''The Elstree Story'' is a 1952 documentary film directed by
Gilbert Gunn
Gilbert Gunn (24 March 1905 – 6 December 1967) was a British screenwriter and film director.
Selected filmography
Screenwriter
* ''Save a Little Sunshine'' (1938)
* '' Me and My Pal'' (1939)
* '' The Door with Seven Locks'' (1940)
Directo ...
, covering the output of
Elstree Studios from 1928 to 1952.
It was written by Gunn and
Jack Howells
Thomas John Howells (July 1913 – 6 September 1990) was a Welsh film-maker, who is best remembered for his documentary ''Dylan Thomas'', the only Welsh film to have won an Academy Award, for Documentary Short Subject in 1963.
Career
Howells was ...
.
Synopsis
Narrated by
Richard Todd, ''Elstree Story'' documents the films produced at Elstree Studios,
Borehamwood,
UK, from the first in 1928 (''
The White Sheik'', ''King's Mate''), through to 1952.
It includes excerpts from over forty productions, including
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
’s ''
Blackmail
Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
'' (1929), the first full-length British
talking picture. There is also behind-the-scenes footage and rare clips of studio stars such as
Will Hay,
Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future w ...
,
Margaret Lockwood,
James Mason
James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...
,
John Mills,
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
and
Googie Withers
Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...
.
Cast
*
Richard Todd – host / narrator
*
Monty Banks – self
*
Jack Buchanan – self
*
Kenneth Connor – voice
Releases
The film was released on DVD by Network in 2013.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elstree Story (1952 film)
1952 films
1950s English-language films
Films scored by Philip Green