England Made Me (film)

Last updated

England Made Me
"England Made Me" (1973).jpg
Original British quad poster
Directed by Peter Duffell
Written by Desmond Cory
Peter Duffell
Based onthe novel by Graham Greene
Produced by Jack Levin
Starring Peter Finch
Michael York
Hildegarde Neil
CinematographyRay Parslow
Edited byMalcolm Cooke
Music by John Scott
Production
companies
Atlantic Productions
Centralni Filmski Studio
Two World Film
Distributed by Hemdale Film Distribution (UK)
Release date
18 November 1973
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

England Made Me is a 1973 British drama film directed by Peter Duffell, starring Peter Finch, Michael York, Hildegarde Neil, and Michael Hordern, and based on the 1935 novel England Made Me by Graham Greene. [1] Tony Wollard's art direction was nominated for a British BAFTA Award. [2] The film changes the novel's setting from Sweden to Nazi Germany. Duffel explained that he changed the location due to his lack of knowledge of Sweden in the 1930s, the use of imagery the audience would recognise and the growing menace in Europe of the time. [3]

Contents

Plot

Anthony Farrant (York) is a naive 1930s businessman who pays a visit to Germany on the way home from a business trip, and falls under the politically dubious spell of charismatic financier Erich Krogh (Finch). While Anthony was taught to value fairness and decency, in Erich's world opportunism, corruption, and decadence hold sway.

Main cast

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote of the film, "England Made Me might have worked, were Mr. Duffell and Mr. Cory less superficial movie makers. They've retained a surprising amount of the Greene plot, even a lot of original dialogue, but the story is no longer comic and rueful, just wildly melodramatic"; [4] whereas Film 4 called it "an underrated adaptation of Graham Greene's novel ... Although it received little attention when first released, this fascinating character study is ripe for reappraisal now, with the relationship between the two men making for quietly gripping viewing." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Greene</span> English writer and literary critic (1904–1991)

Henry Graham Greene was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prospero</span> Character in William Shakespeares The Tempest

Prospero is a fictional character and the protagonist of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, whose usurping brother, Antonio, had put him to sea on a "rotten carcass" of a boat to die, twelve years before the play begins. Prospero and Miranda had survived and found exile on a small island. He has learned sorcery from books, and uses it while on the island to protect Miranda and control the other characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hordern</span> English actor (1911–1995)

Sir Michael Murray Hordern, CBE was an English actor. He is best known for his Shakespearean roles, especially King Lear. He often appeared in film, rising from a bit part actor to leading roles; by the time of his death he had appeared in nearly 140 films. His later work was predominantly in television and radio.

<i>Stamboul Train</i> 1932 novel by Graham Greene

Stamboul Train is the second significant novel by Graham Greene. Set on a train journey from Ostend to Istanbul, the book was renamed Orient Express when it was published in the United States. The novel appeared in 1932 and was Greene's first true success. It was taken on by the Book Society and in 1934 adapted as the film Orient Express.

Tessa Wyatt is an English actress best known for her role as Vicky Tripp on the ITV sitcom Robin's Nest.

<i>Hamlet</i> (1969 film) 1969 film by Tony Richardson

Hamlet is a 1969 British tragedy period drama film. It is a film adaptation of Shakespeare's play Hamlet, starring Nicol Williamson as Prince Hamlet. It was directed by Tony Richardson and based on his own stage production at the Roundhouse theatre in London. The film also stars Anthony Hopkins as King Claudius, Judy Parfitt as Queen Gertrude, Marianne Faithfull as Ophelia, Mark Dignam as Polonius, Gordon Jackson as Horatio, and Michael Pennington as Laertes.

<i>The Heart of the Matter</i> (film) 1953 British film

The Heart of the Matter is a 1953 British drama film based on the 1948 book of the same name by Graham Greene. It was directed by George More O'Ferrall for London Films. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.

<i>The End of the Affair</i> (1955 film) 1955 film by Edward Dmytryk

The End of the Affair is a 1955 British-American drama romance film directed by Edward Dmytryk, based on Graham Greene's 1951 novel of the same name. The film stars Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, John Mills and Peter Cushing. It was filmed largely on location in London, particularly in and around Chester Terrace. The film was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.

