The Magic Box

1952 "A rich and deeply moving story of a man whose achievement opened up a new world, and of the two women whose love and sacrifices made it possible!"

The Magic Box

7 | 1h58m | en | Drama

Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene was once very different. As young and handsome William Green he changed his name to include his first wife's so that it sounded more impressive for the photographic portrait work he was so good at. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.

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7 | 1h58m | en | Drama | More Info

Released: September. 23,1952 | Released Producted By: Festival Film Productions , Country: United Kingdom Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Robert Donat , Margaret Johnston , Maria Schell

Director

T. Hopewell Ash

Producted By

Festival Film Productions ,

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Trailers & Images

Cast

Robert Donat

as William Friese-Greene

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness The Magic Box Perfect Strangers The Adventures of Tartu Goodbye, Mr. Chips The Citadel Knight Without Armour The 39 Steps The Count of Monte Cristo

Margaret Johnston

as Edith Harrison Friese-Greene

Sebastian Girl in the Headlines Night of the Eagle Touch and Go The Magic Box

Maria Schell

as Helena Friese-Greene

My Sister Maria Samson and Delilah Inside the Third Reich The Odessa File The Bloody Judge 99 Women Cimarron The Hanging Tree The Brothers Karamazov

Reviews

writers_reign A flag-waver aimed as PR for the Festival of Britain. One star role for Robert Donat surrounded by any and every one they could wheel out with the possible exception of Newtie Blick and Kynaston Reeves. It would have been nice to see more of Margatet Johnston a beautiful, talented and woefully under used actress who is allotted the thankless role of Friese-Greene's second wife thus getting less screen time than Maria Schell as his first. Friese-Greenes' actual contribution to the invention of the moving picture has been disputed but by not pushing too hard the producers got away with it at the time. One thing is certain it fails to stand the test of time and the BBC wisely screened it at 6.40 a.m. thus ensuring an audience in the low hundreds, just about what it deserves.

sankey48 My wife and I enjoyed the movie immensely. As a former projectionist at Macquarie University in Sydney who was supposed to be taught 35 and even 70 mm projection I was wondering what size that film was that Willie came up with. Looked about 140mm to me!! I related to his excitement in dragging the Bobby in in the middle of the night to see his 'pieste resistance' pardon my spelling. I believe all of us who are creators of some kind or other are like Willie..all forgetful and obsessed with the project at hand. I appreciate the other reviewer in straightening it out for us about the second marriage which we knew must have happened from the beginning of the movie, but never got aired again throughout. I would be interested in the missing fifteen minutes spoken of by the other reviewer as well. I presume the movie we are now seeing is a colourised version - not sure how long ago that was re touched. I am surprised seeing the movie has been re processed that Sub titles were not added as we could have understood Willie a lot more and even some of the other very fast speakers as well. maybe down the road someone will decide to add subtitles..if they do PLEASE make it in Region 2 or 4 thanks.

edwagreen Superb film often overlooked when we talk about the accomplishments of the late Robert Donat. Donat proved to be a fine character actor and too bad that he died so early; otherwise, there would have been more brilliant performances in store for him.This film is the autobiography of William Friese Greene, who by the account of this fine film, made the moving picture literally move by camera.The film is splendidly detailed and boasted a cast of every well known British star of that period.If you blink an eye, you don't realize that the film goes back to his first marriage. Notice that nothing is really said about what happened to his children from both marriages.Friese Greene was a kindly, devoted inventor who should never have married. He allowed his work to neglect his responsibilities as a husband and father. The man was a dreamer and Donat captured every movement of that dream.This was certainly a stellar film.

falon The most enjoyable and very emotional scene was when Robert Donat (Wm. Friese-Greene) finally succeeds in producing moving images on a sheet he's hung in his studio...he runs like a madman into the street in the middle of the night desperate to find someone to witness this miracle. Who does he find? Sir Laurence Olivier..a Police Constable . Donat ushers him into his lab, sits him down and proceeds to ramble on about what he's invented. Sir Laurence, the ever vigilant and cautious policeman thinks he's some kind of nut and slowly reaches for his night stick..that's when Robert Donat flicks on the first moving pictures of Hyde Park...Olivier is flabergasted..gets up moves to the sheet and looks behind it.."That's Hyde Park!' After rambling some more Robert Donat breaks into tears..finally explaining what he has accomplished..Olivier replies "You must be a very happy man"..a terrific scene and one I'll never forget. A cameo appearance by Lord Olivier and a very memorable scene.