David Lean filmography

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David Lean and Omar Sharif during the photography of Doctor Zhivago in 1965 Lean-Zhivago.jpg
David Lean and Omar Sharif during the photography of Doctor Zhivago in 1965

The following is a filmography of David Lean, whose body of work in the film industry spanned the period from 1930 to 1984. This list includes the release year of the film, the role(s) Lean had in the production of each film, and additional notes such as awards and nominations. Lean directed 17 feature films in total. Lean often directed the large-scale epics The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). [1] He also directed two adaptations of Charles Dickens novels, Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), as well as the romantic drama Brief Encounter (1945).

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Originally a film editor in the early 1930s, Lean made his directorial debut with 1942's In Which We Serve , which was the first of four collaborations with Noël Coward. Beginning with Summertime in 1955, Lean began to make internationally co-produced films financed by the big Hollywood studios; in 1970, however, the critical failure of his film Ryan's Daughter led him to take a fourteen-year break from filmmaking, during which he planned a number of film projects which never came to fruition. In 1984 he had a career revival with A Passage to India , adapted from E. M. Forster's novel, it was an instant hit with critics but proved to be the last film Lean would direct.

He received seven Academy Award for Best Director nominations, which he won twice for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, he has seven films in the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films (with three of them being in the top five) [2] [3] and was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1990.

Filmography

As director

YearTitleDirectorWriterRef.
1942 In Which We Serve YesNo [4]
1944 This Happy Breed YesYes [5]
1945 Blithe Spirit YesYes [6]
Brief Encounter YesYes [7]
1946 Great Expectations YesYes [8]
1948 Oliver Twist YesYes [9]
1949 The Passionate Friends YesYes [10]
1950 Madeleine YesNo [11]
1952 The Sound Barrier YesNo [12]
1954 Hobson's Choice YesYes [13]
1955 Summertime YesYes [14]
1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai YesNo [15]
1962 Lawrence of Arabia YesNo [16]
1965 Doctor Zhivago YesNo [17]
1970 Ryan's Daughter YesNo [18]
1979 Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor YesYes [19]
1984 A Passage to India YesYes [20]

As editor only

YearTitle
1930 The Night Porter
1931 These Charming People
1932 Insult
1933 The Fortunate Fool
The Ghost Camera
Song of the Plough
Matinee Idol
Money for Speed
1934 Tiger Bay
The Secret of the Loch
Dangerous Ground
Java Head
1935 Escape Me Never
The Crouching Beast
1936 As You Like It
Ball at Savoy
1937 Dreaming Lips
The Wife of General Ling
The Last Adventurers
1938 Pygmalion
1940 French Without Tears
Spies of the Air
1941 Major Barbara
49th Parallel
1942 One of Our Aircraft Is Missing

Related Research Articles

<i>The Bridge on the River Kwai</i> 1957 film directed by David Lean

The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle.

<i>Lawrence of Arabia</i> (film) 1962 film directed by David Lean

Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 epic biographical adventure drama film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence and his 1926 book Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company Horizon Pictures and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film stars Peter O'Toole as Lawrence with Alec Guinness playing Prince Faisal. The film also stars Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains and Arthur Kennedy. The screenplay was written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Lean</span> British film director (1908–1991)

Sir David Lean was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of British cinema. He directed the large-scale epics The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970), and A Passage to India (1984). He also directed the film adaptations of Charles Dickens novels Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), as well as the romantic drama Brief Encounter (1945).

<i>Doctor Zhivago</i> (film) 1965 epic film by David Lean

Doctor Zhivago is a 1965 epic historical romance film directed by David Lean with a screenplay by Robert Bolt, based on the 1957 novel by Boris Pasternak. The story is set in Russia during World War I and the Russian Civil War. The film stars Omar Sharif in the title role as Yuri Zhivago, a married physician and poet whose life is altered by the Russian Revolution and subsequent civil war, and Julie Christie as his love interest Lara Antipova. Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Ralph Richardson, Siobhán McKenna, and Rita Tushingham play supporting roles.

