British National Films Company

Not to be confused with British National Pictures.

The British National Films Company was formed in England in 1934 by J. Arthur Rank, Lady Annie Henrietta Yule of Bricket Wood, and producer John Corfield. Rank soon left the company but it continued to operate until the 1940s, funding mostly low budget films but also some classics of British cinema such as Gaslight and One of Our Aircraft is Missing.^[1]

Origin

Joseph Arthur Rank was a devout member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the son of a millionaire flour miller. On the first day of the week, he was a Sunday school teacher, and he discovered that if he screened religious films instead of lecturing his class, he got a positive response. His idea spread to other classes held by other churches, and in 1933 this motivated Rank to form the Religious Film Society to distribute the films that he wanted to show to other Sunday schools.

Following distribution, Rank then decided to go into the business of producing religious films. Mastership was his first religious film production. It was a twenty-minute film made at Merton Park Studios at a cost of £2,700. Mastership was never shown commercially because it was merely intended as a form of evangelism and shown within other churches. Rank was pleased with the results, and other films went into production in Elstree at the better-equipped Rock Studios, which were later renamed British National.

Press challenge

In the 1930s, the Methodist Times newspaper in England began attacking the low moral standards exhibited by British films and by American films shown in Britain. In response, the London Evening News answered the Methodist Times by suggesting that if the Methodist Church was so concerned about the effect that the film industry was having upon family life in Britain, it should start producing its own family-friendly films. It was this exchange that motivated Rank to expand his film interests into the commercial market.

Lady Yule

A young producer named John Corfield introduced Rank to Lady Annie Henrietta Yule of Bricket Wood, who was both extremely wealthy and extremely bored with life. In order to fill her life with activity, she engaged in big game hunting and breeding Arabian horses with a degree of success and lasting fame; her Hanstead Stud won international recognition. She also commissioned luxury yachts, including the Nahlin, which she chartered in 1936 to the new king, Edward VIII. Upon meeting Rank, she decided to add the making of films to her list. However, when it came to the business side of film production, Lady Yule did not share the same ideas as Rank with regard to making and distributing films to improve society; she did not believe in giving discounts to religiously motivated film productions. She thought that films were an interesting hobby and similar to her financial interests in Arabian horse breeding.

Formation of the company

In 1934, Rank, Lady Yule and John Corfield formed the British National Films Company and went into production in answer to the challenge by the Evening News.

British National's first feature film was Turn of the Tide, which was released in 1935. The script was based upon a 1932 novel by Leo Walmsley called Three Fevers. The setting, which Rank knew from childhood, was Robin Hood's Bay on the north coast of Yorkshire, England. Having read the book, Rank decided that it would make an excellent family-friendly British film in answer to the Hollywood-style films that Alexander Korda was making at the Denham Film Studios.

Although Turn of the Tide featured a good cast, British National were unable to gain wide distribution for the film, and when they did, it was as the second half of a double feature. The company struggled to recoup its costs. Rank knew that for British National to make a profit, he had to create a commercial version of his Religious Film Society to control distribution and exhibition.

Norman Walker, who directed Turn of the Tide, made a second film for British National Debt of Honour (1936). Other films planned at the time were The Forbidden Road based on a book by HL Meyers, and the story of Madame Tussaud.^[2]

In May 1936 it was announced British National would make six films a year for 20th Century Fox but this did not appear to happen.^[3]

Pinewood Film Studios

In 1934, Charles Boot had undertaken to construct a new film studio in the village of Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire. His location was set among the pine trees on the estate grounds of a mansion called Heatherden Hall that Boot had recently bought at auction. The complex was named Pinewood Film Studios and was completed within a year. By 1935, Boot had approached British National about taking over ownership and management of the new studios, and a contract was entered into. Corfield eventually resigned from the board of Pinewood Film Studios, and Lady Yule sold her shares to Rank.

Corfield and Yule continued British National without Rank.^[4]

Resumption of production

British National resumed production with The Street Singer (1937), a musical with Arthur Tracy. It was followed by Mr. Reeder in Room 13 (1938), from an Edgar Wallace story; Meet Mr. Penny (1938) from director David MacDonald based on a radio series, intended to be the first in a series (that did not eventuate)^[5]; Lassie from Lancashire (1938), a musical with Marjorie Brown; Night Journey (1938), a crime drama.

