''Film Weekly'' was one of the leading popular film magazines published in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

during the late 1920s and 1930s.

Background

Launched in 1928, the magazine became known for its gossipy interest in contemporary film stars. Columnist

Nerina Shute Nerina Shute (17 July 1908 – 20 October 2004) was an English writer and journalist, described by the ''Sunday Times'' as "the amazingly colourful, brilliant and bisexual film critic". Early life Shute was born in Prudhoe, Northumberland. Her f ...

became known for her "sweetly poisonous copy". ''Film Weekly'' attracted a number of lawsuits from film professionals displeased at their portrayal by the magazine. The director Dinah Shurey sued for libel after her film ''

The Last Post The "Last Post" is either an A or a B♭ bugle call, primarily within British infantry and Australian infantry regiments, or a D or an E♭ cavalry trumpet call in British cavalry and Royal Regiment of Artillery (Royal Horse Artillery and R ...

'' (1929) was not only panned in review but followed by an article by Shute questioning whether women were capable of directing films at all. Shurey won the action. The actress

Alma Taylor Alma Louise Taylor (3 January 1895 – 23 January 1974) was a British actress. Life Taylor was born in London. She made her first screen appearance as a child actor in the 1907 film ''His Daughter's Voice''. She went on to appear in more th ...

also sued and won when ''Film Weekly'' claimed in 1932 that her career as an actress was over. In 1930 the magazine sponsored a pair of film acting scholarships. The two winners (

Cyril Butcher Cyril George Butcher (31 July 1909 – 23 February 1987) was an English actor and director and longtime companion of Beverley Nichols. Biography Butcher was born on 31 July 1909, in Suffolk, England. In 1930, the magazine ''Film Weekly'' spons ...

and

Aileen Despard Aileen Despard was an actress, born on July 19, 1908 in Mullynure, County Armagh, Ireland. She died August 25, 1981 in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. In 1930, the magazine ''Film Weekly'' sponsored a pair of film acting scholarships. The ...

) went on to appear in the now lost

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 ...

short ''

An Elastic Affair ''An Elastic Affair'' (1930) is a 10-minute short comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock which features the two winners— Cyril Butcher (1909–1988) as "the Boy" and Aileen Despard (1908–1981) as "the Girl"—of a film acting scholarshi ...

'' but did not subsequently enjoy lengthy careers, despite being placed under contract by

British International Pictures Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), originally British International Pictures (BIP), was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970 when it was absorbed into EMI. ABPC also owned appro ...

. ''Film Weekly'' merged with

fan magazine A fan magazine is a commercially written and published magazine intended for the amusement of fans of the popular culture subject matter which it covers. It is distinguished from a scholarly, literary or trade magazine on the one hand, by the targ ...

Picturegoer ''Picturegoer'' was a fan magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1911 and 23 April 1960. Background The magazine was started in 1911 under the name ''The Pictures'' and in 1914 it merged with ''Picturegoer''. Following the merge it was ...

'' in 1939. For much of its life it was edited by Herbert Thompson.

Awards

The magazine held an annual reader ballot to determine the best film of the year and the best performance by an actor or actress in a British film. For 1936 these were won by ''

The Ghost Goes West ''The Ghost Goes West'' is a 1935 British romantic comedy/fantasy film starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker, and Eugene Pallette, and directed by René Clair, his first English-language film. The film shows an Old World ghost dealing with American ...

'' and

Nova Pilbeam Nova Margery Pilbeam (15 November 1919 – 17 July 2015) was an English film and stage actress. She played leading roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films of the 1930s, and made her last film in 1948. Early life Pilbeam was born in Wimbledon, Surr ...

(for ''

Tudor Rose The Tudor rose (sometimes called the Union rose) is the traditional floral heraldic badge, heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the House of Tudor, which united the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The Tudor ...

'') respectively.

In fiction

''Film Weekly'' features in the

establishing shot An establishing shot in filmmaking and television production sets up, or establishes, the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects. It is generally a long or extreme-long shot at the beginning of ...

s of the film ''

Rome Express ''Rome Express'' is a 1932 British thriller film directed by Walter Forde and starring Esther Ralston and Conrad Veidt. Based on a story by Clifford Grey, with a screenplay by Sidney Gilliat, the film is a tale about a European express train ...

'' (1932).

References

Film magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom English-language magazines Entertainment magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1928 Magazines disestablished in 1939 Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom {{UK-culture-mag-stub

Background

Awards

In fiction

See also

References