GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHERS


#2: 1962

 

   


OTTO HELLER

 

Born: 8 March [some sources: 3 September] 1896, Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic], as Ota Heller.

Died: 19 [some sources: 17] February 1970, London, UK.

Career: Apprenticed in the textile trade. Became usher at the Lido-Bio, then projectionist at the Kino Lucerna in Prague. During WWI he worked as a field cinema projectionist in the Austrian Army at the Italian front, and later in a military lab in Vienna. Became assistant military film reporter at the funeral of Emperor Franz Joseph in November 1916. After the war, the director of Pragafilm, Antonín Fencl, hired him as a cinematographer. His first film was a report on the return of [future president of Czechoslovakia] Tomás Masaryk to Prague in 1918. When the Nazis threatened Czechoslovakia, he left the country in 1938 and escaped to Great Britain in 1940 where he joined the Czech Air Force for a time until making 'Alibi' in 1942. He became a British citizen in 1945.

Otto Heller, actress Anny Ondra [Anny Ondráková, 1902-87], director Karel [Carl] Lamač [1887-1952] and writer Václav Wasserman [1898-1967] were called the 'Great Four of Czech Film'.

Was a member of the BSC.

Awards: BAFTA Film Award 'British Cinematography - Colour' [1965] for 'The Ipcress File'; BAFTA Film Award 'British Cinematography - Colour' nom [1966] for 'Alfie'.



Technical standards of early Czechoslovak cinema were hampered by the absence of properly equipped studios until the American and Biografia companies combined into the AB Company and converted a former restaurant and dance hall into a studio in 1921. This was supplemented by the Kavalírka Studios established by actor-director Karel Lamac in 1924, where some of the most important films of the 1920s were made before the destruction of the studios by fire in 1929. The coming of sound produced further problems. The first Czech talkies were actually produced in Paris, France. In 1933, the AB Company constructed the Barrandov Film Studios in Prague, which were to form the basis for both pre- and postwar developments.


The most striking thing about [Otto Heller's filmography] is its sheer bulk. Solely due to our regrettable ignorance about the work of Svatopluk Innemann, and even that of Mac [Martin] Fric, we must take on trust the qualities of the first 150 films in the list. However, we can vouch for the versatility of Heller's subsequent work. In an interview, Thorold Dickinson has attested to Heller's qualities, both personal and professional, and certainly 'The Queen of Spades' and - a personal favourite - 'They Made Me a Fugitive' bear him out. [Markku Salmi in 'Film Dope' #24, March 1982.]


Otto Heller is one of the many distinguished cameramen to have come from the Czechoslovak region [others include Karl Freund, Franz Planer, Miroslav Ondrícek, Jaroslav Kučera (1929-91), Jan Stallich (1907-73), and Václav Vích (1898-1966)]. His output is extremely wide-ranging and prolific: credited with over 250 films, he worked in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, Holland, France, and England.

Heller's career began in earnest in 1918, after he filmed the triumphal entry into Prague of the founder President of Czechoslovakia, Tomás Garrigue Masaryk. He contributed to many of the most famous Czech films. He was especially associated with the films of Anny Ondra and her husband Karl Lamac with whom he worked in many countries. Ironically, he was not appreciated as he should have been in his native country and was often teamed with another cameraman.

He extended his experience in Germany, and in the Berlin Film Lexicon of 1931 he is said to be esteemed for his technical knowledge and refined taste, and capable of producing striking effects for any subject. His exile to England in 1935 gave him the opportunity of filming a wide range of subjects by many different directors, but perhaps his greatest achievement was the exquisite work he did on Thorold Dickinson's 'The Queen of Spades', where Oliver Messel's superb sets were seen at their best through Heller's creative lens. His technical knowledge and expertise in color extended his previous success in black-and-white photography. [Liam O'Leary]


 

Otto Heller and 'The Queen of Spades' [1948]: 'He used to come to me and ask if I'd like to rearrange his lights, was anything dissatisfying? He's the only cameraman I've known who would change his lighting at someone else's suggestion, he had no inferiority complexes at all like so many of them do, and he didn't mind how we juggled our lenses. He'd say, "Use any lens you like, if you think it'll cut together, use them." And it was often necessary because Oliver Messel, who designed the sets, is a great theatrical designer but he couldn't understand what scales you can use in film.' [From interview with Thorold Dickinson in 'Film Dope' #11, January 1977.]