Robert Oxton Bolt was an English playwright and a two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter, known for writing the screenplays for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and A Man for All Seasons, the latter two of which won him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar Sharif</span> Egyptian actor (1932–2015)

Omar Sharif was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the 1950s. He is best known for his appearances in American, British, French, and Italian productions. His career encompassed over 100 films spanning 50 years, and brought him many accolades including three Golden Globe Awards and a César Award for Best Actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice Jarre</span> French composer and conductor

Maurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor. Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with film director David Lean composing all of his films from 1962 to 1984. Jarre has received numerous accolades including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, and a Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Spiegel</span> American film producer (1901–1985)

Samuel P. Spiegel was an American independent film producer born in the Galician area of Austria-Hungary. Financially responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed motion pictures of the 20th century, Spiegel produced films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture three times, a Hollywood first for a sole independent producer.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Box</span> British film production designer

John Allan Hyatt Box OBE was a British film production designer and art director. He won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction on four occasions and won the equivalent BAFTA three times, a record for both awards. Throughout his career he gained a reputation for recreating exotic locations in rather more mundane surroundings; he once created a walled Chinese city in Snowdonia.

Michael Wilson was an American screenwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Young</span> British cinematographer (1902–1998)

Frederick A. YoungOBE, BSC was a British cinematographer. He is probably best known for his work on David Lean's films Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Ryan's Daughter (1970), all three of which won him Academy Awards for Best Cinematography. He was often credited as F. A. Young.

Denis John “Jack” HildyardBSC was a British cinematographer who worked on more than 80 films during his career.

<i>A Passage to India</i> (film) 1984 drama film directed by David Lean

A Passage to India is a 1984 epic historical drama film written, directed and edited by David Lean. The screenplay is based on the 1960 play of the same name by Santha Rama Rau, which was in turn based on the 1924 novel of the same name by E. M. Forster.

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition was the 2007 updated version of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies. The original list was unveiled in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alec Guinness</span> English actor (1914–2000)

Sir Alec Guinness was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), in which he played eight characters; The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), for which he received his first Academy Award nomination; and The Ladykillers (1955). He collaborated six times with director David Lean: Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1946); Fagin in Oliver Twist (1948); Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won both the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor; Prince Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962); General Yevgraf Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965); and Professor Godbole in A Passage to India (1984). In 1970, he played Jacob Marley's ghost in Ronald Neame's Scrooge. He also portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy which brought him further recognition; for the original 1977 film, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 50th Academy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurent Bouzereau</span> French director and filmmaker

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alec Guinness on stage and screen</span> List of performances by the English actor

Sir Alec Guinness, (1914–2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including The Ladykillers and Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played nine different characters. He is known for his six collaborations with David Lean: Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1946), Fagin in Oliver Twist (1948), Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai, Prince Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), General Yevgraf Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965), and Professor Godbole in A Passage to India (1984). He is also known for his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy; for the original film, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 50th Academy Awards.

Norman Leslie Spencer is a British retired film producer, production manager and screenwriter, who collaborated with director David Lean during the 1940s and 50s.

References

  1. Bergan, Ronald (2006). Film . London: Doring Kindersley. p.  321. ISBN   9781405312806.
  2. The BFI 100: 1–10. Bfi.org.uk (6 September 2006). Retrieved on 2011-05-29.
  3. The BFI 100: 11–20 Archived 3 June 2004 at the Wayback Machine Bfi.org.uk (6 September 2006). Retrieved on 2011-05-29.
  4. "In Which We Serve". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  5. "This Happy Breed". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  6. "Blithe Spirit". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  7. "Brief Encounter". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  8. "Great Expectations". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  9. "Oliver Twist". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  10. "The Passionate Friends". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  11. "Madeline". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  12. "The Sound Berrier". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  13. "Hobsons choice". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  14. "Summertime". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  15. "The Bridge on the River Kwai". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  16. "Lawrence of Arabia". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  17. "Doctor Zhivago". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  18. "Ryan's Daughter". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  19. "A 'Lost' Treasure: David Lean's documentary 'Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor'". Cinephilia & Beyond. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  20. "A Passage to India". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
Preceded by Academy Award for Best Director
1957
for The Bridge on the River Kwai
Succeeded by
Preceded by Academy Award for Best Director
1962
for Lawrence of Arabia
Succeeded by