Robert Hamer (31 March 1911 – 4 December 1963) was a British

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

best known for the 1949 black comedy ''

Kind Hearts and Coronets ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' is a 1949 British crime black comedy film. It features Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson and Alec Guinness; Guinness plays nine characters. The plot is loosely based on the novel ''Israel Rank: The Auto ...

''.

Biography

Hamer was born at 24 Chester Road,

Kidderminster Kidderminster is a large market and historic minster town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester. Located north of the River Stour and east of the River Severn, in the 2011 census, it ha ...

, along with his twin Barbara, the son of Owen Dyke Hamer, a bank clerk, and his wife, Annie Grace Brickell. He was educated at

Rossall School Rossall School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent Day school, day and boarding school) for 0–18 year olds, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was fou ...

, an

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...

for boys near the town of

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830s, when the principal lando ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, and won a scholarship to

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus"), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th century through to the early 19th centur ...

, where he read the Economics

tripos At the University of Cambridge, a Tripos (, plural 'Triposes') is any of the examinations that qualify an undergraduate for a bachelor's degree or the courses taken by a student to prepare for these. For example, an undergraduate studying mat ...

. Although claims have since been made that he was sent down (expelled),"Hamer, Robert (1911-63)"
screenonline.org.uk. Accessed 4 October 2022. with several sources suggesting that he was suspended for homosexual activities, he did in fact graduate with a third-class degree in 1933. ''

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' states that Hamer originally intended to join the

Treasury A treasury is either *A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry. *A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be state or royal property, church treasure or i ...

as an economist or mathematician until scuppered by his poor academic performance, which he later jokingly put down to a combination of "the proximity of

Newmarket Heath Newmarket Heath is a 279.3-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Newmarket in Suffolk. It covers most of Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, c ...

acecourseto Cambridge and the existence in Cambridge of five cinemas changing programmes twice weekly". Hamer began his film career in 1934 as a cutting room assistant, and from 1935 worked as a film editor involved with such films as Hitchcock's '' Jamaica Inn'' (1939) co-produced by

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future ...

. At the end of the 1930s, he worked on documentaries for the GPO Film Unit.Brian McFarlane ''The Encyclopedia of British Film'', 2003, London: BFI/Methuen, p. 281-82 When his boss at the GPO,

Alberto Cavalcanti Alberto de Almeida Cavalcanti (February 6, 1897 – August 23, 1982) was a Brazilian-born film director and producer. He was often credited under the single name "Cavalcanti". Early life Cavalcanti was born in Rio de Janeiro, the son of ...

, moved to

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever ...

, Hamer was invited to join him there. He gained some experience as a director by substituting for colleagues and contributed the 'haunted mirror' sequence to ''

Dead of Night ''Dead of Night'' is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios. The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie W ...

'' (1945). He followed this with the three Ealing films under his own name for which he is best remembered: ''

Pink String and Sealing Wax ''Pink String and Sealing Wax'' is a 1945 British drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns. It is based on a play with the same name by Roland Pertwee. It was the first feature film Robert Hamer directed on his own. The ti ...

'' (1946), '' It Always Rains on Sunday'' (1947),John Patterso
"There's more to Robert Hamer than Kind Hearts And Coronets"
''The Guardian'', 19 October 2012 both featuring

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...

, and ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949), with

Dennis Price Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose Price (23 June 1915 – 6 October 1973) was an English actor, best remembered for his role as Louis Mazzini in the film '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) and for his portrayal of the omnicompetent valet Jeeve ...

and

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...

. Hamer was an

alcoholic Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

, who by the time of his last film as director, '' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) was "often battling terrifying DT hallucinations" (i.e. alcohol withdrawal symptoms, occurring only in patients with a history of alcoholism). BFI Screenonline writes that Hamer was "a recovering alcoholic" and that "he fell off the wagon during production f ''School For Scoundrels'' was sacked on the spot ... and would never work in the industry again." In fact, although he never directed again, he did contribute to two more film screenplays before he died. Hamer was also

homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...

in an era when homosexual acts were illegal in the UK. He died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severit ...

at the age of 52 at St Thomas's Hospital in London, and is buried at

Llandegley Llandegley ( cy, Llandeglau), is a village near Llandrindod Wells, in the community of Penybont, in Powys, mid Wales, United Kingdom. It is the location of Llandegley International Airport. It lies from Cardiff and from London. This area ...

. Both of his parents survived him. According to film critic David Thomson, Hamer's career "now looks like the most serious miscarriage of talent in the postwar British cinema".David Thomson ''The New Biographical Dictionary of Cinema'', 2002, London: Little, Brown, p. 367

Filmography

As director

* ''

'' (1945) - segment "The Haunted Mirror" * ''

'' (1945) - also writer * '' It Always Rains on Sunday'' (1947) - also writer * ''

'' (1949) - also writer * '' The Spider and the Fly'' (1949) * ''

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the ri ...

'' (1952) - also writer * '' The Long Memory'' (1953) - also writer * ''

Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intui ...

'' (1954) - also writer * ''

To Paris with Love ''To Paris with Love'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Alec Guinness, Odile Versois and Vernon Gray. Premise A father and son play matchmaker for each other during a trip to Paris. Cast *Alec Guinness as C ...

'' (1955) * '' The Scapegoat'' (1959) - also writer * '' School for Scoundrels'' (1960)

Other film work

* '' Vessel of Wrath'' (1938) - editor * '' St. Martin's Lane'' (1938) - editor * '' Jamaica Inn'' (1939) - editor * ''French Communique'' (1940) (documentary short) - editor * ''

Turned Out Nice Again ''Turned Out Nice Again'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring the Lancashire-born comedian George Formby. Made at Ealing Studios, ''Turned Out Nice Again'' premiered at the London Pavilion Cinema on 29 June 194 ...

'' (1941) - editor * '' Ships with Wings'' (1941) - editor * '' The Foreman Went to France'' (1942) - editor * '' My Learned Friend'' (1943) - associate producer * ''

San Demetrio London ''San Demetrio London'' is a 1943 British World War II docudrama based on the true story of the 1940 salvage of the tanker MV ''San Demetrio'' by some of her own crew, who reboarded her after she had been set on fire by the German heavy cruiser ...

'' (1943) - producer, writer, uncredited direction * '' While Nero Fiddled'' (1944) - lyrics * '' The Loves of Joanna Godden'' (1947) - uncredited direction * ''Rowlandson's England'' (1955) (documentary short) - writer * ''

55 Days at Peking ''55 Days at Peking'' is a 1963 American epic historical war film dramatizing the siege of the foreign legations' compounds in Peking (now known as Beijing) during the Boxer Rebellion, which took place in China from 1899 to 1901. It was produ ...

'' (1963) - additional dialogue * ''

They All Died Laughing ''A Jolly Bad Fellow'' (US: ''They all Died Laughing'') is a 1964 British black comedy film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars Leo McKern and Janet Munro.ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes ...

'' (1955) - " A Month in the Country" - director, adaptation * ''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes ...

'' (1955) - "The Green of the Year" - director, adaptation

References

External links

oxforddnb: Hamer, Robert James 1911-1963 film Director

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamer, Robert 1911 births 1963 deaths Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge English film directors English male screenwriters LGBT writers from England LGBT film directors LGBT screenwriters British gay writers People educated at Rossall School People from Kidderminster Deaths from pneumonia in England 20th-century English screenwriters 20th-century English male writers 20th-century LGBT people