John Boulting

Director

About

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Birth Place

Bray, England, GB

Born

November 21, 1913

Died

June 17, 1985

Cause of Death

Cancer

Biography

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With his twin brother Roy, a leading figure of the post-WWII British film industry. Though they alternated producing and directing chores, the brothers' individual filming styles were virtually indistinguishable. They formed Charter Films in 1937 and were responsible for gritty dramas such as "Thunder Rock" (1942) and "Brighton Rock" (1947) in the 40s. The team concentrated, during the n...

Filmography

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Rotten to the Core (1965)

Heavens Above! (1963)

The Risk (1961)

I'm All Right Jack (1960)

Lucky Jim (1957)

Private's Progress (1956)

Photos & Videos

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Crest Of The Wave (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Death Or Glory Boys

Crest Of The Wave (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Not Sailed By Englishmen

Biography

With his twin brother Roy, a leading figure of the post-WWII British film industry. Though they alternated producing and directing chores, the brothers' individual filming styles were virtually indistinguishable. They formed Charter Films in 1937 and were responsible for gritty dramas such as "Thunder Rock" (1942) and "Brighton Rock" (1947) in the 40s. The team concentrated, during the next decade, on mildly anarchic comedies like "Private's Progress" (1956) and "I'm All Right, Jack" (1959), a satire of British trade unions.

During the Spanish Civil War John had fought with the Republicans and, though he later eschewed left-wing politics, all his films carry a degree of social comment. In WWII he made films for the Royal Air Force while Roy directed for the Army Film Unit.

Filmography

Director (Feature Film)

Rotten to the Core (1965)

Heavens Above! (1963)

The Risk (1961)

I'm All Right Jack (1960)

Lucky Jim (1957)

Private's Progress (1956)

Crest of the Wave (1954)

The Magic Box (1951)

Seven Days to Noon (1950)

Brighton Rock (1947)

Journey Together (1945)

Writer (Feature Film)

Heavens Above! (1963)

I'm All Right Jack (1960)

Private's Progress (1956)

Pastor Hall (1940)

Producer (Feature Film)

The Number (1979)

Undercovers Hero (1975)

There's a Girl in My Soup (1970)

Twisted Nerve (1969)

Executive Producer

The Family Way (1967)

The Risk (1961)

A French Mistress (1960)

Man in a Cocked Hat (1959)

Happy Is the Bride (1958)

Brothers in Law (1957)

Josephine and Men (1955)

Crest of the Wave (1954)

High Treason (1951)

The Guinea Pig (1948)

Fame Is the Spur (1947)

Burma Victory (1945)

Desert Victory (1943)

Thunder Rock (1942)

Pastor Hall (1940)

Trunk Crime (1939)

Life Events

1933

Began career as an office boy for a London film distributor

1935

Joined brother at Marleybone Studios

1937

Volunteered to be an ambulance driver in the Spanish Civil War; was almost captured twice

1937

Co-founded Charter Films with brother Roy

1937

First short film, "The Landlady", directed by Roy and produced by John

1945

Feature directing debut, "Journey Together"; also produced and wrote; made for the RAF

1947

Helmed "Brighton Rock", co-written by Graham Greene (adapted from his novel) and Terrence Rattigan

1951

Contributed "The Magic Box" to the Festival of Britain

1955

Joined British Lion Films

1956

Directed "Private's Progress"

1959

Helmed the controversial satire "I'm Alright Jack"

1965

Final film as director, "Rotten to the Core"

Videos

Crest Of The Wave (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Death Or Glory Boys At a post-WWII British naval research station after a colleague’s death in an accident, Badge (Sidney James) counsels Haggis and Sprog (David Orr, Ray Jackson), joined by Lofty (Bernard Lee), before P-O Herbert (Patric Doonan) intrudes, in John and Ray Boulting’s Crest Of The Wave, 1954.

