Magic Box, The (1951, Robert Donat, Margaret Johnston)

Fascinating biopic The Magic Box follows the ups and downs of the career of William Friese-Greene, the largely unknown British inventor who patented the first motion picture camera. Nearly every big-name British actor of the 1950s has a bit part in the film, including a memorable cameo from Laurence Olivier as a policeman who is the first person to see a moving picture. Few today recognize the contributions of Friese-Greene, who patented his camera two full years before Thomas Edison.

Besides Olivier among the many other British stars who have cameos in the film are William Hartnell, Sid James, Joyce Grenfell, Michael Hordern, Michael Redgrave, Margaret Rutherford, Sheila Sim, Ernest Thesiger and Peter Ustinov.

production details
cast
Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene
Margaret Johnston as Edith Harrison Friese-Greene
Maria Schell as Helena Friese-Greene
Renée Asherson as Miss Tagg
Richard Attenborough as Jack Carter
Robert Beatty as Lord Beaverbrook
Martin Boddey as Sitter in Bath Studio
Edward Chapman as Father in Family Group
John Charlesworth as Graham Friese-Greene
Maurice Colbourne as Bride’s Father in wedding group
Roland Culver as 1st Company Promoter
John Howard Davies as Maurice Friese-Greene
Michael Denison as Reporter
Joan Dowling as Maggie
Henry Edwards as Fox Talbot’s Butler
Mary Ellis as Nell Collings
Marjorie Fielding as Elderly Viscountess
Robert Flemyng as Doctor
Leo Genn as Maida Vale Doctor
Marius Goring as House Agent
Everley Gregg as Bridegroom’s Mother
Joyce Grenfell as Mrs Claire
Robertson Hare as Sitter in Bath Studio
Kathleen Harrison as Mother in Family Group
William Hartnell as Recruiting Sergeant
Joan Hickson as Mrs Stukely
Thora Hird as Doctor’s Housekeeper
Stanley Holloway as Broker’s Man
Patrick Holt as Sitter in Bath Studio
Michael Hordern as Official Receiver
Jack Hulbert as Holborn Policeman
Sid James as Army Sergeant
Glynis Johns as May Jones
Mervyn Johns as Goitz
Barry Jones as Doctor
Peter Jones as Industry Man
James Kenney as Kenneth Friese-Greene
Ann Lancaster as Bridesmaid in Wedding Group
Herbert Lomas as Warehouse Manager
John Longden as Speaker in Connaught Rooms
Bessie Love as Bride’s Mother in Wedding Group
Miles Malleson as Orchestra Conductor
Garry Marsh as Company Promoter
Muir Mathieson as Sir Arthur Sullivan
A.E. Matthews as Old Gentleman
Bernard Miles as Cousin Alfred
Richard Murdoch as Sitter in Bath Studio
John McCallum as Sitter in Bath Studio
David Oake as Claude Friese-Greene
Laurence Olivier as Police Constable 94-B
Cecil Parker as 1st Platform Man
Frank Pettingell as Bridegroom’s Father in Wedding Group
Norman Pierce as Speaker in Connaught Rooms
Eric Portman as Arthur Collings
Dennis Price as Harold
Michael Redgrave as Mr. Lege
Peter Reynolds as Bridegroom in Wedding Group
Margaret Rutherford as Lady Pond
Janette Scott as Ethel Friese-Greene
Ronald Shiner as Fairground Barker
Sheila Sim as Nursemaid
Oda Slobodskaya as Soloist at Bath Concert
John Stuart as 2nd Platform Man at Connaught
Marianne Stone as Bride in Wedding Group
Basil Sydney as William Fox-Talbot
Ernest Thesiger as Earl
Sybil Thorndike as Sitter in Bath Studio
David Tomlinson as Lab Asst
Cecil Trouncer as John Rudge
Michael Trubshawe as Sitter in Bath Studio
Peter Ustinov as Industry Man
Frederick Valk as Maurice Guttenburg
Amy Veness as Grandmother in Wedding Group
Charles Victor as Industry Man
Kay Walsh as Hotel Receptionist
Norman Watson as Doctor in Connaught Rooms
Emlyn Williams as Bank Manager
Harcourt Williams as Tom
Googie Withers as Sitter in Bath Studio
Joan Young as Glove Shop Colleague

crew
Director: John Boulting
Script: Eric Ambler

UK | 118 minutes | 1951