THE PRODUCERS

Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat started their film careers separately as script writers for various companies. After working together on Seven Sinners and The Lady Vanishes, they found the partnership such a happy one that they continued their team work on Night Train to Munich and The Young Mr. Pitt. They had then reached the point where they wished to carry through their own ideas from script to screen. In this ambition they had the backing of Gainsborough producer, Edward Black, who gave them their first opportunity as writer-directors on Millions Like Us, followed by 2000 Women and Waterloo Road.

Launder and Gilliat formed their own production company in 1944, Individual Pictures, an aptly-named banner under which they produced a wide range of first-class feature films. They now have to their credit some of Britain's most memorable and popular screen entertainments including The Rake's Progress, I See a Dark Stranger, Green for Danger, Captain Boycott, London Belongs to Me, The Blue Lagoon, State Secret, The Happiest Days of Your Life and Lady Godiva Rides Again. Now, under their new trade-mark, Launder-Gilliat Productions, they have made two highly contrasting subjects for London Films — Folly to be Wise, a comedy revolving around an Army Brains Trust, starring the inimitable Alastair Sim, scripted and directed by Frank Launder, and Gilbert and Sullivan, directed by Sidney Gilliat, who has written the screen story in collaboration with Leslie Baily.

THE DIRECTOR

Sidney Gilliat was born in Edgeley, Cheshire, the son of a sporting journalist on a Manchester paper, who later became the editor of the Evening Standard. Gilliat went to school in London, and after studying at London University, intended to follow his father's profession. While he was still a student, his very definite ideas on film-making attracted the attention of Walter Mycroft, who gave him his first start in the film business as reader and scriptwriter. His next step was to become "junior" to Walter Forde, with whom he worked as assistant director and general factotum.

Before teaming up with Frank Launder, he had scripted the classic Roman Express, and was co-author of Friday the 13th, a forerunner of the many comedy thrillers with which he has since been associated.

Sidney Gilliat has an insatiable interest in humanity in all its aspects and has an extraordinary memory for detail in reproducing character studies from any cross-section of life. These faculties, allied to a keen sense of drama and humour, both in scripting and direction, form the foundation of his success.

Page modified 16 April 2009