An enjoyable romp from one of British cinema's most important movers and shakers.
Hungarian-born British filmmaker
Alexander Korda was one of a handful of directors who seamlessly transitioned from silent films to “talkies” when sound-on-film technology was introduced in the late 1920s. While many filmmakers lamented talking pictures as the death of cinema - just as many did when television was introduced, just as many did when digital filmmaking was introduced, just as many are doing with the boom of streaming services, just as many will do as virtual reality is more and more woven into the fabric of the medium - Korda took it in stride and turned out some of the most popular films of the
1930s.
He also founded
London Film Productions in 1932, and through the success of his own films and those produced by London Films during the decade, Korda was able to acquire
British Lion Films after WWII, a company dedicated to producing and distributing independent British films; through these two companies Korda can be credited with helping to launch the renowned careers of
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (perhaps the greatest filmmaking duo of all-time),
Carol Reed, and
David Lean: four of Britain’s most gifted artists. Odds are that most filmmakers over the past 60-70 years will cite at least one film from these men as having an essential influence on their career.
While Korda himself was never the most innovative director, his films are memorably
entertaining and witty, and seem more intent on showcasing the talents of the incredible casts and crews he assembled rather than his own - the work of his costume and production designers are particularly detailed and lavish. Korda’s dedication to the art form and industry, as a creator and a financier, served as a constant motor for the development of British cinema from the transition to sound films through the dire WWII years and beyond, and his contributions can still be felt today.
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