The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan
Stage to Screen • Biography, Drama, UR
Long before Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, there was this lavish sprint through the lives and comic operas of the creators of The Mikado. Not all Gilliat's hopes were realised - he wanted more social history, and an easier flow between music and drama. But there's plenty still to feast on: winning performances, spectacle, the script's glancing wit, and the authentic G&S magic. Many hands shaped this Technicolor romp, with Alexander Korda-fueled creative disagreements to rival those of the film's subjects. Ultimately, however, the wit, spectacle and performances are a feast for the senses.
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Lady Windermere's Fan
Ernst Lubitsch’s 1925 Hollywood version of Lady Windermere’s Fan is often misquoted as the first screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s enduringly popular 1892 play. In fact, the British got there first, with this early silent feature made nearly a decade before Lubitsch’s film. While the lack of act...
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Play On! Shakespeare in Silent Film
By the end of the silent era around 300 films of Shakespeare’s work had been produced. This celebration from the BFI National Archive draws together a delightful selection of thrilling, iconic and humorous scenes from 24 titles (many unseen for decades), newly digitised and brought to life with a...
