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The Moonraker
''The Moonraker'' is a British swashbuckler film made in 1957 and released in 1958 and set in the English Civil War. It was directed by David MacDonald and starred George Baker, Sylvia Syms, Marius Goring, Gary Raymond, Peter Arne, John Le Mesurier and Patrick Troughton."Moonraker, The", ''Monthly Film Bulletin''; London Vol. 25, Iss. 288, (1 January 1958): 62. It is based on the 1952 play of the same title by Arthur Watkyn. It was shot at Elstree Studios with sets designed by the art director Robert Jones The film depicts a fictionalised account of the escape of Charles II, arranged by a foppish royalist nobleman, the Earl of Dawlish, who leads a double life as a roundhead-baiting highwayman called The Moonraker, who already has helped more than thirty royalists to escape to France. The film was one of the last productions made by the Robert Clarke regime at Associated British-Pathe. Synopsis After the Battle of Worcester at the end of the Second English Civil War, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David MacDonald (director)
David MacDonald (9 May 1904 in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire – 22 June 1983 in London) was a Scottish film director, writer and producer. Career MacDonald was the son of a wealthy landowner. His intention was to become a doctor but changed his mind and aged 17 went to Malaya to work on a rubber plantation for seven and a half years. When he had leave to return to Scotland, he travelled via Hollywood and became interested in filmmaking.Macdonald, D. (1948)"David MacDonald"''The Tatler and Bystander'', 188(2439), 14. He returned to Malaya and worked at a plantation in Kedah. According to one story, while in Malaya he met Douglas Fairbanks who encouraged MacDonald to try his luck in Hollywood. Hollywood MacDonald broke into Hollywood by getting a job as technical adviser on a film '' Prestige''. After that he was out of work for nine months. He eventually gained a job working for Cecil B. DeMille. MacDonald worked as DeMille's assistant on '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1932) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |