David MacDonald (9 May 1904 in

Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local governm ...

, 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 A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

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 Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...

. According to one story, while in Malaya he met

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...

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 Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

''. After that he was out of work for nine months. He eventually gained a job working for

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...

. MacDonald worked as DeMille's assistant on '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1932), '' Four Frightened People'' (1934), ''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'' (also 1934) and ''

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...

'' (1935). He worked on '' Lives of a Bengal Lancer'' (also 1935) with

Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films. Backgro ...

. He also worked for

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor (; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

and Raoul Walsh. He returned to England with Walsh when the latter came to direct '' O.H.M.S.'' (1937) and elected to stay.

Quota quickies

''OHMS'' was made for

Michael Balcon Sir Michael Elias Balcon (19 May 1896 – 17 October 1977) was an English film producer known for his leadership of Ealing Studios in West London from 1938 to 1955. Under his direction, the studio became one of the most important British film ...

at Shepherd's Bush studio in London. Balcon recommended MacDonald to make his directorial debut with a "B"

quota quickie The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...

s: '' Double Alibi'' (1937). MacDonald followed it with other quota quickies: an adaptation of ''

It's Never Too Late to Mend ''It's Never Too Late to Mend'' (alternatively just ''Never Too Late to Mend''; US release title ''Never Too Late'') is a 1937 British melodrama film directed by David MacDonald and starring Tod Slaughter, Jack Livesey and Marjorie Taylor. In ...

'' (1937) with

Tod Slaughter Norman Carter Slaughter (19 March 1885 – 19 February 1956), also known as Tod Slaughter, was an English actor, best known for playing over-the-top maniacs in macabre film adaptations of Victorian melodramas. Early life Slaughter was born o ...

; ''

The Last Curtain ''The Last Curtain'' is a 1937 British crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Campbell Gullan, Kenne Duncan and Greta Gynt. The film blends drama and comedy and its plot follows an insurance investigator who examines a series of ro ...

'' (1937); ''

Death Croons the Blues ''Death Croons the Blues'' is a 1937 British crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Hugh Wakefield, Antoinette Cellier and George Hayes.Wood p.94 The film was made at Twickenham Studios by the producer Julius Hagen whose ownershi ...

'' (1937); '' Riding High'' (1937); ''

Make It Three ''Make It Three'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by David MacDonald and starring Hugh Wakefield, Edmund Willard and Diana Beaumont. The screenplay concerns a bank clerk who is left a very large inheritance on condition that he first se ...

'' (1938); ''

A Spot of Bother ''A Spot of Bother'' is the second adult novel by Mark Haddon, who is best known for his prize-winning first novel ''The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time''. Like ''Curious Incident'', ''A Spot of Bother'' examines mental health iss ...

'' (1938); and '' Meet Mr. Penny'' (1938). Some of these were produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan who also produced MacDonald's ''

This Man Is News ''This Man is News'' is a 1938 British comedy mystery film directed by David MacDonald and starring Barry K. Barnes, Valerie Hobson, Alastair Sim and Edward Lexy. The screenplay concerns a journalist who solves a crime of which he himself is su ...

'' (1938), which became a surprise hit. It starred Barry K. Barnes. MacDonald went on to make '' Dead Men Tell No Tales'' (1938); ''

This Man in Paris ''This Man in Paris'' is a 1939 British comedy mystery film directed by David MacDonald and starring Barry K. Barnes, Valerie Hobson and Alastair Sim. It was a sequel to the 1938 film ''This Man Is News''. It was made at Denham Studios. Pre ...

'' (1939), a sequel to ''This Man Is News'', with Barnes; ''

Spies of the Air ''Spies of the Air'' (also known as ''Spies in the Air'' and ''The Fifth Column'') is a 1939 British adventure film directed by David MacDonald and based on the play ''Official Secret'' by Jeffrey Dell. The film stars Barry K. Barnes, Roger Li ...

'' (1939); '' The Midas Touch'' (1940); '' Law and Disorder'' (1940); and '' This England'' (1940).

World War Two

MacDonald tried to enlist but was told he was too old. He was however sent to France to do some filming for

Military Intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...

. Returning home he made '' Men of the Lightship'' (1940). The

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

then called him and asked him to form the Army Film Unit, where he rose to the rank of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

. MacDonald was transferred to the Middle East, where he helped make the documentary ''

Desert Victory ''Desert Victory'' is a 1943 film produced by the British Ministry of Information, documenting the Allies' North African campaign against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps. This documentary traces the struggle between General Erw ...

'' (1943). Several people who worked on the film for MacDonald were killed in action. In 1943, he accompanied the film on a ten-week tour of the US and it was announced MacDonald would make films for

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, and fell ill with

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

. This meant he was unable to take part in the

invasion of France France has been invaded on numerous occasions, by foreign powers or rival French governments; there have also been unimplemented invasion plans. * the 1746 War of the Austrian Succession, Austria-Italian forces supported by the British navy attemp ...

. He worked at

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to te ...

for six-months with the Army Film Unit, then was transferred to the Far East where he made '' Burma Victory'' (1946). He also took this film on a lecture tour through the USA.

Sydney Box

When MacDonald left the army, he began to work for producer

Sydney Box Frank Sydney Box (29 April 1907 – 25 May 1983) was a British film producer and screenwriter, and brother of British film producer Betty Box. In 1940, he founded the documentary film company Verity Films with Jay Lewis. He produced and co- ...

. He made the Scottish melodrama '' The Brothers'' (1947) with

Patricia Roc Patricia Roc (born Felicia Miriam Ursula Herold; 7 June 1915 – 30 December 2003) was an English film actress, popular in the Gainsborough melodramas such as ''Madonna of the Seven Moons'' (1945) and '' The Wicked Lady'' (1945), though she only ...

, partly shot on location on the

Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated ...

. MacDonald then made '' Snowbound'' (1948), an Alpine-set thriller based on a novel by

Hammond Innes Ralph Hammond Innes (15 July 1913 – 10 June 1998) was a British novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as works for children and travel books. Biography Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at Feltonfleet School, Cobham, Surrey ...

; and ''

Good-Time Girl ''Good-Time Girl'' is a 1948 British film noir- crime drama film directed by David MacDonald. A homeless girl is asked to explain her bad behaviour in the juvenile court, and says she’s run away from home because she’s unhappy there. They ex ...

'' (1948) with

Jean Kent Jean Kent (born Joan Mildred Field; 29 June 1921 − 30 November 2013) was an English film and television actress. Biography Born Joan Mildred Field (sometimes incorrectly cited as Summerfield) in Brixton, London in 1921, the only child of va ...

. MacDonald directed two flops for Box, both biopics: ''

The Bad Lord Byron ''The Bad Lord Byron'' is a 1949 British historical drama film about the life of Lord Byron. It was directed by David MacDonald and starred Dennis Price as Byron with Mai Zetterling, Linden Travers and Joan Greenwood. Plot The film sees life ...

'' (1949) with

Dennis Price Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose Price (23 June 1915 – 6 October 1973) was an English actor, best remembered for his role as Louis Mazzini in the film '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) and for his portrayal of the omnicompetent valet Jeeve ...

, and ''

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

'' (1949), with

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...

. Also unsuccessful at the box office was '' Diamond City'' (1949), an attempt to make a British western in South Africa.

Later career

MacDonald made two films for Audrey Baring. He had a hit with ''

Cairo Road Cairo Road is the main thoroughfare of Lusaka, Zambia and the principal business, retail and service centre of the city. It is a section of the T2 road and was so named because it is a link in Cecil Rhodes' then dream of a Cape to Cairo Road ...

'' (1950) with

Eric Portman Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s. Early life Born in Halifax, ...

and Laurence Harvey, partly shot in Egypt. '' The Adventurers'' (1951), also shot in Africa and featuring

Jack Hawkins John Edward Hawkins, CBE (14 September 1910 – 18 July 1973) was an English actor who worked on stage and in film from the 1930s until the 1970s. One of the most popular British film stars of the 1950s, he was known for his portrayal of mil ...

