The Magic Box (1951)

Directed by

John Boulting

Genre

drama film, biographical film

Country

United Kingdom

Runtime

1h 58m

Rated

12

Rating

6.5 of 10 from 25 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This film tells the story of William Friese-Greene, a pioneering inventor who helped create the first motion picture camera. It shows his struggles with money and family while he worked to bring moving images to the world.

inspiringnostalgicearnestbittersweetgentlebiographicalreflectiveslow-paced

What happens

The Magic Box is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier. Produced by Ronald Neame and distributed by British Lion Film Corporation, the film was made as part of the Festival of Britain and adapted by Eric Ambler from a biography by Ray Allister. The film presents a dramatized account of the life of Friese-Greene, one of the earliest inventors to design and patent a working cinematic camera. Told largely in flashback, the story follows his passionate pursuit of motion picture technology and its impact on his financial stability and personal life. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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