''Colonel Blood'' a is a 1934 British

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

written and directed by

W. P. Lipscomb William Percy Lipscomb (born 1887 in Merton, Surrey, England, died 25 July 1958) was a British-born Hollywood playwright, screenwriter, producer and director. He died in London in 1958, aged 71. Career Lipscomb edited a brewery magazine and wrot ...

and starring Frank Cellier,

Anne Grey Anne Grey (born Aileen Stephen Ewing; 6 March 1907 – 3 April 1987) was an English actress, who appeared in 44 films between 1928 and 1939, including some Hollywood films during the late 1930s. She was educated at Lausanne and King's College L ...

and Mary Lawson.

Plot

The plot is based on a dramatised account of the exploits of the historical renegade,

Thomas Blood Colonel Thomas Blood (1618 – 24 August 1680) was an Anglo-Irish officer and self-styled colonel best known for his attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671. Described in an American source as a "no ...

, in the

Seventeenth Century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 ( MDCI), to December 31, 1700 ( MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized by the Baroque cultural moveme ...

and his attempted theft of the

English Crown Jewels The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs. Symbols of ov ...

Production

The film was shot on location at

Shepperton Studios Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not to be confused w ...

near

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

.Wood p.77 The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

s John Bryan and Laurence Irving, while costumes were designed by

Elizabeth Haffenden Elizabeth Haffenden (18 April 1906 – 29 May 1976) was a British costume designer who won two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design, for '' Ben-Hur'' at the 1959 Academy Awards and '' A Man for All Seasons'' at the 1966 Academy Awards. She al ...

. It was shot on 35mm black and white film in an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. It was produced by

Norman Loudon Norman Loudon was a British businessman and film producer. Loudon was the driving force behind the creation of Shepperton Studios, which he established in 1931. Loudon ran Sound City Films, which despite ambitious plans, often found itself produc ...

for Sound City Film, Shepperton Studio's in-house sound production company.

Cast

* Frank Cellier as Col. Blood *

as Lady Castlemaine * Mary Lawson as Susie *

Allan Jeayes Allan John Jeayes (19 January 1885 – 20 September 1963) was an English stage and film actor. Jeayes was born in London Borough of Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, the son of Isaac Herbert Jeayes, archivist and Assistant Keeper of Manuscript ...

as Charles II *

Hay Petrie David Hay Petrie (16 July 1895 – 30 July 1948) was a Scottish actor noted for playing eccentric characters, among them Quilp in ''The Old Curiosity Shop'' (1934), the McLaggen in ''The Ghost Goes West'' (1935) and Uncle Pumblechook in '' Great ...

as Mr. Edwards * Hilda Trevelyan as Mrs. Edwards *

Arthur Chesney Arthur William Kellaway (21 November 1881 – 27 August 1949), known as Arthur Chesney, was an English character actor who worked on stage and screen. Biography He was born 21 November 1881 in Hampstead, London, the son of John and Catherine K ...

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

* Stella Arbenina as Mrs. Pepys *

Desmond Jeans Desmond Jeans (14 November 1903 – December 1974) was a British actor. Biography He was the brother of actresses Isabel and Ursula Jeans. His wife, Margaret Livesey, was the sister of the actor Roger Livesey, who later married Ursula Jeans. ...

as Parrot *

Robert Nainby Robert Nainby (1869–1948) was an Irish male actor. Filmography References External links * 1869 births 1948 deaths Male actors from Dublin (city) Irish male film actors 20th-century Irish male actors {{Ireland-actor-stub ...

as Desborough *

Arthur Goullet Arthur Goullet (1894–1978) was a British stage, film and television actor. He played the role of Sebastian Moran in the 1937 Sherlock Holmes film '' Silver Blaze''.Nollen p.298 Selected filmography * '' Down River'' (1931) * '' A Gentleman o ...

as Tim *

Percy Standing Percy Standing (26 October 1882 – 17 September 1950) was an English film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 42 films between 1913 and 1934. He was born in Lambeth, London and died in Placer County, California. Selected filmography ...

Duke of Ormonde The peerage title Earl of Ormond and the related titles Duke of Ormonde and Marquess of Ormonde have a long and complex history. An earldom of Ormond has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. History of Ormonde titles The earldo ...

* Ena Grossmith as Jane * Gabriel Toyne as Ossory *

Peggy Evans Peggy Evans (10 January 1921 – 26 July 2015) was an English actress. She trained at the Rank Organisation's The Company of Youth (a "charm school"). Early years One of four children, Evans was born in Sheffield but grew up in Ealing, west Lo ...

as Nancy * E. Vivian Reynolds as Arlington * Tarva Penna as Chiffinch

References

Bibliography

* Klossner, Michael. ''The Europe of 1500-1815 on Film and Television: A Worldwide Filmography of Over 2550 Works, 1895 Through 2000''. McFarland & Company, 2002. * Low, Rachael. ''Filmmaking in 1930s Britain''. George Allen & Unwin, 1985. * Scott, Ian. ''From Pinewood to Hollywood: British Filmmakers in American Cinema, 1910-1969''. Palgrave MacMillan, 2010. * Wood, Linda. ''British Films, 1927-1939''. British Film Institute, 1986.

External links

* * 1934 films 1930s heist films 1930s historical drama films British historical drama films British heist films Films set in the 1670s Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films British black-and-white films 1934 drama films Cultural depictions of Charles II of England Films shot at Shepperton Studios Cultural depictions of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland 1930s English-language films 1930s British films Films set in London {{historic-film-stub