, was less successful. For Tempean Films, MacDonald made ''

The Lost Hours ''The Lost Hours'' is a 1952 British film noir directed by David MacDonald and starring Mark Stevens, Jean Kent and John Bentley. It was produced by Tempean Films which specialised in making second features at the time, and marked Kent's fi ...

'' (1952) with

and Mark Stevens. He followed it with '' Tread Softly'' (1952). MacDonald returned to documentaries with ''

Operation Malaya Operation Malaya ( es, Operación Malaya) is a Spanish anti- corruption campaign in the southern resort city of Marbella. It began in 2006 and it is being carried out by the '' Policía Nacional'' under the direction of Judge Miguel Ángel Torres. ...

'' (1953), about the

Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...

. He was the director of the science fiction film ''

Devil Girl from Mars ''Devil Girl from Mars'' is a 1954 British black-and-white science fiction film, produced by the Danziger Brothers, directed by David MacDonald and starring Patricia Laffan, Hugh McDermott, Hazel Court, Peter Reynolds, and Adrienne Corri. ...

'' (1954) for the Danziger Brothers. MacDonald directed episodes of ''

Saber of London ''The Vise'' (later known as ''Saber of London'', also known as ''Mark Saber'') is an American detective drama that was broadcast on ABC (1955-1957) and then moved to NBC (1957-1960). The series is a reboot of the ''ABC Mystery Theater'' radio a ...

'' and worked on many other TV shows. He did the thriller ''

Alias John Preston ''Alias John Preston'' is a 1955 British thriller film directed by David MacDonald and starring Betta St. John, Alexander Knox and Christopher Lee. Its plot is about a mysterious and wealthy man who moves to a small village where he outwardly ...

'' (1955). He made a comedy '' Small Hotel'' (1957) then did a swashbuckler set during the English civil war, ''

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 M ...

'' (1958). He followed it with comedies: '' A Lady Mislaid'' (1958), ''

Petticoat Pirates ''Petticoat Pirates'' is a 1961 British comedy film directed by David MacDonald and starring Charlie Drake, Anne Heywood, Cecil Parker, John Turner and Thorley Walters Thorley Swinstead Walters (12 May 1913 – 6 July 1991) was an English c ...

'' (1961), and ''

The Golden Rabbit ''The Golden Rabbit'' is a 1962 British comedy film directed by David MacDonald and starring Timothy Bateson, Maureen Beck and Willoughby Goddard. Plot A bank clerk attempts to become wealthy by manufacturing gold. Cast * Timothy Bateson - ...

'' (1962).

Select filmography

*''

'' (1937) *'' When the Poppies Bloom Again'' (short, 1937) *'' Double Alibi'' (short, 1937) *''

'' (1937) *''

'' (1937) *'' Riding High'' (1937) *''

'' (1938) *''

'' (1938) *'' Meet Mr. Penny'' (1938) *''

'' (1938) *'' Dead Men Tell No Tales'' (1938) *''

'' (1939) * '' Law and Disorder'' (1940) *'' The Midas Touch'' (1940) *'' Men of the Lightship'' (propaganda film, 1940) *''

'' (propaganda film, 1943) *'' The Brothers'' (1947) *''

'' (1948) *''

'' (1949) *'' Diamond City'' (1949) *''

'' (1949) *''

'' (1950) *'' The Adventurers'' (1951) *'' Tread Softly'' (1952) *''

'' (1952) * " One Just Man" (episode of ''

The Vise ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'', 1954) *''

The Yellow Robe ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1954) *''

'' (1954) *'' Triple Blackmail'' (1955) *'' Three Cornered Fate'' (1955) *''

'' (1955) *'' Final Column'' (1955) *'' Man in Demand'' (1955) *'' Small Hotel'' (1957) *'' A Lady Mislaid'' (1958) *''

'' (1958) *''

'' (1961) *''

'' (1962)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, David 1904 births 1983 deaths Scottish film directors People from Helensburgh Scottish documentary filmmakers British Army personnel of World War II British Army officers Documentary war filmmakers Secret Intelligence Service personnel