Dead Men Tell No Tales (1938) was a crime drama that performed strongly at the box office .^[6] Spies of the Air (1939) was an espionage film released prior to the outbreak of war. Most of these films were released by Associated British.

Anglo-American Film Corporation

In June 1939 British National via John Cornfeld signed a deal with Anglo American Film Company, headed by Louis Jackson, for it to distribute the movies. By this stage Anglo American had four films in pre production: Mr Walker Wants to Know, which became What Would You Do, Chums?; Sons of the Sea, a film about the Navy; Old Mother Riley Joins Up; and Gaslight. These would be made by British National, except for Sons of the Sea.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

British National's first film distributed by Anglo American was Secret Journey (1939) which came out after war had been declared. What Would You Do, Chums? (1939) was a comedy with Syd Walker. Old Mother Riley Joins Up (1939) was part of the Old Mother Riley series, which would be made at British National for the next decade.

World War Two

Over the first four and a half years of the company's existence it made twelve films. When war started it began making nine films a year.^[12] According to Kinematograph Weekly "Variety will be the keynote of this new ambitious programme with one object in mind—that of making real, honest-to-goodness entertainment."^[13]

In November 1939 John Corfeld announced British National would re-open its studios would start a program of continuous production, of five films: Laugh it Off (1940), a comedy with Tommy Trinder; This German Freedom (never made); Blackout, a thriller (which became Contraband); Gaslight and an Old Mother Riley film (which became Old Mother Riley in Society).^[14] Gaslight became British National's best known early films.

British National also made Crook's Tour (1940) and The Second Mr. Bush (1940).

In late 1940 John Corfield left the company^[15] and was replaced as head of production by Louis H. Jackson.

British National began producing more elaborate films such as Love on the Dole (1941), with Deborah Kerr; This England (1941); "Pimpernel" Smith (1941) with Leslie Howard; and Penn of Pennsylvania (1941). The studio alternated this with lower budgeted projects, notably the Old Mother Riley series: Old Mother Riley in Business (1941), Old Mother Riley's Ghosts (1941).^[16] In January 1941 Kinematograph Weekly reported "British National is probably the busiest production company in the country."^[17] The same month G.W. Parish of British National declared:

It is the intention of my board to try to live up to everything implied in our name of British National, to maintain as high a standard as possible in our productions, to give continuity of employment to British film personnel and to provide restful, interesting, amusing and muchn eeded entertainment for the public with regard to the coming New Year.. continuity of production must be our objective, and, notwithstanding all the difficulties that the Industry will face during 1941, I feel confident that every effort will be made by all concerned to maintain and strengthen this great national work.^[18]

In February 1941 British National announced that since July 1939 it made twelve films at a cost of £225,000 all of which had been "renumerative" for the company.^[19]

In July 1941 British National announced four new films including Old Mother Riley's Cricus, One of Our Aircraft is Missing, and Let the People Sing.^[20]

Following the end of production on Penn of Pennsylvania in April 1942, British National ceased production for six weeks to give its staff a break, before resuming again with The Common Touch (1942). Kine Weekly wrote "since the war, British National has spent over a quarter of a million and has an unbroken record of hits... a record in such difficult times of which anyone might be proud."^[21]

The studio had a big hit with the war movie One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) and its other war films included Salute John Citizen (1942) and Sabotage at Sea (1942).

Shift in policy

In early 1942 British National shifted its policy, making less war movies and more light entertainments.^[12] Examples of the latter included Let the People Sing (1942), Lady from Lisbon (1942), Asking for Trouble (1942), We'll Smile Again (1942), Old Mother Riley Overseas (1943), When We Are Married (1943), Old Mother Riley Detective (1943), Theatre Royal (1943),

The studio made The Dummy Talks (1943), a crime film; The Shipbuilders (1943), a drama; Strawberry Roan (1944), a romance; Candles at Nine (1944), a mystery film.

