Thorold Dickinson
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Thorold Barron Dickinson (16 November 1903 – 14 April 1984) was a British
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
,
screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
,
film editor Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film stock, film which increasingly involves the use Digital cinema, of digital ...
, film producer, and Britain's first university professor of film. Dickinson's work received much praise, with fellow director
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
describing him as "a uniquely intelligent, passionate artist... They're not in endless supply."


Early life

Of Norwegian descent,David Thomso
"Creator and critic"
''New Statesman'', 23 October 2009
his father was the Archdeacon of Bristol from 1921 to 1927, Dickinson was educated at
Clifton College Clifton College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in the city of Bristol in South West England, founded in 1862 and offering both boarding school, boarding and day school for pupils aged 13–18. In its early years, unlike mo ...
and
Keble College, Oxford Keble College () is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, University Museum a ...
where he read theology, history and French. He was sent down from Oxford in his last year because his interest in theatre and film caused him to neglect his studies; he was inspired by lectures given by
Edward Gordon Craig Edward Henry Gordon CraigSome sources give "Henry Edward Gordon Craig". (born Edward Godwin; 16 January 1872 – 29 July 1966), sometimes known as Gordon Craig, was an English modernist theatre practitioner; he worked as an actor, director an ...
. During his time at Oxford he interrupted his studies to observe the film industry in France where he worked with George Pearson, the father of an Oxford friend.Philip Horn
"Something happened"
''The Guardian'', 4 October 2008
For Pearson he wrote the scenario of '' The Little People'' (1926).Geoff Brow
Dickinson, Thorold (1903–1984)
BFI screenonline page
Following this he observed the American industry's transition to sound in New York in 1929. In the 1920s and 1930s he was active in the London Film Society, being responsible for the technical presentation of films. At the LFS, he helped introduce the work of the Soviet directors
Sergei Eisenstein Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein; (11 February 1948) was a Soviet film director, screenwriter, film editor and film theorist. Considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, he was a pioneer in the theory and practice of montage. He is no ...
and
Dziga Vertov Dziga Vertov (born David Abelevich Kaufman; – 12 February 1954) was a Soviet pioneer documentary film and newsreel director, as well as a cinema theorist. His filming practices and theories influenced the cinéma vérité style of documentary ...
to British audiences, and in 1937 staged a notable programme protesting the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
Record of War
David Thomso
"Almost famous"
''The Guardian'', 7 November 2003


