Figure 1.--Perhaps the most English of all films about boys are the "Just William" movies. He was played here by Oliver Rokison. Notice the cap and falling down kneesocks.

England had an important film industry before being eclipsed by Hollywood. English films are generally better known to Americans than most other foreign films, primarily of course because they were made in English. Clothing styles, especially Eton Collars, at the turn of the 20th century are shown in How Green is My Valley (1941), even though it is about Wales. Clothes during the 1930s are depicted in Lassie Come Home. English school boy clothes during the early 1940s can be seen in Hope and Glory (1985?). The short pants suits worn even in secondary schools during the 1960s can be seen in Kiperbang (1980?). HBC believes that English films were more carefully costumed, at least the children, than on the Continent. Ths is, however, only an initial assessmemt. The English have also produce some wonderful chilod actors, many of whom moved to America to make films in Hollywood. Thus some important films about England were made in America.

English Film Industry

England had an important film industry before being eclipsed by Hollywood. Ealing Studios was without doubt the most successful British independent film company of the 1940s and 50s. Located in the London suburb where it took its name the company produced quality films from comedies to documentaries. Much of if not all of Ealing’s films were a mirror of British society. They sometimes poked fun at bureaucracy especially when it came to the lone individual standing up to the might of authority in the form of national and local government. Or they may shown the spirit of British tenacity in such films as "Scott of the Antarctic" for example. Above all, Ealing took much of the glitter away from the silver screen and brought out a no holds barred image of what the real world was all about. While this produced many important films, it apparently was not the most astute business decission. A British reader writes, "There is the thought films being the right sort that make money. The films the studio made flopped so the studio folded. Had we made a profit I would have had coffees in a high share price and we would have been able to make more pictures! No money = no films and no company." The British have a style all their own for certain types of films. A British reader, "We can't do musicals, well yes with lots of U.S techniticians and American trained Choreographers." Some of Ealing’s productions showed children in minor roles, perhaps on screen for a few seconds, but there were memorable films such as "The Magnet", "Hue and Cry", and "Mandy" in which children played a major part. Ealing Studios were bought by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1955, who then sold them to a film company in 1992, the company went bankrupt and then the studios were acquired by the National Film and Television School.

Individual Films

English films are generally better known to Americans than most other foreign films, primarily of course because they were made in English. There are quite a number of wonderful English films, both calssics and modern productions. Some of the English films are especially interesting to HBC , especially those shots before the 1970s, because there is an elemental of realism in the street sceens, rather than costumed productions. A good example here is "The Magnet".

Costuming

Clothing styles, especially Eton Collars, at the turn of the 20th century are shown in How Green is My Valley (1941), even though it is about Wales. Clothes during the 1930s are depicted in Lassie Come Home. English school boy clothes during the early 1940s can be seen in Hope and Glory (1985?). The short pants suits worn even in secondary schools during the 1960s can be seen in Kiperbang (1980?). HBC believes that English films were more carefully costumed, at least the children, than on the Continent. This is, however, only an initial assessmemt.

Child Actors

The English have also produce some wonderful child actors, many of whom moved to America to make films in Hollywood. Thus some important films about England were made in America.

Children's Film Foundation

The "Children's Film Foundation" was established by Lord Rank of the Rank Organisation in 1951 to make films for children to be screened at Saturday morning matinees to build up cinema audiences of the future. It launched many careers of future stars including Jean Simmons. It closed in 1981 and was later renamed the Children's Film and Television Foundation in 1987 to exist of royalties of its back catalogue. From what I remember the children who starred in the films wore contemporary clothing.

Cinema Going

One of our British readers has provided his thoughts on Cinema going. There are differences to the way the British watch films. In Britain during the 1950s we had Saturday afternoon cinema. This was for children. This programme contained a main film and cartonns and a serial. This was a wild time for kids would shout and cheer the hero boo the villian. The adult cinema was a much more quiet. You went with an adult. Mum, Dad, or a family friend and had an enjoyable time. There was candy and ice cream at half time. At its end you stood still while the National Anthum was played and left silently. In the States movie going is a lot more noisier even when adults are present. The movie is treated more like the Brits behave when they are at a live theatre. There is much clapping, cheering and at the end of an enjoyable film a standing ovation. At one cinema show I attended the programme started with a charity appeal for a Wil Rodgers Charity and the cinema staff entered the show with collection boxes! Of course in comedy films there is much laughter from the audience in either country. Unfortunately my sense of humour is not that of the American audience and while viewing an Australian comedy film I was the lone laugher seeing the sense of fun. The American audience got the humour but it didn't make them laugh out loud! May I continue to have such enjoyment watching films at the Mall in America or at the Odeon in Britain." --Bill

Created: October 19, 2000
Last updated: 2:23 AM 2/21/2007