In 1944, regular director John Baxter left the company to set up his own company.^[22]

In December 1945 Anglo was called the "number one independent British renters".^[23]

Vernon Sewell directed several films for the company. He later said "I could do what I liked with Lady Yule... I could have run the studio, she would have given me the whole lot. She would have given me a Rolls Royce if I'd wanted it, she ate out of my hand for some unknown reason."^[24]

Associated British

In January 1947 Anglo American was bought by Associated British Picture Corporation for a reported $1 million.^[25] Variety reported the deal was to ensure British National pictures for Associated British's cinemas, writing "British National is good for nine films yearly and practically solves ABC's [Associated British Cinema's] quota problem. Circuit plays no pix of J. Arthur Rank, chief British film producer."^[26]

In August 1947 Lou Jackson announced British National would start a new slate of films starting with Death of a Rat which became Counterblast.^[27][28]

In October Jackson said "I quite agree that production quality is essential, but I still maintain that the time it has taken to get this quality is not justified in the final result...the only way we can develop new stars is to put them into enough pictures, and I think it is wrong to spend £200,000 or more on a completely unknown artiste. A large number of technicians will not agree with me."^[29]

Ending

British National soon wound up. Vernon Sewell recalled the ending of the studio was sudden. "They gave everybody a fortnight's notice... It was sold to the BBC." He claimes Yule "got fed-up with it! Annoyed with Lou Jackson, annoyed with me, for not telling her the stories... She died shortly afterwards and so did her daughter, her daughter died quite young."^[24]

Select credits

• Big Ben
• Polonaise
• The Canon in Residence
• Battle for Music (1944)

1930s

Title	Release Date	Director	Notes
Turn of the Tide	October 1935	Norman Walker	First feature
Debt of Honour	November 1936	Norman Walker	Based on original story by Sapper
The Street Singer	November 1937	Jean de Marguenat	Musical vehicle for Arthur Tracy
Mr. Reeder in Room 13	February 1938	Norman Lee
Meet Mr. Penny	June 1938	David MacDonald
Lassie from Lancashire	August 1938	John Paddy Carstairs
Night Journey	December 1938	Oswald Mitchell
Dead Men Tell No Tales	December 1938	David MacDonald
Spies of the Air	March 1939	David MacDonald
Secret Journey	May 1939	John Baxter
What Would You Do, Chums?	August 1939	John Baxter
Old Mother Riley Joins Up	October 1939	Maclean Rogers

1940s

Title	Release Date	Director	Notes
Laugh It Off	March 1940	John Baxter	First film made after declaration of war; Tommy Trinder comedy
The Second Mr. Bush	April 1940	John Paddy Carstairs	Originally filmed in 1938
Contraband	May 1940	Michael Powell	Originally called Blackout
Gaslight	June 1940	Thorold Dickinson
Old Mother Riley in Society	July 1940	John Baxter
Crook's Tour	September 1940	John Baxter	Charters and Cauldicott comedy
Old Mother Riley in Business	November 1940	John Baxter
Love on the Dole	April 1941	John Baxter
Old Mother Riley's Ghosts	June 1941	John Baxter
This England	July 1941	David MacDonald
"Pimpernel" Smith	July 1941	Leslie Howard
Old Mother Riley's Circus	December 1941	Thomas Bentley
The Common Touch	December 1941	John Baxter
Those Kids from Town	January 1942	Lance Comfort
The Seventh Survivor	January 1942	Leslie Hiscott
Penn of Pennsylvania	January 1942	Lance Comfort
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing	April 1942	Michael Powell
Let the People Sing	August 1942	John Baxter
Salute John Citizen	August 1942	Maurice Elvey
Sabotage at Sea	September 1942	Leslie Hiscott
Lady from Lisbon	September 1942	Leslie Hiscott
Asking for Trouble	September 1942	Oswald Mitchell
We'll Smile Again	December 1942	John Baxter
Old Mother Riley Overseas	1943	Oswald Mitchell
When We Are Married	March 1943	Lance Comfort
Old Mother Riley Detective	May 1943	Lance Comfort
Theatre Royal	July 1943	John Baxter
The Dummy Talks	October 1943	Oswald Mitchell
The Shipbuilders	December 1943	John Baxter
Strawberry Roan	1944	Maurice Elvey
Candles at Nine	1944	John Harlow
Heaven Is Round the Corner	April 1944	Maclean Rogers
Welcome, Mr. Washington	May 1944	Leslie Hiscott
Medal for the General	July 1944	Maurice Elvey
The World Owes Me a Living	January 1945	Vernon Sewell
Meet Sexton Blake!	February 1945	John Harlow
Twilight Hour	February 1945	Paul L. Stein
Give Me the Stars	May 1945	Maclean Rogers
Don Chicago	August 1945	Maclean Rogers
Waltz Time	August 1945	Paul L. Stein
The Agitator	September 1945	John Harlow
Latin Quarter	October 1945	Vernon Sewell
Murder in Reverse?	October 1945	Montgomery Tully
The Echo Murders	December 1945	John Harlow
Old Mother Riley at Home	December 1945	Oswald Mitchell
The Trojan Brothers	February 1946	Maclean Rogers
Lisbon Story	February 1946	Paul L. Stein
Loyal Heart	February 1946	Oswald Mitchell
Bedelia	May 1946	Lance Comfort
Meet the Navy	September 1946	Alfred Travers
The Laughing Lady	October 1946	Paul L. Stein
Appointment with Crime	November 1946	John Harlow
Spring Song	December 1946	Montgomery Tully
Woman to Woman	February 1947	Maclean Rogers
Green Fingers	June 1947	John Harlow
Dual Alibi	June 1947	Alfred Travers
The Ghosts of Berkeley Square	October 1947	Vernon Sewell
Mrs. Fitzherbert	December 1947	Montgomery Tully
The Three Weird Sisters	February 1948	Daniel Birt
Counterblast	May 1948	Paul L. Stein
Uneasy Terms	June 1948	Vernon Sewell
No Room at the Inn	October 1948	Daniel Birt