 FILMS

1918

Ceskoslovenský Jezísek/The Czechoslovak Baby Jesus [Richard F. Branald] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1918

Alois vyhrál los/Aloisuv los/Alois Won a Prize [Richard F. Branald] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1919

O Adrienu/For Adrien [Max Urban] b&w

1919

Probuzené svedomí/Román lásky a pomsty/The Awakened Conscience/A Novel of Love and Revenge [Robert Zdráhal] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1919

Vzteklý zenich/The Mad Bridegroom [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1919

Záhadný prípad/The Strange Case [Leo Marten] b&w

1919

Palimpsest [Joe Jencík] b&w

1919

Krasavice Káta/Beautiful Katya [Václav Binovec] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1920

Drátenícek/The Little Tinker [Bohumír Simek] b&w

1920

Komediantka/The Comedienne [Josef Rovenský] b&w

1920

Za svobodu národa/For the Freedom of the People [Václav Binovec] b&w; cph: Jindrich Brichta, Svatopluk Innemann, a.o.

1920

Zpev zlata/Vetrelec/Song of Gold [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w

1920

Setrelé písmo/Tajemství staré knihy/The Rubbed-Off Writing/Secret of an Ancient Book [Josef Rovenský] b&w; augmented, partly reshot version of 'Palimpsest' (see 1919)

1920

Odplata/Historie obrazu/Madonna od sv. Pavla/Retaliation [Paul L. Winter] b&w

1921

Plameny zivota/Ráj a peklo bohémy/The Flames of Life/Heaven and Hell of the Bohème [Václav Binovec] b&w; cph: Jindrich Brichta

1921

Príchozí z temnot/Arrival from the Dark/Redivivus [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w; cph: Otto Hoffmann

1921

Otrávené svetlo/Poisoned Light [Jan Stanislav Kolár & Karel Lamac] b&w

1921

Trny a kvety/Zabec/Thorns and Flowers/Lass [Theodor Pistek] b&w

1921

Cesty k výsinám/Ways to the Heights [Stanislav Sotek] b&w

1921

Moderní Magdaléna/Modern Magdalene [Boris Orlický] b&w

1921

Kríz u potoka/The Cross by the Brook [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w

1921

Roztrzené foto/The Torn-up Photo [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w

1921

Stíny/Záhada noci/Shadows/Mystery of the Night [Premysl Prazský] b&w

1921

Nad propastí/Above the Abyss [Vladimír Majer] b&w

1922

Manzelé paní Mileny/Návrat mrtvého/Pyrrhovo vítezství/Madame Milena's Husbands/Dead Man's Return/Pyrrhic Victory [Vladimír Majer] b&w

1922

Harémy kouzla zbavené/Maharadzovo potesení/Harems Without Magic/The Maharajah's Pleasures [Karel Anton] b&w; + small part

1922

Jejich svatební noc/Jarka a Vera/Their Bridal Night [Frantisek Josef Leopold] b&w

1922

Mrtví zijí/Tajemný prazský doktor/The Dead Live [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w

1922

Poslední polibek/The Last Kiss [Karel Anton] b&w

1922

Venousek a Stázicka [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w; cph: Evzen Capita; originally shown integrally, but subsequently released in 2 parts

1922

Proudy/Proudem strzena/Vorari/Streams/Carried Away by the Current [Theodor Pistek] b&w

1922

Koryatovic/Zacarovaný klícek karpatský/A Spell on the Carpathian Key [Jan Just-Rozvoda] b&w

1922

Proc se nesmejes?/Why Don't You Laugh? [Eman Fiala] b&w

1922

Drvostep/Zázracná lécba Dra. Jenkinse/Dr. Jenkins Miracle Cure/The Wood-cutter [Karel Lamac] b&w

