1984 (1956)

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

George Orwell (novel)
Ralph Gilbert Bettison (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

September 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Will Ecstasy Be a Crime ...In the Terrifying World of the Future?

Plot:

George Orwell's novel of a totalitarian future society in which a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

Plot Keywords:

Future | Big Brother | Brainwashing | 1980s | Dystopia

Cast

Edmond O'Brien	...	Winston Smith
Michael Redgrave	...	Gen. O'Connor
Jan Sterling	...	Julia
David Kossoff	...	Charrington the Junk Shop Owner
Mervyn Johns	...	Jones
Donald Pleasence	...	R. Parsons
Carol Wolveridge	...	Selina Parsons
Ernest Clark	...	Outer Party Announcer
Patrick Allen	...	Inner Party Official
Ronan O'Casey	...	Rutherford
Michael Ripper	...	Outer Party Orator
Ewen Solon	...	Outer Party Orator
Kenneth Griffith	...	Prisoner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Jacobs	...	Telescreen (voice)
Barbara Cavan	...	Woman (uncredited) (voice)
Walter Gotell	...	Guard (uncredited)
Barbara Keogh	...	Special woman (uncredited)
Bernard Rebel	...	Kalador (uncredited)
John Vernon	...	Big Brother (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Anderson

Writing credits
George Orwell		(novel)
Ralph Gilbert Bettison		(writer) and
William Templeton		(writer)

Produced by
Ralph Gilbert Bettison	....	assistant producer (as Ralph Bettinson)
N. Peter Rathvon	....	producer

Original Music by
Malcolm Arnold

Non-Original Music by
Ludwig van Beethoven		(from "Symphony No.5 Second Movement", "Symphony No.6 Fourth Movement" and "Symphony No.9 Fourth Movement")

Cinematography by
C.M. Pennington-Richards

Film Editing by
Bill Lewthwaite

Casting by
Robert Lennard

Production Design by
Terence Verity

Art Direction by
Len Townsend

Costume Design by
Barbara Gray

Makeup Department
L.V. Clark	....	makeup artist
Henry Montsash	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John Croydon	....	production supervisor
Gerry Mitchell	....	production manager
G.R. Mitchell	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Slark	....	assistant director

Art Department
Peter Glazier	....	assistant art director
Olga Lehmann	....	storyboard artist
Len Townsend	....	assistant art director (as Leonard Townsend)
Bill Beavis	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Arthur Bradburn	....	sound recordist
Harold V. King	....	recording director
Arthur Southgate	....	dubbing editor

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects
Bryan Langley	....	special effects
Norman Warwick	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Day	....	camera operator

Music Department
Louis Levy	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Gladys Goldsmith	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Holiday Film Productions Ltd.

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pallas (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Incredibly Strange Filmworks (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-16

Company:

Holiday Film Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

John Blythe is often credited being in this but he was not part of the project. He does not appear in the Robert Lennard casting papers nor was he on any shortlist for any role

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Martians and Us (2006) (TV)

Loved the movie, want a copy

I saw the movie once back in 1968 or so and thought it was great. Don't know how I'd view it now but I have never had any desire to see the remake. The fact that the movie is in black and white still leaves a very visual impression of the stark, bare lives people like Winston Smith led. No color in their lives and certainly no color in their thoughts was the order of their day. I think the film captured that along with the idea that their technology available was also unenlightening. It served only one purpose and that was to control. I don't think I would be as impressed if the movie were made today. Our technology is too sophisticated. In the original version, less is more.