The Magic Box

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stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

The Magic Box

Post by stuart.uk »

Spoiler Alert

I'm amazed this classic movie isn't that well known in America, it's one of Robert Donat's finest films. The film was also part of The British Film Festival of 1951, which I imagine was because it dealt about the invention of the movie camera.

One reason why it maybe didn't hit the U.S was the accuracy of the subject matter. Most will say that Thomas Edison invented the movie camera and that Donat's character Willaim Friese Green by comparision contributed very little, whereas, here you're led to believe Green was responsible for the first moving pictures. However, later in the film one of his son's gets into a fight protecting his father's honour when someone said a book said Edison invented the movie camera and that his father wasn't even mentioned.

Laurence Olivier gave a great cameo performance in The Magic Box alongside the Donat. His health declining, Donat wasn't keen to do the scene with such a big star in a small role, but was persuaded by the Boulting brothers to do it. Both were superb as Donat's Friese Greene shows of his new discovery, with moving pictures from Hyde Park, to beat cop Olivier, in a crumpy London apartment.

The film had 3 stars Donat with Margaret Johnson and Maria Schell as his two wives. However, the cast was full of cameos from

also see Greene, struggle in the second part of his life. He had to sell the rights to his invention to carry on with his work, but well into his 2nd marraige he and his family are broke. His wife leaves him after their eldest 3 sons join up to fight in WW1, so they wouldn't be a finacial burden to their parents. Greene dies, unknown, attending a public meeting about the British Film Industry in 1921.

His first wife played by Maria Schell sacrifices her health (she had a weak heart) and her life to support her husband in his work

There are also cameos from-Kay Walsh, Richard Attenbourgh, Glynis Johns, Joyce Grenfel, Michael Redgrave, Michael Dennison, Eric Portman, Renee Asherson, David Tomlinson, Michael Horden, John Howard Davies, James Kenny, John Charlesworth and Sid James

We Greene's son Claude went on to become a famous movie cameraman in the 1930s.
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mrsl
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Re: The Magic Box

Post by mrsl »

I don't know where or when I saw The Magic Box but I do recall wondering who really DID invent the movie camera. If the experiments and try-outs were real, then Green was sorely abused.

Anne
Anne


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stuart.uk
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Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: The Magic Box

Post by stuart.uk »

Anne

This is the only link I could find of the film

[youtube][/youtube]
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mrsl
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Joined: April 14th, 2007, 5:20 pm
Location: Chicago SW suburbs

Re: The Magic Box

Post by mrsl »

Thanks Stuart but I don't normally play links on my ancient computer, they screw it up all the time and kick me off the internet, then it takes me 15 or 20 minutes to get back.

Nonetheless, I meant I DID see the movie, I just can't remember when or how old I was. Since my stroke some things are clear as a bell in my memory, yet other things are totally vanished. It's irritating to know, without a doubt, that you did or saw something yet cannot recall how or when you did or saw it, and no amount of trying will bring it back.

Anne
Anne


***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: The Magic Box

Post by stuart.uk »

Okay Anne, I never knew and am sorry to hear you had a stroke. I hope you're in good health now. I shouldn't complain in the circumstances, but at the moment I have slightly high blood pressure and have a mild form of depression, but I'm told I'm still in good nick
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mrsl
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Joined: April 14th, 2007, 5:20 pm
Location: Chicago SW suburbs

Re: The Magic Box

Post by mrsl »

Oh heck Stuart:

My stroke was way back in 1999, right after I came back to Illinois after living in Las Vegas for 10 years. Anyway, I'm fine now, except for the memory thing. Right now my problem is that last Sunday I decided to run to the fabric store to get one measly little button and I fell in the foyer, right on my right leg and sprained it quite badly. I have a few bruises that are finally fading and I had a funny looking fat lip on a woman my age. Like I said, I'm fine now but with the heat we've had here in Chicago area this last week, it was no fun to sit with a heating pad . . yuk.

Anne
Anne


***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
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