The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

40 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN March-April, 1953 FAREWELL TO DENHAM STUDIOS by Chris Brunei EVEN a cursory glance at a list of films made at Denham Studios brings back rich memories to both cinema-goer and technician alike, and reminds us that these fine studios can justly claim to be a symbol of British film-making. So many of the milestones of our industry are exemplified in Denham pictures, and so, to start your own minds wandering nostalgically on, here are a few : Sir Alexander Korda's Wings of the Morning was the first Technicolor feature made in England; Ray Rennahan lit it with Jack Cardiff as Operator. (Technicolor Ltd., remember, was formed by Korda with Dr. Kalmus in July 1935). The nation's first propaganda film of the second world war, The Lion Has Wings, started a few days after the declaration of war by Neville Chamberlain. The fabulous film by the fabulous Gabriel Pascal — Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra. Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, the prestige picture that really did bring world-wide credit to our ability to make pictures. And the return of the American to our industry, typified by Walt Disney's Treasure Island. But what of those between the milestones? Some of them just " run-of-the-mill " pictures. Look at 1937's output with the Kine Weekly " Box Office " Reviews alongside : Director Victor Saville Before the studios were completed, shooting was proceeding on the lot for Things in ( ome. Interior production started with Southern Ro*i s in 1936, followed by Rt mbrandt. Things were rather held up by a fire in March 1936, but production got properly into its stride by the summer, despite a grave shortage of equipment. After the destruction of the Amalgamated Studios at Elstree during the war, J. Arthur Rank brought a large amount of electrical and other equipment to Denham from Elstree, and built up the big stock that has now been auctioned away. Like other sections of the industry before ACT became strong, working conditions were poor, and victimisation of outspoken employees was common. The ETU were the first to start reversing this by negotiating a local agreement with London Films, but George Elvin was not far away when any of us at Denham wanted him. When the war brought a tremendous rise in the cost of living, the lower paid in particular felt the strain, and so they got local organisation going. It is said that the first Joint Works Committee was formed by a meeting of Shop Stewards at the lychgate on the Goodbye Mr. Chips set. Their programme of 12/6d. increase for all and increases in travelling allowances rallied unanimous support at once. The employers immediately resurrected their own association, and met the Unions separately — getting NATKE into the board room first — and thus successfully split the forces, so the bonus finally agreed was only 7/6d. Gradually inter-Union solidarity was built up, and workers not only did such things as stopping a producer from shooting, because he owed ACT members some £8,000, but also got the first studio agreement on a national scale. The doughty Percy Dayton was our Shop Steward then, and he received great help in getting this agreement from the Chairman of the Works Committee, Bert Batchelor of the ETU. Title South Riding The Drum Zoltan Korda Action for Slander Tim Whelan The Squeaker 'I'ht ('hath ngi The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernell A Yank at Oxford He Was Her Man Paradise for Two Tin Uni William K. Howard Milton Rosmer Hans Schwartz Jack Conway Thornton Freeland Jack Raymond Stars Ralph Richardson Edna Best Roger Livesey Valerie Hobson Clive Brook Ann Todd Edmund Lowe Sebastian Shaw Robert Douglas Lois Trenker Barrie Barnes Sophie Stewart Robert Taylor Vivien Leigh Kim " B ox-Office " Review Excellent popular booking. Safe for the family. Box-office certainty for all classes and all ages. Excellent general booking. Nothing to offend juveniles. First-rate popular booking. Good for youngsters. Good novelty booking for average halls and an outstanding one for family and better class. Cast-iron popular booking. Good the family. Obvious box-office winner for classes and all aees. for all Dii nice of Lady X Tim Whelan Ilium i nl tin I'll -. Over lite Moon Victoi in The Great Fust anil Lust Harold D. Schuster Thornton Freeland Herbert Wilcox Jack Hulbert Patricia Ellis Anton Walbrook Ruth Chatterton Merle Oberon Laurence Olivier David Niven Annabella Merle Oberon Rex Harrison Anna Neagle Anton Walbrook Excellent general booking, one with first-class selling equipment. Good for juveniles Excellent booking for the masses. Not for juveniles. Excellent light booking for other than industrial halls. Too sophisticated for children. Excellent popular booking. Good for the family. Star light booking for other than industrial halls. Nothing to harm youngsters. An outstanding prestige and box niliee picture. Suitable for juveniles.