<i>The Taming of the Shrew</i> (1967 film) 1967 film by Franco Zeffirelli

The Taming of the Shrew is a 1967 period romantic comedy film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, based on William Shakespeare's play about a courtship between two strong-willed people in 16th-century Italy. The film stars Elizabeth Taylor as Kate and Richard Burton as Petruchio, who were both nominated for BAFTA Awards for their acting. It features Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, Michael York, and Victor Spinetti in supporting roles.

<i>Brighton Rock</i> (1948 film) 1948 film by Roy Boulting, John Boulting

Brighton Rock is a 1948 British gangster film noir directed by John Boulting and starring Richard Attenborough as violent gang leader Pinkie Brown, Rose Brown as the innocent girl he marries, and Ida Arnold as an amateur sleuth investigating a murder he committed.

<i>England Made Me</i> (novel)

England Made Me or The Shipwrecked is an early novel by Graham Greene. It was first published in 1935, and was republished as The Shipwrecked in 1953.

<i>Ivanhoe</i> (1982 film) 1982 film by Douglas Camfield

Ivanhoe is a 1982 British-American made-for-television historical romance film. An adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's 1819 novel of the same name, it stars Anthony Andrews in the title role. The film was directed by Douglas Camfield, with a screenplay written by John Gay. It depicts the noble knight Ivanhoe returning home from the Third Crusade and becoming involved in a power struggle for the throne of England.

<i>Storm Over the Nile</i> 1955 film by Zoltan Korda, Terence Young

Storm Over the Nile is a 1955 British adventure film adaptation of the 1902 novel The Four Feathers, directed by Terence Young and Zoltan Korda. The film not only extensively used footage of the action scenes from the 1939 film version stretched into CinemaScope, but is a shot-for-shot, almost line-for-line remake of the earlier film, which was also directed by Korda. Several pieces of music by the original composer Miklos Rozsa were also utilized. It featured Anthony Steel, Laurence Harvey, James Robertson Justice, Mary Ure, Ian Carmichael, Michael Hordern and Christopher Lee. The film was shot on location in the Sudan.

<i>Moscow Nights</i> (1935 film) 1935 British film

Moscow Nights is a 1935 British drama film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Laurence Olivier, Penelope Dudley-Ward and Harry Baur. The screenplay concerns a wounded officer who falls in love with his nurse.

The Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards for the worst film screenplay of the past year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, including each screenplay's author(s).

<i>Windoms Way</i> 1957 British film

Windom's Way is a 1957 British thriller film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Peter Finch and Mary Ure. Made in Eastman Color, it is set during the Malayan Emergency.

<i>The Girl in the News</i> 1940 British thriller film

The Girl in the News is a 1940 British thriller film directed by Carol Reed and starring Margaret Lockwood, Barry K. Barnes and Emlyn Williams. It was based on the eponymous novel by Roy Vickers, released the same year.

<i>Brighton Rock</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Rowan Joffé

Brighton Rock is a 2010 British crime film written and directed by Rowan Joffé and loosely based on Graham Greene's 1938 novel of the same name. The film stars Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Serkis, John Hurt, Sean Harris and Helen Mirren.

Peter Duffell was a British film and television director and screenwriter, born in Canterbury, England.

<i>The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder</i> British TV series or programme

The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder is a British television series which was originally broadcast on ITV in two series from 1969 to 1971. It is based on a series of novels and short stories written by Edgar Wallace featuring the character of J.G. Reeder, who had appeared in several film adaptations in the late 1930s. Sixteen episodes were made, all but two in black-and-white.

References

  1. "BFI Database entry". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  2. Mark Deming (2014). "England-Made-Me – Trailer – Cast – Showtimes – NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on 4 November 2014.
  3. p. 155 Sinyard, N. Graham Greene: A Literary Life Springer, 19 Dec. 2003
  4. "Movie Review – Film:'England Made Me':Novel by Greene' Is Lost in Adaptation – NYTimes.com". The New York Times . 11 February 2022.
  5. "Film4 | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.