Group 3 Films was a short lived British film production company that operated from 1951 to 1955.

Background

It was set up by the

National Film Finance Corporation The National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC) was a film funding agency in the United Kingdom in operation from 1949 until 1985. The NFFC was established by the Cinematograph Film Production (Special Loans) Act 1949 ( 12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 20), a ...

(NFFC) to help finance movies from newer filmmakers. Its films were to be distributed by the Associated British Film DIstributors (ABFD) subsidiary of Associated British Picture Corporation and mostly financed by the NFFC with ABFD to make up the balance of finance.

Michael Balcon Sir Michael Elias Balcon (19 May 1896 – 17 October 1977) was an English film producer known for his leadership of Ealing Studios in west London from 1938 to 1956. Under his direction, the studio became one of the most important British film ...

and

James Lawrie James Lawrie (born 18 December 1990) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer. The striker represented Northern Ireland at youth level and won three senior caps. One of the most promising players to come through the Port Vale youth ...

sat on the board and the company was run by

John Grierson John Grierson (26 April 1898 – 19 February 1972) was a Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's '' ...

and John Baxter. They produced over 20 films and lost half a million pounds before the NFFC brought the company to a halt. There were two other companies with similar financing:

British Film-Makers British Film-Makers (BFM) was a short lived production scheme that operated in Britain in the early 1950s as a co operative venture between the Rank Organisation and the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC). Its notable films included ''The Card ...

and the Elstree Group.

Critical appraisal

FilmInk ''FilmInk'' is an Australian film magazine published by FKP International Exports. It was founded by current publisher Dov Kornits and Colin Fraser in July 1997, in Sydney. The magazine has been through many changes over the course of its exist ...

'' wrote "are there any decent Group 3 pictures?"

Select Films

*''

Judgment Deferred ''Judgment Deferred'' is a 1952 British second feature drama film directed by John Baxter and starring Joan Collins, Hugh Sinclair, Helen Shingler and Abraham Sofaer. It was written by Barbara K. Emary, Walter Meade and Geoffrey Orme. The fi ...

'' (1951) - directed by John Baxter starring

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Awards, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emm ...

*''

Brandy for the Parson ''Brandy for the Parson'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Kenneth More, Charles Hawtrey, James Donald and Jean Lodge. It was written by Walter Meade, John Dighton and Alfred Shaughnessy based on a short stor ...

'' (1952) - directed by

John Eldridge John Eldridge may refer to: * John Eldridge (politician) (1872–1954), Australian politician * John Eldridge (British Army officer) (1898–1985) * John Eldridge (sociologist) (1936–2022), British sociologist * John Eldridge Jr. (1903–1942), ...

starring

Kenneth More Kenneth Gilbert More (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy ''Genevieve (film), Genevieve'' (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. Films from this period ...

*'' Time Gentlemen Please!'' (1952) - directed by

Lewis Gilbert Lewis Gilbert (6 March 1920 – 23 February 2018) was an English film director, producer and screenwriter who directed more than 40 films during six decades; among them such varied titles as '' Reach for the Sky'' (1956), '' Sink the Bismarck! ...

*''

You're Only Young Twice ''You're Only Young Twice'' is a British TV sitcom made and broadcast on the ITV network by Yorkshire Television from 6 September 1977 to 11 August 1981. Plot Set in Paradise Lodge retirement home, ''You're Only Young Twice'' was created an ...

'' (1952) - directed by

Terry Bishop Terry Bishop (21 October 1912 – 30 October 1981) was a British screenwriter, and television and film director. Career In the 1940s Bishop directed a series of public information and documentary films, including '' Daybreak in Udi'' (1949) ...

*''

The Brave Don't Cry ''The Brave Don't Cry'' is a 1952 British drama film directed by Philip Leacock and starring John Gregson, Meg Buchanan and John Rae. The film depicts the events of September 1950 at the Knockshinnoch Castle colliery in Scotland, where 129 m ...