See also

• List of British National films

References

1. "Rank Organisation". Science Museum Group Collection. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
2. "British Film Enterprise". The Montreal Star. 16 November 1935. p. 21.
3. "SCHENCK ESTIMATES 20TH GROSS UP 40-50". Variety. 27 May 1936. p. 7.
4. Wood, Alan (1952). mr.rank a study of j.arthur rank and British films. p. 79-106.
5. "Show topics". Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 5 March 1938. p. 2.
6. Billings, R.H. (12 January 1939). "Films which won the box office stakes last year". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 61.
7. "First of BN's new schedule". Kinematograph Weekly. 8 June 1939. p. 29.
8. "British National deal with Anglo American". Kinematograph Weekly. 1 June 1939. p. 1.
9. Billings, Josh (14 January 1943). "Box office stakes results". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 47.
10. Billings, Josh (11 January 1945). "That is the result (very close) of the 1944 box office stakes". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 46. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
11. In May Anglo American announced it had four films in development - Mr Walker Wants to Know, Old Mother Riles Joins Up, Gaslight and Sentries of the Empre. - see "Anglo American plans to produce four". Kinematograph Weekly. 18 May 1939. p. 26.
12. "British National stick to policy of laughter". Kinematograph Weekly. 14 January 1943. p. 113.
13. "British National to double output". Kinematograph Weekly. 5 October 1939. p. 19.
14. "British National lead to our producers". Kinematograph Weekly. 16 November 1939. p. 1.
15. "John Corfield's new programme". Kinematograph Weekly. 20 March 1941. p. 25.
16. "British National finish at two studios". Kinematograph Weekly. 6 February 1941. p. 27.
17. "British National has four in work". Kinematograph Weekly. 23 January 1941. p. 21.
18. Parish, G.W. (9 January 1941). "Our industry is of national importance". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 81.
19. "Production record in air blitz". Kinematograph Weekly. 13 February 1941. p. 1.
20. "British National's big plans". Kinematograph Weekly. 3 July 1941. p. 5.
21. "British National takes a breather". Kinematograph Weekly. 3 April 1941. p. 23.
22. "John Baxter leaves British National". Variety. 29 March 1944. p. 23.
23. Billings, Josh (20 December 1945). "1945 Box office stakes". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 51.
24. "Interview with Vernon Sewell" (PDF). British Entertainment History Project. 7 July 1994.
25. "Renting house merger talks pending". Kinematograph Weekly. 20 March 1947. p. 1.
26. "ABP takes over Anglo American". Variety. 8 January 1947. p. 214.
27. "British National new programme". Kinematograph Weekly. 14 August 1947. p. 22.
28. "Shortage of Star Material is a Problem For Our Producers Today—_British National's Viewpoint". Kinematograph Weekly. 28 August 1947. p. 11.
29. Jackson, Lou (2 October 1947). "Necessity the mother of our invention". Kine Weekly Studio Supplement. p. ix.

External links

• Anglo Amalgamated at IMDB