La boîte magique

Original title: The Magic Box

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A chronicle of the life of William Friese-Greene, a British inventor and early pioneer in cinema.A chronicle of the life of William Friese-Greene, a British inventor and early pioneer in cinema.A chronicle of the life of William Friese-Greene, a British inventor and early pioneer in cinema.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations total

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7.1

Le verdict de l'amour

7.2

Le traître

7.2

L'auberge du sixième bonheur

7.1

Après moi le déluge

7.4

Le comte de Monte Cristo

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7.3

7.6

7.5

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La guerre dans l'ombre

6.8

Recherché pour meurtre

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A Stranger in Town

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
One of the extras in this movie is a teenage Ronald Kray (later the infamous London gangster).

Goofs
In 1915 when Green's three eldest sons join the army, the landlord's agent mentions that the Spanish influenza is going around. In actuality the Spanish influenza did not begin until 1918.

Quotes
William Fox-Talbot: The original thinker - the innovator - mustn't mind seeming a little foolish to his contemporaries. He must always look to his star... In the end, he may still fail. That's unimportant. If he is true to himself, he won't be too unhappy or embittered, even in failure, and will still speak for what is good.

Crazy credits
Closing credits superimposed over the tablet bearing the following: WILLIAM FRIESE-GREENE 1855 - 1921 A PIONEER OF THE CINEMA

Connections
Edited into Kraft Television Theatre: The Magic Box (1956)

Soundtracks
Let the Great Big World Keep Turning
(1917) (uncredited)
Written by Nat Ayer and Clifford Grey

User reviews35

Featured review

Loose biography of film pioneer William Friese-Green

Probably one of the finest films about film to be produced. Made for the Festival of Britain in 1951, the cast boasts just about every major British star of the time. The plot involves a somewhat fictionalized history of English motion picture pioneer William Friese-Green. It is technically excellent, period details are superb and the script intelligent and poignant. Donat, as Friese-Green, is superb. The sequence where he shows an awestruck local Bobby (Laurence Olivier) the first projected motion picture image is stunning. For lovers of early film....indeed all film....this movie is a must.