1923

Tu ten kámen/Kterak láskou mozno v mziku vzplanout treba k neboztíku/Tutankhamen/How to Have Love Flame on the Spot, Even for the Deceased [Karel Anton] b&w; cph: Frantisek Pones

1923

Muz bez srdce/Man Without a Heart/Der Mann ohne Herz [Josef Hornák & Franz W. Koebner] b&w; cph: Hans Aufhauser

1923

Únos bankére Fuxe/The Kidnapping of Banker Fux [Karel Anton] b&w; cph: Václav Vích

1923

Za oponou smrti/Zázracný lékar/Byl to jen sen/Beyond the Curtain of Death/The Miraculous Physician/It Was Only a Dream [Ferenc Futurista] b&w

1924

Bílý ráj/The White Paradise [Karel Lamac] b&w

1924

Písen zivota/Poslední písen/Song of Life [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1924

Chytte ho!/Lupic nesika/Catch Him!/The Clumsy Robber [Karel Lamac] b&w

1925

Vdavky Nanynky Kulichovy/The Marriage of Nanynky Kulicková [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1925

Karel Havlícek Borovský/Dve lásky Karla Havlícka Borovského/The Two loves of Karel Havlicek Borovsky [Karel Lamac & Theodor Pistek] b&w

1925

Syn hor/Son of the Mountains [Vladimír Slavínský] b&w; + small part

1925

Lucerna/The Lantern [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Svatopluk Innemann

1925

Josef Kajetán Tyl [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w

1926

Dobrý voják Svejk/Good Soldier Svejk [Karel Lamac] b&w

1926

Hrabenka z Podskalí/The Countess from Podskali [Karel Lamac] b&w

1926

Príbeh jednoho dne/The Story of One Day [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1926

Falesná kocicka/Kdyz si zena umíní/The False Kitten [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w

1926

Svejk na fronte/Svejk at the Front [Karel Lamac] b&w

1926

Lásky Kacenky Strnadové/The Loves of Kacenka Strnadova [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w

1926

Pantáta Bezousek/Old Man Bezouska [Karel Lamac] b&w

1926

Anicko, vrat se!/Tulák/Anicka, Come Back!/Vagabond [Theodor Pistek] b&w

1927

Loupezníci na Chlumu/Robbers on the Hill [Milos Hajský] b&w; cph: Josef Bulánek

1927

Kreutzerova sonáta/The Kreutzer Sonata [Gustav Machatý] b&w

1927

Werther/Utrpení mladé lásky/Sorrows of Young Love [Milos Hajský] b&w

1927

Kvet ze Sumavy/Flowers from the Sumava Mountains [Karel Lamac] b&w

1927

Milenky starého kriminálníka/Loves of an Old Criminal [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w

1927

Sladká Josefínka/Sweet Little Josefina [Karel Lamac] b&w

1927

Evas Töchter [- Das Paradies von heute]/Dcery Eviny/Eve's Daughters [Karl Lamac] b&w; cph: Arthur Porchet

1928

Saxophon-Susi [Carl Lamac] b&w

1928

Straßenbekanntschaften/Známosti z ulice/Acquaintances of the Street [Josef Medeotti-Bohác & Alwin Neuß] b&w

1928

Der erste Kuß [Karl Lamac] b&w

1928

Kedlubnový kavalír v ráji/A Gentleman in Paradise [Jan Bondy] b&w; cph: Josef Brabec

1928

Hrích/Sündenfall/The Sin [Karel Lamac] b&w

1928

Páter Vojtech/Father Vojtech [Martin Fric] b&w

1929

Sündig und süß [Carl Lamac] b&w

1929

Hríchy lásky/Sins of Love [Karel Lamac] b&w

1929

Das Mädel mit der Peitsche [Carl Lamac] b&w

1929

Prazské svadlenky/Young Dressmakers of Prague [Premysl Prazský] b&w; cph: Josef Bulánek

1929

Die Kaviarprinzessin [Carl Lamac] b&w

1929

Adjunkt Vrba [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1929

Starý hrích/The Old Sin [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1929