'' (1952) - directed by

Philip Leacock Philip David Charles Leacock (8 October 1917 – 14 July 1990) was an English television and film director and producer. His brother was documentary filmmaker Richard Leacock. Career Born in London, England, Leacock spent his childhood in the ...

starring John Gregson *''

Miss Robin Hood ''Miss Robin Hood'' is a 1952 British second feature ('B') comedy film directed by John Guillermin and starring Margaret Rutherford and Richard Hearne. It was written by Val Valentine and Patrick Campbell from a story by Reed De Rouen. Plot ...

'' (1952) - directed by

John Guillermin Yvon Jean Guillermin (11 November 192527 September 2015), known as John Guillermin, was an English film director, writer and producer. Working both in the United Kingdom and the United States, he was most active in big-budget, action-adventure f ...

starring

Margaret Rutherford Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford (11 May 1892 – 22 May 1972) was an English actress of stage, film and television. Rutherford came to national attention following World War II in the film adaptations of Noël Coward's ''Blithe Spirit (1945 f ...

*''

Laxdale Hall ''Laxdale Hall'' (also known as ''Poacher Story'' and ''The Road to Nowhere''; U.S. title: ''Scotch on the Rocks'') is a 1953 British romantic comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Ronald Squire, Kathleen Ryan, Raymond Huntley and ...

'' (1952) - directed by John Eldridge *'' Child's Play'' (1952) - directed by

Margaret Thomson Margaret Thomson (10 June 1910 – 30 December 2005) was an Australian-born documentary filmmaker who divided her forty-year career between New Zealand and England. She was the first female film director active in New Zealand. Family and educat ...

, written by

Don Sharp Donald Herman Sharp (19 April 192114 December 2011) was an Australian film director. His best known films were made for Hammer Film Productions, Hammer in the 1960s, and included ''Kiss of the Vampire (film), Kiss of the Vampire'' (1963) and ' ...

*''The Nutcracker'' (1952) (short) - directed by

Cyril Frankel Cyril Solomon Israel Frankel (28 December 19217 June 2017) was a British film and television director. His career in television began in 1953 and he directed for over 30 TV programmes until 1990. He directed many episodes of popular British TV s ...

*'' The Oracle'' (1953) - directed by C. M. Pennington-Richards *''

Man of Africa ''Man of Africa'' (also known as ''The Kigezi Story'') is a 1954 British documentary drama film directed by Cyril Frankel and starring Gordon Heath, Frederick Bijurenda and Violet Mukabureza. It was written by Frankel and Montagu Slater, and pro ...

'' (1953) - directed by Cyril Frankel *''

Background Background may refer to: Performing arts and stagecraft * Background actor * Background artist * Background light * Background music * Background story * Background vocals * ''Background'' (play), a 1950 play by Warren Chetham-Strode Record ...

'' (1953) aka ''Edge of Divorce'' - written by Don Sharp, directed by Daniel Lowe *''

The Conquest of Everest ''The Conquest of Everest'' is a 1953 British Technicolor documentary film directed by George Lowe about various expeditions to the summit of Mount Everest. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Cameraman Tom St ...

'' (1953) (documentary) directed by George Lowe *''

The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp ''The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp'' is a 1954 British fantasy comedy film directed by Alan Bromly and starring Felix Aylmer, Diane Cilento and Jerry Desmonde. The film was based on a novel by Charles Terrot and is a remake of his television ...

'' (1953) - directed by

Alan Bromly Alan Bromly (1915–1995) was a British television director, producer and actor. Bromly also directed two feature films, '' The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp'' and '' Follow That Horse!''. Amongst the television series he produced was ''Out of the U ...

starring

Diane Cilento Elizabeth Diane Cilento (2 April 1932 – 6 October 2011) was an Australian actress. She is best known for her film roles in '' Tom Jones'' (1963), which earned her an Academy Award nomination, '' Hombre'' (1967) and '' The Wicker Man'' (1973). ...

