The Magic Box (1951)

The story of William Friese-Greene, a British inventor who (this film would have you think) made the first movie camera.

Director:

John Boulting

Writers:

Ray Allister (based on the biography: Friese-Greene, Close-Up of an Inventor), Eric Ambler (screenplay)

Stars:

Renée Asherson, Richard Attenborough, Robert Donat

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Renée Asherson	...	Miss Tagg (as Renee Asherson)
Richard Attenborough	...	Jack Carter
Robert Beatty	...	Lord Beaverbrook
Martin Boddey	...	Sitter in Bath Studio
Edward Chapman	...	Father in Family Group
John Charlesworth	...	Graham Friese-Greene
Maurice Colbourne	...	Bride's Father in Wedding Group
Roland Culver	...	1st Company Promoter
John Howard Davies	...	Maurice Friese-Greene
Michael Denison	...	Reporter
Robert Donat	...	William Friese-Greene
Joan Dowling	...	Maggie
Henry Edwards	...	Butler at Fox Talbot's
Mary Ellis	...	Mrs. Nell Collings
Marjorie Fielding	...	Elderly Viscountess

Storyline

Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene was once very different. As young and handsome William Green he changed his name to include his first wife's so that it sounded more impressive for the photographic portrait work he was so good at. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.

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Plot Keywords:

obsession | fight | second marriage | death | invention | 

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Taglines:

A rich and deeply moving story of a man whose achievement opened up a new world, and of the two women whose love and sacrifices made it possible!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 January 1952 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Caixa Mágica

Filming Locations:

A.B.P.C. Studios, Elstree, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Festival Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min 103 min (DVD) 108 min (edited) 108 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Friese-Greene's son Claude Friese-Greene continued to develop his father's colour process and produced a series of colour travelogues of Britain in the 1920s. These never achieved contemporary commercial success but formed the basis of a very popular 3-part BBC Television broadcast The Lost World of Friese-Greene, after being preserved by the British Film Institute.

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Goofs

In 1915 when Green's three eldest sons join the army, the landlord's agent mentions that the Spanish influenza is going around. In actuality the Spanish influenza did not begin until 1918.

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Connections

Featured in Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Let the Great Big World Keep Turning"
(1917) (uncredited)
Written by Nat Ayer and Clifford Grey

User Reviews

A Terrific Movie

The most enjoyable and very emotional scene was when Robert Donat (Wm. Friese-Greene) finally succeeds in producing moving images on a sheet he's hung in his studio...he runs like a madman into the street in the middle of the night desperate to find someone to witness this miracle. Who does he find? Sir Laurence Olivier..a Police Constable . Donat ushers him into his lab, sits him down and proceeds to ramble on about what he's invented. Sir Laurence, the ever vigilant and cautious policeman thinks he's some kind of nut and slowly reaches for his night stick..that's when Robert Donat flicks on the first moving pictures of Hyde Park...Olivier is flabergasted..gets up moves to the sheet and looks behind it.."That's Hyde Park!' After rambling some more Robert Donat breaks into tears..finally explaining what he has accomplished..Olivier replies "You must be a very happy man"..a terrific scene and one I'll never forget. A cameo appearance by Lord Olivier and a very memorable scene.