Das Mädel aus U.S.A. [Carl Lamac] b&w

1930

Svatý Václav/St. Wenceslas/Holy Václav [Jan Stanislav Kolár] b&w; cph; Jindrich Brichta, Karel Kopriva, Jan Stallich & Václav Vích

1930

Wiener Herzen/Erzherzog Otto und das Wäschermädel/Pradlenka jeho jasnosti [Fred Sauer] b&w

1930

Das Kabinett des Dr. Larifari [Robert Wohlmuth] b&w; cph: Eduard Hoesch

1930

Die vom Rummelplatz [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Erich Giese

1930

C.a.k. polní marsálek/Imperial and Royal Field Marshall [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Václav Vích; + small part

1930

Der falsche Feldmarschall/Der K.u.K. Feldmarschall [Carl Lamac] b&w; German-language version of 'C.a.k. polní marsálek'

1930

Monsieur le maréchal [Carl Lamac] b&w; French-language version of 'C.a.k. polní marsálek'

1930

Eine Freundin so goldig wie Du/Anny rádí [Carl Lamac] b&w

1930

Die Privatsekretärin/Privátní sekretárka [Wilhelm Thiele] b&w; cph: Reimar Kuntze & Adolf Schlasy

1930

Dactylo [Wilhelm Thiele] b&w; cph: Reimar Kuntze & Adolf Schlasy; French-language version of 'Die Privatsekretärin'

 

#1: With Karel Lamac [right] - "On a jeho sestra"

#2: [Left] with Karel Lamac and actress Anny Ondra

 

1931

On a jeho sestra/Him and His Sister [Karel Lamac & Martin Fric] b&w; cph: Václav Vích

1931

Er und seine Schwester/Meet the Sister [Carl Lamac] b&w; German-language version of 'On a jeho sestra'

 

 

1931

Der Zinker/The Informer [Carl Lamac-Produktion; dial dir: Karl Forest] b&w; 68m; restored in 2009 (original version without music + version with new musical score)

1931

To neznáte Hadimrsku/So Nobody Knows Hadimrsku/Business in Distress [Karel Lamac & Martin Fric] b&w; + small part

1931

Wehe, wenn er losgelassen/Unter Geschäftsaufsicht [Carl Lamac & Martin Fric] b&w; German-language version of 'To neznáte Hadimrsku'

1931

Mamsell Nitouche [Carl Lamac] b&w; German-language version of 'Mam'zelle Nitouche' (d: Marc Allégret; ph: Roger Hubert)

1931

Une nuit au paradis [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w

1931

Eine Nacht im Paradies/Jedinou noc v ráji/A Night in Paradise [Carl Lamac] b&w; German-language version of 'Une nuit au paradis'

1931

Die Fledermaus/Netopýr [Karl Lamac] b&w

1931

La chauve-souris [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w; French-language version of 'Die Fledermaus'

1932

Funebrák/The Undertaker/What a Funeral [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Jan Stallich

1932

Kantor ideál/The Ideal Schoolmaster [Martin Fric] b&w

1932

Betragen ungenügend [Martin Fric] b&w; German-language version of 'Kantor ideál'

1932

Simone est comme ça [Karl Anton] b&w

1932

Der Hexer/Maska/The Sorcerer [Carl Lamac & Martin Fric] b&w

1932

Die grausame Freundin/Anny, ukrutná prítelkyne/The Cruel Girl Friend [Carl Lamac] b&w

1932

Faut-il les marier?/Should We Wed Them? [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w; French-language version of 'Die grausame Freundin'

1932

Criez-le sur les toits/Shout It from the Rooftops [Karl Anton] b&w

1932

Lelícek ve sluzbách Sherlocka Holmese/Lelicek in the Services of Sherlock Holmes [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Jan Stallich

1932

Le roi bis [Robert Beaudoin] b&w; French-language version of 'Lelícek ve sluzbách Sherlocka Holmese'

1932

Pred maturitou/Before the Finals [Vladislav Vancura & Svatopluk Innemann] b&w; int ph; ext ph: Václav Vích