Career

Dickinson worked as a film editor on such features as ''Love's Option'' (1928), ''
Auld Lang Syne "Auld Lang Syne" () is a Scottish song. In the English-speaking world, it is traditionally sung to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight on Hogmanay/New Year's Eve. It is also often heard at funerals, graduations, and as a far ...
'' (1929), ''Loyalties'' (1933) and ''Sing As We Go!'' (1934). His first directorial experience was on ''Java Head'' (1934), when he took over after J. Walter Ruben became ill and was unable to continue. He became Vice-President of the Association of Cine-Technicians in 1936, observing the Soviet film industry for the craft union the following year,Peter Swaa
"Turning up the wick on the Gaslight man"
''The Times'', 18 September 2008
remaining in the post until 1953. Dickinson's first feature film, starring
Lionel Atwill Lionel Alfred William Atwill (1 March 1885 – 22 April 1946) was an English and American stage and screen actor. He began his acting career at the Garrick Theatre. After coming to the United States, he appeared in Broadway plays and Hollywood ...
and
Lucie Mannheim Lucie Mannheim (30 April 1899 – 17 July 1976) was a German singer and actress. Life and career Mannheim was born in Friedrichshain, a district of Berlin, where she studied drama and quickly became a popular figure appearing on stage in plays ...
, was ''
The High Command ''The High Command'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Lionel Atwill, Lucie Mannheim and James Mason. It was shot at Ealing Studios and location filming, on location on the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold ...
'' (1937), for which he formed the short-lived Fanfare Pictures with
Gordon Wellesley Gordon Wong Wellesley (8 December 1894 – 1980) was an Australian-born screenwriter and writer of Chinese descent. Born in Sydney in 1894 He wrote over thirty screenplays in the United States and Britain, often collaborating with the director ...
. He visited Spain during the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
and made two documentary shorts, one of which ''Spanish ABC'' (1938) "is a sober advocacy of the educational policy of Republican Spain". At short notice, Dickinson took over direction of ''
Gaslight Gas lighting is the production of artificial light from combustion of a fuel gas such as methane, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, coal gas (town gas) or natural gas. The light is produced either directly ...
'' (1940). Based on the Patrick Hamilton
play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...
, it was later suppressed for some years when MGM bought the rights for its own version, but led to an invitation to work in Hollywood from
David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (born David Selznick; May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca (1940 film), Rebecca'' (1 ...
which was rejected by Dickinson.Philip Horn
"He was a premier-league director"
''Daily Telegraph'', 5 August 2005
A film biography of
Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creat ...
, '' The Prime Minister'' (1941), starring
John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...
, was disowned by its director, but ''
The Next of Kin ''The Next of Kin'', also known as ''Next of Kin'', is a 1942 Second World War propaganda film produced by Ealing Studios. The film was originally commissioned by the British War Office as a training film to promote the government message that ...
'' (1942), expanded from what was originally intended as a training film, is described by Philip Horne as "one of the most interesting, and thrillingly ruthless, propaganda films of the War"."Researcher in Focus: Philip Horne"
, BFI National Library webpage
''
Men of Two Worlds ''Men of Two Worlds'' (US title: ''Man of Africa''; also known as ''Kisenga, Man of Africa'' and ''White Ants'' ) is a 1946 British Technicolor drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Phyllis Calvert, Eric Portman and Robert Adams. ...
'' (1946), from a script by novelist
Joyce Cary Arthur Joyce Lunel Cary (7 December 1888 – 29 March 1957), known as Joyce Cary, was an Anglo-Irish novelist and colonial official. His most notable novels include '' Mister Johnson'' and '' The Horse's Mouth''. Early life and education Art ...
starring Robert Adams, attempted to "tell an African story from the point of view of an African". It was though a difficult production; the crew lost equipment and film stock. For '' The Queen of Spades'' (1949) Dickinson assumed responsibility at five days notice after he was recommended by actor
Anton Walbrook Adolf Anton Wilhelm Wohlbrück (19 November 18969 August 1967) was an Austrian actor who settled in the United Kingdom under the name Anton Walbrook. A popular performer in Austria and pre-war Germany, he left Germany in 1936 out of concerns f ...
, the star of ''Gaslight'', when the production was close to collapse. Following an aborted attempt to adapt
Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Literary realism, Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry ...
's ''
The Mayor of Casterbridge ''The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character'' is an 1886 novel by the English author Thomas Hardy. One of Thomas Hardy's Wessex, Hardy's Wessex novels, it is set in a fictional rural England with Casterbridge standing ...
'' in time for the
Festival of Britain The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Labour Party cabinet member Herbert Morrison was the prime mover; in 1947 he started with the ...
, he returned to '' Secret People'' (1952), a long cherished project which
Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in west London, England. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on th ...
took up, but this was unsuccessful at the box-office and became Dickinson's last British-made feature film. '' Secret People'' was notable for providing
Audrey Hepburn Audrey Kathleen Hepburn ( Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress. Recognised as a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Classical Holly ...
with her first supporting film role. Performing all her own ballet moves during the dance sequences, Dickinson went on to film the screen test of Audrey which led to international stardom. In the screen test, she describes how she used to dance for audiences to raise funds for the resistance in The Netherlands during the Second World War. The screen test was sent to director
William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born American film director and producer. Known for his work in numerous genres over five decades, he received numerous awards and accolades, including three Aca ...
and led to her casting as Princess Ann in ''
Roman Holiday ''Roman Holiday'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter. Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress f ...
''. In Israel, Dickinson directed a short film for the Israeli Army, ''The Red Ground'' (1953), and an English-language feature, ''Hill 24 Doesn't Answer'' (1955), for which he reworked the screenplay in collaboration with his wife Joanna. Dickinson's other work outside the UK included a tenure with the
United Nations Department of Public Information The United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) (prior to 1 January 2019, the United Nations Department of Public Information) is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nations. It is tasked with raising public awareness and ...
as Chief of Film Services from 1956 to 1960. In 1959 he was a member of the jury at the
1st Moscow International Film Festival The 1st Moscow International Film Festival was held from 3 to 17 August 1959. The Grand Prix was awarded to the Soviet film '' Destiny of a Man'' directed by Sergei Bondarchuk. Jury * Sergei Gerasimov (USSR - President of the Jury) * Antonin B ...
. After his work with the United Nations, Dickinson devoted the final part of his life to teaching about film. In 1960 he established th
film studies department
at the
Slade School of Fine Art The UCL Slade School of Fine Art (informally The Slade) is the art school of University College London (UCL) and is based in London, England. It has been ranked as the UK's top art and design educational institution. The school is organised as ...
,
University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...
, where one of his first students was
Raymond Durgnat Raymond Durgnat (1 September 1932 – 19 May 2002) was a British film critic, who was born in London to Swiss parents. During his life he wrote for virtually every major English language film publication. In 1965 he published the first maj ...
, the prominent film critic. Others included
Marco Bellocchio Marco Bellocchio (; born 9 November 1939) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. Life and career Born in Bobbio, near Piacenza, Marco Bellocchio had a strict Catholic upbringing – his father was a lawyer, his mother a schooltea ...
and
Maysoon Pachachi Maysoon Pachachi (born 17 September 1947) is a film director, editor and producer of Iraqi origin. She was educated in Iraq, the U.S., Britain and can speak English, Arabic, French and Italian. She studied Philosophy at University College London ...
. In 1967 he was head of the jury at the
17th Berlin International Film Festival The 17th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 23 June to 4 July 1967. The Golden Bear was awarded to '' Le Départ'' directed by Jerzy Skolimowski. Jury The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festi ...
. In the same year, he was named a professor in the department, becoming the first professor of film studies in the UK. He served in the post until 1971. He was appointed CBE in the
1973 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 1973 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were published on 2 June 1973 for ...
. The Thorold Dickinson Archive is held at the
University of the Arts London The University of the Arts London is a public collegiate university in London, England, United Kingdom. It specialises in arts, design, fashion, and the performing arts. The university is a federation of six arts colleges: Camberwell College of ...
's Archives and Special Collections Centre.Archives and Special Collections Centre
Linked 2015-04-20


