less well known. What they all have in common, though, is that they found their own pathways into the British film business, overcoming barriers of nationality, race, class and gender to do so.

Counterpointing the essays on historical figures are interviews with contemporaries including the director Amma Asante, the writer and filmmaker Julian Fellowes, artist and director Isaac Julien, novelist and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, and media entrepreneur Efe Cakarel, founder of the online film platform MUBI, who've come into today's industry, adjusting to an era in which production and releasing models are changing – and in which films are distributed digitally as well as theatrically.

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The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema

The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema

by Geoffrey Macnab
The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema

The British Film Industry in 25 Careers: The Mavericks, Visionaries and Outsiders Who Shaped British Cinema

by Geoffrey Macnab

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Overview

The British Film Industry in 25 Careers tells the history of the British film industry from an unusual perspective - that of various mavericks, visionaries and outsiders who, often against considerable odds, have become successful producers, distributors, writers, directors, editors, props masters, publicists, special effects technicians, talent scouts, stars and, sometimes, even moguls. Some, such as Richard Attenborough and David Puttnam, are well-known names. Others, such as the screenwriter and editor Alma Reville, also known as Mrs Alfred Hitchcock; Constance Smith, the 'lost star' of British cinema, or the producer Betty Box and her director sister Muriel, are far less well known. What they all have in common, though, is that they found their own pathways into the British film business, overcoming barriers of nationality, race, class and gender to do so.

Counterpointing the essays on historical figures are interviews with contemporaries including the director Amma Asante, the writer and filmmaker Julian Fellowes, artist and director Isaac Julien, novelist and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, and media entrepreneur Efe Cakarel, founder of the online film platform MUBI, who've come into today's industry, adjusting to an era in which production and releasing models are changing – and in which films are distributed digitally as well as theatrically.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781350140684
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date: 02/25/2021
Pages: 352
Product dimensions: 6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.73(d)

About the Author

Geoffrey Macnab writes regularly on film for The Independent. He is also a senior correspondent at Screen International. His books include Dennis Davidson: A Life in Cinema (2020), Stairways to Heaven: Rebuilding the British Film Industry (I.B. Tauris, 2018), Ingmar Bergman: The Life and Films of the Last Great European Director (I.B. Tauris 2009), Delivering Dreams: A Century of British Film Distribution (I.B. Tauris 2015), The Making of Taxi Driver, Searching for Stars: Stardom and Screen Acting in British Cinema (I.B. Tauris 2000), Screen Epiphanies (BFI Publishing 2009) and J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry(1993). He lives in London, UK.

Table of Contents

Foreword Andy Leyshon vii

Acknowledgements ix

Introduction 1

1 Michael Balcon 5

2 Richard Attenborough 23

3 David Puttnam 39

4 Betty Box 51

5 John Maxwell 69

6 Muriel Box 79

7 Efe Cakarel 91

8 Mickey Pugh 103

9 Isaac Julien 115

10 Adrienne Fancey 125

11 'Poppa' Day 135

12 Alma Reville 145

13 Val Guest 157

14 Liz Wrenn 171

15 Karel Reisz 185

16 Constance Smith 197

17 Anthony Minghella 207

18 Hanif Kureishi 215

19 Julian Fellowes 227

20 Eve Gabereau 241

21 Andy Whittaker 253

22 Maxine Leonard 267

23 Amma Asante 279

24 Julian Richards 293

25 Tim Webber 307

Conclusion 321

Index 327

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