1932

Kiki - Der Lebensweg einer kleinen Choristin [Carl Lamac] b&w

1932

Kiki [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w; French-language version of 'Kiki - Der Lebensweg einer kleinen Choristin'

1932

Zapadlí vlastenci/Forgotten Patriots [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1932

Maquillage [Charles (Karel) Anton] b&w; French-language version of 'Behind the Make-Up' (1929, Robert Milton & Dorothy Arzner; ph: Charles Lang)

1932

Anton Spelec, ostrostrelec/Anton Spelec, Sharp-Shooter [Martin Fric] b&w

1932

Baby [Carl Lamac] b&w; German-language version of 'Saxophon-Susi' (1927)

1932

Baby [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w; French-language version of 'Saxophon-Susi' (1927)

1933

Pobocník jeho výsosti/His Highness' Adjutant [Martin Fric] b&w; cph: Jan Stallich

1933

Der Adjutant Seiner Hoheit [Martin Fric] b&w; German-language version of 'Pobocník jeho výsosti'

1933

Die Regimentstochter/Die Tochter des Regiments/Dcera pluku [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Kurt Neubert & Ernst Mühlrad

1933

La fille du régiment [Carl Lamac & Pierre Billon] b&w; cph: Kurt Neubert & Ernst Mühlrad; French-language version of 'Die Regimentstochter'

1933

Jsem devce s certem v tele/The Girl with the Devil in Her [Karel Anton] b&w; cph: Jan Stallich

1933

Fräulein Hoffmanns Erzählungen/Povídky slecny Hoffmannové [Carl Lamac] b&w; ph superv (+ c.op with Otto Martini); 3 seg: 'Die tolle Anita', 'Die tolle Lu' & 'Hotel Atlantik'

1933

S vyloucením verejnosti/Behind Closed Doors/Public Not Admitted [Martin Fric] b&w; cph: Karl Degl; + small part

1933

Prodaná nevesta/The Bartered Bride [Jaroslav Kvapil, Svatopluk Innemann & Emil Pollert] b&w; cph: Karl Degl & Václav Vích

1933

Dobrý tramp Bernásek/Good Tramp Bernasek [Karel Lamac] b&w

1933

Das verliebte Hotel/Zamilovaný hotel [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Josef Wirsching & Ernst Zahn

1933

Jindra, hrabenka Ostrovínová/Jindra, the Countess Ostrovin [Karel Lamac] b&w

1934

Anita v ráji/Anita in Paradise [Jan Sviták] b&w

1934

Annette im Paradies/Ein Kuß nach Ladenschluß [Max Obal] b&w; German-language version of 'Anita v ráji'

1934

Die vertauschte Braut/Anny und Anny/Falesná dvojcata [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Otto Martini

1934

L'amour en cage [Carl Lamac & Jean de Limur] b&w; cph: Otto Martini; French-language version of 'Die vertauschte Braut'

1934

Karneval und Liebe/Karneval a láska/Carnival of Love [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Karl Kurzmayer

1934

Klein Dorrit/Malá Dorritka/Little Dorrit [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Ludwig Zahn

1934

Tri kroky od tela/Three Steps from the Body [Svatopluk Innemann] b&w

1934

Zena, která ví co chce/A Woman Who Knows What She Wants [Václav Binovec] b&w; cph: Jan Stallich

1934

Hej-Rup!/Heave Ho!/Workers, Let's Go [Martin Fric] b&w

1934

Polská krev/Polish Blood [Karel Lamac] b&w

1934

Polenblut [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Otto Martini; German-language version of 'Polská krev'

 

? - OH - Karel Lamac - actor Vlasta Burian - "Nezlobte dedecka"

 

1934

Nezlobte dedecka/Don't Make Grandfather Angry [Karel Lamac] b&w

1935

Knock-out. Ein junges Mädchen - ein junger Mann/Liebe und Knock out [Hans H. Zerlett & Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Ludwig Zahn

1935

Barbora rádí/Angry Barbara [Miroslav Cikán] b&w

1935

Großreinemachen/General Housecleaning [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Otto Martini