Crest Of The Wave (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Not Sailed By Englishmen Yanks Shorty and Butch (Fred Wayne, Jeff Richards) getting kitted out for new duties at a remote British navy station when Lofty (Bernard Lee) realizes the latter is the man a colleague believes stole his fianceè years earlier, David Orr and Ray Jackson joining the fray, in Crest Of The Wave, 1954.

Crest Of The Wave (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Have A Look At This Midget American Navy scientist Bradville (Gene Kelly) setting terms with Brit Lt. Wharton (John Justin), whose previous supervisor was killed working with the new explosive compound they’re testing, joined by his tech crew (Jeff Richards, Fred Wayne), in the Boulting brothers’ Crest Of The Wave, 1954.

Brighton Rock (1947) -- (Movie Clip) Quarter Past One Fred (Alan Wheatley) is abandoned by Ida (Hermione Baddeley) and caught by treacherous Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) among the beachside amusements in Brighton Rock, 1947, from Graham Greene's novel and screenplay.

Brighton Rock (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Gentleman Will Pay Fred (Alan Wheatley) panics as Dallow (William Hartnell), Cubitt (Nigel Stock) and the dreaded Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) find him at a seaside pub in Brighton Rock, from Graham Greene's novel and screenplay.

Brighton Rock (1947) -- (Movie Clip) So There You Are, Fred! Fine location work by cameramen Harry Waxman and Gilbert Taylor as Fred (Alan Wheatley) is chased through the streets and boardwalks of Brighton by Pinkie (Richard Attenborough) and gang in Brighton Rock, 1947.

Brighton Rock (1947) -- (Movie Clip) I Always Look At You Close Teenage chief hoodlum Pinky (Richard Attenborough), his murder victim being removed outside, looks to retrieve an incriminating flyer left by one of his gang at the cafe where Rose (Carol Marsh, her first scene) works, in Graham Greene's Brighton Rock, 1947.

Man In A Cocked Hat -- (Movie Clip) No Lavatories The newly arrived young king (Ian Bannen) baffles the Brits (Terry-Thomas, Thorley Walters) then his own Prime Minister Amphibulos (Peter Sellers) in the Boulting brothers' Man In A Cocked Hat (a.k.a. Carlton-Browne Of The F.O.), 1959.

Man In A Cocked Hat -- (Movie Clip) Aeroporta Gaillardia Carlton-Browne (Terry-Thomas, in outrageous hat) and Bellingham (Thorley Walters) arrive in Gaillardia and meet Prime Minister Amphibulos (Peter Sellers) in Man In A Cocked Hat (a.k.a. Carlton-Browne Of The F.O.), 1959..

Man In A Cocked Hat -- (Movie Clip) Miscellaneous Territories Jaunty opening introducing the British territory of Gaillardia, and Carlton-Browne (Terry Thomas) and parents (Kynaston Reeves, Marie Lohr), in the Boulting brothers' Man In A Cocked Hat (a.k.a. Carlton-Browne Of The F.O.), 1959.

I'm All Right Jack -- (Movie Clip) Fred Kite Stanley (Ian Carmichael) has his first encounter with the efficient shop steward Fred Kite (Peter Sellers) in the Boulting brothers' I'm All Right Jack, 1960.

Heavens Above! -- (Movie Clip) The Weight You're Carrying The arch-deacon (Cecil Parker) has just discovered he sent the wrong Reverend Smallwood (Peter Sellers) to town, when patron Lady Despard (Isabel Jeans) arrives, in the Boulting brothers' Heavens Above!, 1963.

Crest of the Wave - (Original Trailer) An American demolitions expert (Gene Kelly) creates waves when he heads a British Royal Navy project in Crest of the Wave (1954).

Family

Arthur Boulting

Father

Rose Boulting

Mother

Peter Cotes

Brother

Actor, producer, director. Born on March 12, 1919; directed "The Mousetrap" in London in 1952 which went on to become the world's longest-running play; died at age 86 on November 10, 1998.

Roy Boulting

Brother

Screenwriter, director,. Twin.

Bibliography

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