Review: The Magic Box
The story of William Friese-Greene (Robert Donat), who began
as an ambitious photographer experimenting with colours, before beginning his
obsession with trying to invent motion pictures. Australian-born Margaret
Johnston and Austrian-born Maria Schell (seemingly her first UK film) are the
wives at various stages in his life, the latter is his beloved, sickly first
wife, the former is his loving second wife who knows her husband means well
even when he struggles to put food on the table and ultimately drives their
children away.
Intended for the 1951 Festival of Britain, this John
Boulting (the well-regarded, well-acted gangster pic “Brighton Rock”) biopic about a forgotten cinematic pioneer (whose
role in the invention of motion pictures is still a controversial and much
debated one), is a must-see for film buffs as it contains appearances by many
of Britain’s working actors and stars of the time (apparently Sir Alec Guinness
was the only one to turn down a role here). Some leave quite an impression, and
the film works wonderfully as a fascinating and ultimately quite moving drama
as well (something many disagree with me on, but it’s their loss). This is
mostly due to the amazing, and quietly powerful performance by Donat, who gets
my vote for the greatest actor who ever lived- sadly, not long enough. Like
Monty Clift, Donat had a sensitivity and fragility to him at times, though he
also had a lot more than that to work with, as well. Donat brings out the
decency, and innate goodness in a characters whose drive to succeed at the
expense of his family and his own health, might not have made him the nicest
person in the world in the hands of a lesser talent. I don’t know how accurate
the portrayal is, but Donat makes Friese-Greene into a mixture of obsessive-compulsive,
ne’er do well, and underdog. It’s a mixture that helps the audience stay on his
side and hope he finally succeeds through sacrifice and perseverance. He also
effortlessly plays the man at various stages in his life, something that won’t
surprise admirers of Donat’s Oscar-winning turn in “Goodbye Mr. Chips”.
Although many of the supporting cast are relegated to
glorified cameos, a few do manage to stand out, with Glynis Johns, Joyce
Grenfell, Miles Malleson (as a conductor), and the inimitable Margaret
Rutherford being the best of the cameo players, stealing their every moment on
screen. Lord Laurence Olivier of course is a part of the film’s most well-known
scene playing a passing bobby. Stanley Holloway and Frederick Valk have funny
roles as, respectively, a landlord and photography studio owner Mr. Guttenberg.
Of the more substantial players, a sensitive and sweet Maria Schell is
particularly moving as one of Friese-Greene’s wives.
Gorgeously shot in technicolour by cinematographer Jack
Cardiff (“Black Narcissus”, “The Vikings”), too. Scripted by Eric
Ambler (“The Cruel Sea”, “The October Man”, “Lease of Life”, “A Night to
Remember”), from a book by Ray Allister, the film uses an
unusual-for-the-time, non-linear flashback-heavy story structure. The film
isn’t flawless, and for me the structure is more complicated than need be, and
the narration strangely intermittent. It helps explain the character, but in
execution it’s a touch sloppy Fascinating, beautiful, sad story about one of
the (several) inventors of the moving picture camera, albeit one of the
lesser-known names.
This is one not to be missed by cinephiles, or fans of
British actors of yesteryear. For a film best-known for its stunt all-star
casting, I think it’s a tremendously moving drama.
Rating: A
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