1935

Jedenácté prikázání/The Eleventh Commandment [Martin Fric] b&w

1935

Der junge Graf/The Young Count [Carl Lamac] b&w; cph: Otto Martini

1935

A zivot jde dál/And Life Goes On [Carl Junghans, F.W. Kraemer & (Czech scenes) Václav Kubásek] b&w; int ph; ext ph: Jaroslav Blazek, Harry Smeh & Jan Stallich

1935

Bezdetná/Childless [Miroslav J. Krnanský] b&w

1936

Jízdní hlídka/Horse Patrol [Václav Binovec] b&w; cph: Ferdinand Pecenka

1936

The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss/Romance and Riches/The Amazing Adventure [Alfred Zeisler] b&w

1936

Na tý louce zelený/On the Green Meadow [Karel Lamac] b&w

 

 

1936

The High Command [Thorold Dickinson] b&w; studio ph; expedition ph: James E. Rogers; film was started by ph Jan Stallich

1936

Tomorrow We Live [H. Manning Haynes] b&w

1936

Ulicka v ráji/Dobrodinec chudých psu/A Little Street in Paradise/Crumbs for the Poor [Martin Fric] b&w

1936

Ulicnice/Gamine/Street Urchin/Minx [Vladimír Slavínský] b&w; cph: Ferdinand Pecenka

1936

Dreams Come True [Reginald Denham] b&w; cph: Gordon Dines

1936

Le mari rêvé [Roger Capellani] b&w; French-language remake of 'Zivot je pes' (1933, Martin Fric; ph: Václav Vich)

1936

Port-Arthur/I Give My Life/Orders from Tokio [Nicolas Farkas] b&w; cph: Jaroslav Tuzar

1936

Port Arthur [Nicolas Farkas] b&w; cph: Jaroslav Tuzar & Georg Krause; German-language version of 'Port-Arthur'

1936

Devcata, nedejte se!/Girls, Stand Fast! [Hugo Haas] b&w

1936

Vzdusné torpédo 48/Prípad plukovníka Svarce/Air Torpedo 48/The Case of Colonel Svarc [Miroslav Cikán] b&w; cph: Jaroslav Blazek

1937

Secret Lives/I Married a Spy [Edmond T. Gréville] b&w

1937

Svet patrí nám/The World Belongs to Us/The World Is Ours [Martin Fric] b&w

1937

Duvod k rozvodu/Grounds for Divorce [Karel Lamac] b&w

1937

Karel Hynek Mácha [Zet Molas] b&w; cph: Václav Hanus, Ferdinand Pecenka & Josef Strecha

1937

Litomysl [Otto Heller & Ferdinand Pecenka] b&w; doc/?m; cph: F. Pecenka

1937

Filosofská historie/A Philosophical Story [Otakar Vávra] b&w; int ph; ext ph: Ferdinand Pecenka

1937

Bílá nemoc/The White Scourge/Skeleton on Horseback [Hugo Haas] b&w

1937

Under Secret Orders/Mademoiselle Docteur [Edmond T. Gréville] b&w; English-language version of 'Mademoiselle Docteur/Salonique nid d'espions' (1936, G.W. Pabst; ph: Eugen Schüfftan)

1937

Krok do tmy/A Step to Darkness [Martin Fric] b&w

1938

Tretí zvonení/The Third Ringing [Jan Sviták] b&w

1938

Duchácek to zarídí/Duchacek Will Fix It [Karel Lamac] b&w

1938

Veertig jaren/Forty Years [Edmond T. Gréville & Johan de Meester] b&w

1938

Menaces/Threats [Edmond T. Gréville] b&w; cph: Nicolas Hayer; film was completed in September as 'Cinq jours d'angoise', but the negative was partially destroyed and many scenes were reshot; released in 1940

1938

La vierge folle/The Foolish Virgin [Henri Diamant-Berger] b&w; tech co-op; ph: Maurice Desfassiaux

1938

Slávko, nedej se!/Slavka, Don't Give In! [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Ferdinand Pecenka

1938

Morgen gaat 't beter!/Tomorrow It Will Be Better [Frederic Zelnik] b&w; cph: Frits Meyer & Paul Dekeukelaire