Partial filmography

*'' Love's Option'' (editor, 1928) *''
The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling S ...
'' (1930, editor) *'' Tilly of Bloomsbury'' (1931, editor) * '' The Sport of Kings'' (1931) *'' Shikari'' (1932) *'' The First Mrs. Fraser'' (1932) *'' Loyalties'' (1933) *''
Java Head Tanjung Layar, formerly Java's Eerste Punt in Dutch, and Java's First Point or Java Head in English, is a prominent cape at the extreme western end of Java, at the Indian Ocean entrance to the Sunda Strait. Java Head is a bluff at the sea's edg ...
'' (editor, part directed, 1934) *''
Sing As We Go ''Sing As We Go'' is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields, John Loder and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley. Considered by many to be British music hall star Gracie Fields' finest ...
'' (1934) *'' Whom the Gods Love'' (editor, 1936) *''
Calling the Tune ''Calling the Tune'' is a 1936 British musical drama film directed by Reginald Denham and Thorold Dickinson and starring Adele Dixon, Sally Gray and Sam Livesey. The screenplay was by Basil Mason based on the 1913 play of the same title by Iris ...
'' (1936) *''
The High Command ''The High Command'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Lionel Atwill, Lucie Mannheim and James Mason. It was shot at Ealing Studios and location filming, on location on the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold ...
'' (1937) *''
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery ''The Arsenal Stadium Mystery'' is a 1939 British mystery film and one of the first feature films wherein football is a central element in the plot. The film was directed by Thorold Dickinson, and shot at Denham Film Studios and on location at ...
'' (1939) *''
Gaslight Gas lighting is the production of artificial light from combustion of a fuel gas such as methane, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, coal gas (town gas) or natural gas. The light is produced either directly ...
'' (1940) *'' The Prime Minister'' (1941) *''
The Next of Kin ''The Next of Kin'', also known as ''Next of Kin'', is a 1942 Second World War propaganda film produced by Ealing Studios. The film was originally commissioned by the British War Office as a training film to promote the government message that ...
'' (1942) *''
Men of Two Worlds ''Men of Two Worlds'' (US title: ''Man of Africa''; also known as ''Kisenga, Man of Africa'' and ''White Ants'' ) is a 1946 British Technicolor drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Phyllis Calvert, Eric Portman and Robert Adams. ...
'' (1946) *'' The Queen of Spades'' (1949) *'' Secret People'' (1952, produced and co-wrote) *''
Hill 24 Doesn't Answer ''Hill 24 Doesn't Answer'' (, ''Giv'a 24 Eina Ona''), the first feature film produced in Israel, is a 1955 Israeli war film directed by Thorold Dickinson. It was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. The plot revolves around the personal s ...
'' (1955) *''
Overture Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which ...
'' (1958, producer)


References


Further reading

*Philip Horne and Peter Swaab (ed.) ''Thorold Dickinson: A World of Film'',
Manchester University Press Manchester University Press is the university press of the University of Manchester, England, and a publisher of academic books and journals. Manchester University Press has developed into an international publisher. It maintains its links with t ...
, 2008 *Jeffrey Richards ''Thorold Dickinson and the British Cinema'', Scarecrow Press, 1997


External links

*
Screenonline biography of Thorold Dickinson
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dickinson, Thorold 1903 births 1984 deaths Alumni of Keble College, Oxford British film directors British film editors British film producers British male screenwriters English people of Norwegian descent Commanders of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Clifton College Academics of the Slade School of Fine Art 20th-century British screenwriters