1930’S BOOM

By Eve Austin and Rhianna Soyvural

KEY MOMENTS

Sound was introduced to films First sound version of

Pathe Gazette

Alexander Korda creating London films in1932

In 1933 The film The Private Life of Henry VIII was the

first British production to be nominated for the Academy

Award for Best Picture

Produced by London films.

Color was brought in to films.

KEY FILM MAKERS

Michael Powell and Emmeric Pressberger worked

together

Alfred Hitchcock confirmed his status as one of the

UK’s leading young directors with his influential

thrillers The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The

39 Steps (1935), and The Lady Vanishes (1938),

before moving to Hollywood.

Anthony Powell

KEY ACTORS

In the silent era, English actor Charlie Chaplin was it

biggest star, he was a silent actor.

Charles Laughton won the Best Actor Oscar for The

Private Life of Henry VIII in 1934

Robert Donat, starred in 39 steps and goodbye Mr.

chips , so he was considered a key actor at the time.

Tyrone Power began to star in many films from the 1930s

onwards, mainly romantic comedies.

PROMINENT PRODUCTION COMPANIES/ MOVIE STUDIOS

Gainsborough’s pictures and Gainsborough's studios were quite large in

1930

British Paramount studios founded in 1931 and late 1931 Alexander

Korda joined Paramount.

Alexander Korda establishes London Films in 1932 and in may 1932

Shepperton studios open.

The Good Companions (d. Victor Saville) in 1933

Pinewood Studios built at Iver, Buckinghamshire. In 1935

Michael Balcon becomes head of Ealing Studios, replacing Basil Dean, in

1938

BOOM OR RECESSION

In the 1930s there was a Boom in the film industry

and many films became successful , such as The

private life's of Henry VIII (1933) almost won an

oscar.

Other successful films were, Song of Ceylon (d.

Basil Wright) (1935) Night Mail (d. Harry Watt, Basil

Wright) (1936) , Elephant Boy (d. Robert J. Flaherty,

Zoltan Korda) (1937) The Drum (d. Zoltan Korda)

(1938) The Four Feathers (1939)

WERE THE FILMS DISTINCTIIVE

In the 1930s all the British films were very

distinctive and all

Actors were British and all accents were British.

The settings were also very British, there was

nothing that would make it American, Even the

clothing in every film was very British and the

names.