1939

De spooktrein [Karel Lamac] b&w; cph: Bryan Langley

1939

Le grand élan/They Met on Skis [Christian-Jaque & Henri Sokal] b&w; cph: Albert Benitz

1939

L'enfer des anges [Christian-Jaque] b&w; released in 1941

1939

De Mayerling à Sarajevo/From Mayerling to Sarajevo [Max Ophüls] b&w; cph: Curt Courant; ph superv: Eugen Schüfftan; filming started in July, but was interrupted by the war; prod was finished in 1940

1939

L'empreinte de Dieu/Two Women [Léonide Moguy] b&w; filming was interrupted by the war; prod was finished in 1940

1940

Soyez les bienvenus [Jacques de Baroncelli] b&w; filming was interrupted by the war; prod was finished late 1941

1940

Vingt-quatre heures de perm' [Maurice Cloche] b&w; released in 1945

1942

Alibi [Brian Desmond Hurst] b&w; remake of film 'L'alibi' (1937, Pierre Chenal; ph: Ted Pahle)

1942

Tomorrow We Live/At Dawn We Die [George King] b&w

1943

The Dark Tower [John Harlow] b&w

1943

They Met in the Dark [Karel Lamac] b&w

1943

The Night Invader [Herbert Mason] b&w

1943

The Hundred Pound Window [Brian Desmond Hurst] b&w

1943

Candlelight in Algeria [George King] b&w; ext ph: Patrick Gay

1944

One Exciting Night/You Can't Do Without Love [Walter Forde] b&w

1944

Mr. Emmanuel [Harold French] b&w

1944

Flight from Folly [Herbert Mason] b&w; during the prod of this film, the studio - Teddington Studios (Warner Bros. First National Productions Ltd.) - was damaged (5 July) by a German V-1; film was finished in the hastily soundproofed studio garage and the site was closed; studio re-opened in 1947

1944

I Live in Grosvenor Square/A Yank in London [Herbert Wilcox] b&w; ext ph: Eric Cross

1945

Night Boat to Dublin [Lawrence Huntington] b&w

1945

Gaiety George/Showtime [George King] b&w

1946

Temptation Harbour [Lance Comfort] b&w

1946

They Made Me a Fugitive/I Became a Criminal [(Alberto) Cavalcanti] b&w; 2uc: Bert Mason

1947

Bond Street [Gordon Parry] b&w; ext ph: Bryan Langley

1948

Noose/The Silk Noose [Edmond T. Gréville] b&w; uncred cph; ph: Hone Glendining

 

[Right] with Edmond T. Gréville - "Niet tevergeefs"

Photo Thys Ockersen Archive

 

1948

Niet tevergeefs [Edmond T. Gréville] b&w; Dutch-language version of 'But Not in Vain' (1948, E. Gréville; ph: Hone Glendining, William McLeod & Ernest Palmer)

1948

The Queen of Spades [Thorold Dickinson] b&w; see above

1948

The Last Days of Dolwyn/Woman of Dolwyn [Emlyn Williams & (assoc dir) Russell Lloyd] b&w

1949

Now Barabbas [Was a Robber...]/Which Will You Have? [Gordon Parry] b&w; 87m; reissued in 1953 (65m)

1949

Golden Arrow/Three Men and a Girl/The Gay Adventure [Gordon Parry] b&w

1950

The Woman with No Name/Her Panelled Door [Ladislas Vajda & (assoc dir) George More O'Ferrall] b&w

1950

I'll Get You for This/Lucky Nick Cain [Joseph M. Newman] b&w

1950

Flesh & Blood [Anthony Kimmins] b&w

1950

Never Take No for an Answer/The Small Miracle [Maurice Cloche & Ralph Smart] b&w; English-language version of 'Peppino e Violetta' (1950; d: Maurice Cloche; ph: Giorgio Orsini)

1951

The Crimson Pirate [Robert Siodmak] c; uwph: H.J. Hodges

1952

The Man Who Watched Trains Go By/The Paris Express [Harold French] c

1952

Moulin Rouge [John Huston] scheduled as doph, but he and Huston didn't get along; film was ph by Oswald Morris