*''

Devil on Horseback ''Devil on Horseback'' is a 1954 British sports drama film directed by Cyril Frankel and starring Googie Withers, John McCallum and Jeremy Spenser. The screenplay was by Scottish writer Neil Paterson. Plot Fourteen-year-old Moppy Parfit pur ...

'' (1954) - directed by Cyril Frankel *''

Conflict of Wings ''Conflict of Wings'' (also known as ''Norfolk Story''; U.S. title: ''Fuss Over Feathers'' ) is a 1954 British comedy film, comedy drama film directed by John Eldridge (director), John Eldridge and starring John Gregson, Muriel Pavlow and Kieron ...

'' (1954) aka ''Fuss Over Feathers'' - directed by John Elddridge, written by

, starring

Kieron Moore Kieron Moore may refer to * Kieron Moore (Irish actor) (1924-2007), Irish actor * Kieron Moore (English actor) (fl. 2010s–2020s), English actor and boxer {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Kieron ...

and

Edwin Richfield Edwin Richfield (11 September 1921 – 2 August 1990) was an English actor. Career Richfield starred in the television series '' Interpol Calling'' (1959). He was '' The Odd Man'' in Granada Television's series of the same name in the early 19 ...

*'' The End of the Road'' (1954) - directed by

Wolf Rilla Wolf Peter Rilla (16 March 1920 – 19 October 2005) was a film director and writer of German background, who worked mainly in the United Kingdom. Rilla is known for directing '' Village of the Damned'' (1960). He wrote many books for students, ...

*'' Orders are Orders'' (1954) - directed by

David Paltenghi David Paltenghi (1919 – 4 February 1961) was an English ballet dancer and choreographer; film actor and director. Early life David Paltenghi was born in 1919 in Christchurch, Hampshire (now Dorset), the son of a Swiss-Italian father and Eng ...

*'' Make Me an Offer'' (1954) - directed by Cyril Frankel from debut novel of

Wolf Mankowitz Cyril Wolf Mankowitz (7 November 1924 – 20 May 1998) was an English writer, playwright and screenwriter. He is particularly known for four novels— '' Make Me an Offer'' (1952), '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1953), ''My Old Man's a Dustman' ...

starring

Peter Finch Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch (28 September 191614 January 1977) was an English-Australian actor of theatre, film and radio. Born in London, he emigrated to Australia at the age of ten and was raised in Sydney, where he worked in vaudevi ...

in his first solo lead *'' Doublecross'' (1954) aka ''Queer Fish'' *''

The Love Match ''The Love Match'' is a 1955 British black and white comedy film directed by David Paltenghi and starring Arthur Askey, Glenn Melvyn, Thora Hird and Shirley Eaton. A football-mad railway engine driver and his fireman are desperate to get back ...

'' (1954) - directed by David Paltenghi starring

Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation an ...

*'' The Blue Peter'' (1955) - directed by Wolf Rilla, written by

, starring

and

*''

John and Julie ''John and Julie'' is a 1955 British comedy film written and directed by William Fairchild and starring Colin Gibson, Lesley Dudley, Noelle Middleton and Moira Lister, and featuring Peter Sellers and Sid James in early screen roles. It was prod ...

'' (1955) - directed by

William Fairchild William Fairchild (sometimes credited as W. E. C. Fairchild) (January 6, 1918 – May 9, 2000) was an English author, playwright, director and screenwriter. He was married to actress Isabel Dean from 1953 to the early 1970s, and to producer, age ...

*''Tensing's Country'' (1955) (documentary) *''The Challenge of the North'' (1955) (documentary)

References

Notes

*{{cite magazine, url=https://archive.org/details/Sight_and_Sound_1977_07_BFI_GB/page/n43/mode/1up?, magazine=Sight and Sound, title=Subsidy for the Screen Grierson and Group 3, first=Richard Dyer, last=MacCann, pages=168–173, date=July 1977

External links

Group 3
at BFI

at British Films Film production companies of the United Kingdom Defunct film and television production companies of the United Kingdom 1951 establishments in the United Kingdom 1955 disestablishments in the United Kingdom