1952

His Majesty O'Keefe [Byron Haskin] c

1953

The Square Ring [Basil Dearden] b&w; cph: Gordon Dines

1953

Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue [Harold French] c; co-2uc; ph: Guy Green

1953

The Rainbow Jacket [Basil Dearden] c; addph: Gus Drisse

1954

The Divided Heart [Charles Crichton] b&w

 

[Left] with Laurence Olivier [right] - "Richard III"

 

1954

Richard III [Laurence Olivier] vv/c

1955

The Ladykillers [Alexander Mackendrick] c; one of the last British films in 3-Strip Technicolor

1955

Who Done It? [Basil Dearden] b&w

 

Cy Endfield - actress Phyllis Calvert - Charles Chaplin [visitor] - actress Mandy Miller - OH

"Child in the House"

 

1956

Child in the House [Cy Endfield & (assoc dir) Charles de Lautour] b&w

1956

Circus Friends [Gerald Thomas] b&w; 63m; for Children's Film Foundation

1956

The Passionate Stranger/A Novel Affair [Muriel Box] b&w (actuality) + c (dream world)

1956

Kings and Queens [Paul Czinner] c; doc/28m

1957

Manuela/Stowaway Girl [Guy Hamilton] b&w

1957

The Vicious Circle/The Circle [Gerald Thomas] b&w

1957

The Truth About Women [Muriel Box] c

 

 

1957

The Silent Enemy [William Fairchild] b&w; uwph: Egil Woxholt

1957

The Duke Wore Jeans [Gerald Thomas] b&w

1958

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw [Raoul Walsh] cs/c; 2uc: Lionel Banes

1958

Hello London/London Calling [Sidney Smith] cs/c; 32m & 78m

1959

Ferry to Hong Kong [Lewis Gilbert] cs/c

1959

The Rough and the Smooth/Portrait of a Sinner [Robert Siodmak] b&w; replaced ph Freddie Francis, who started the film

1959

A Dog of Flanders [James B. Clark] cs/c

1959

Too Hot to Handle/Playgirl After Dark [Terence Young] c

 

#1: [Glasses] with Michael Powell - "Peeping Tom"

#2: With actress Pamela Green

 

1959

Peeping Tom/Face of Fear [Michael Powell] c

1960

An heiligen Wassern [Alfred Weidenmann] c

1960

The Singer Not the Song [Roy Baker] cs/c

1960

The Big Show [James B. Clark] cs/c

1961

Victim [Basil Dearden] b&w

1961

Light in the Piazza [Guy Green] cs/c

1962

Tiara Tahiti [William T. (Ted) Kotcheff] c

1962

Life for Ruth/Walk in the Shadow [Basil Dearden] b&w

1962

We Joined the Navy/We Are in the Navy Now [Wendy Toye] cs/c

1963

What a Crazy World [Michael Carreras] cs/b&w

1963

A Gift for Love [Charles de Lautour] c; short/19m; for the Spastics Society

1963

West 11 [Michael Winner] b&w

1963

Woman of Straw [Basil Dearden] c

1964

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb [Michael Carreras] ts/c

 

 

1964

The Ipcress File [Sidney J. Furie] ts/c

1964

Masquerade/A Shabby Tiger [Basil Dearden] c; process ph: Charles Staffell

1965

Alfie [Lewis Gilbert] ts/c; + small part

1965

That Riviera Touch [Cliff Owen] c; 2uc: Michel Rocca

1966

Funeral in Berlin [Guy Hamilton] p/c; addph: Godfrey Godar

1967

The Naked Runner [Sidney J. Furie] ts/c

1967

I'll Never Forget What's 'isname [Michael Winner] c

1967

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River [Jerry Paris] c

1968

Duffy [Robert Parrish] c; 2uc: Egil S. Woxholt

1968

Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? [Anthony Newley] c

1968

In Search of Gregory [Peter Wood] c; cph: Giorgio Tonti

1969

Bloomfield/The Hero [Richard Harris (replaced Uri Zohar)] c; film was started by dir U. Zohar and ph David Gurfinkel