British and Colonial Films
Encyclopedia
British and Colonial Films was a British
company making predominantly silent films, which operated in London
between 1908 and 1924. It was also known by the abbreviation B & C.
The British and Colonial Kinematograph Company was formed in 1908 by Albert Henry ("Bert") Bloomfield (c.1882-1933) and John Benjamin ("Mac") McDowell (1878-1954). At first it operated from a rented basement in central London, using a single camera and developing the negatives in McDowell's house, but soon moved to studios at Newstead House in East Finchley
, London.
It developed a reputation for both documentaries and feature films, notably the Lieutenant Daring series, featuring Percy Morgan, and the Dick Turpin and Don Q films. By 1912 it had begun making longer films, such as Robin Hood Outlawed, and using location footage
, some shot by Fred Burlingham. It also covered important news stories such as the funeral of Edward VII and the Coronation
of George V
, as well as major sporting fixtures. In 1910 the company made a film of the Canadian Pacific Railway
and, in 1912, filmed the F.A. Cup Final
and the Derby
, as well as in Jamaica
.
In 1913, after Bloomfield had left the company, the studio made what has been cited as "the first British epic film
", The Battle of Waterloo. This was filmed by director
Charles Weston at Irthlingborough
in Northamptonshire
. It was made "less as a drama and rather more as a recreation of historic actuality" and contained "elaborately recreated scenes... from the point of view of an ordinary soldier in the thick of the battle". It was nearly an hour and a half long – much longer than most others of the period – and was filmed using hundreds of extras, in five days, at a cost of £1,800, most of which McDowell raised by remortgaging the company. McDowell sold the British rights for £5,000, and raised even more from overseas rights. Two reels and a further fragment, representing roughly half of the film, are now preserved in the BFI National Archive
. A parody
of the film, The Adventures of Pimple: The Battle of Waterloo, written and produced by Fred and Joe Evans
, was produced and released within a month of the original film. In 1919, the director of The Battle of Waterloo, Charles Weston, jumped to his death from the 18th floor of the Aeolian Building
in New York City
.
The company moved to new studios in a converted ice skating
rink in Walthamstow
in 1913. For a time, it employed the exiled American
director James Young Deer
. In 1915, the company was one of several to take over British filming on the Western Front
, later releasing footage as The Battle of the Somme.
The company filmed The Life of Shakespeare (1914), and two versions of The Taming of the Shrew
, in 1915 and 1923. The first version is of historical interest for its use of a primitive sound process called Voxograph, which required offstage actors to dub their voices at the same time that the performers were filmed. The second version in 1923 is the earliest surviving British film, visualising the play in about 22 minutes, and retaining many of Shakespeare's lines as intertitles.
The company was wound up in 1924.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company making predominantly silent films, which operated in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
between 1908 and 1924. It was also known by the abbreviation B & C.
The British and Colonial Kinematograph Company was formed in 1908 by Albert Henry ("Bert") Bloomfield (c.1882-1933) and John Benjamin ("Mac") McDowell (1878-1954). At first it operated from a rented basement in central London, using a single camera and developing the negatives in McDowell's house, but soon moved to studios at Newstead House in East Finchley
East Finchley
East Finchley is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, in north London, and situated north-west of Charing Cross. Geographically it is somewhat separate from the rest of Finchley, with North Finchley and West Finchley to the north, and Finchley Central to the west.- History :The land on which...
, London.
It developed a reputation for both documentaries and feature films, notably the Lieutenant Daring series, featuring Percy Morgan, and the Dick Turpin and Don Q films. By 1912 it had begun making longer films, such as Robin Hood Outlawed, and using location footage
Location shooting
Location shooting is the practice of filming in an actual setting rather than on a sound stage or back lot. In filmmaking a location is any place where a film crew will be filming actors and recording their dialog. A location where dialog is not recorded may be considered as a second unit...
, some shot by Fred Burlingham. It also covered important news stories such as the funeral of Edward VII and the Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of George V
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
, as well as major sporting fixtures. In 1910 the company made a film of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
and, in 1912, filmed the F.A. Cup Final
1912 FA Cup Final
The 1912 FA Cup Final was the 41st FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion. It took two matches to determine a winner...
and the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, as well as in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
In 1913, after Bloomfield had left the company, the studio made what has been cited as "the first British epic film
Epic film
An epic is a genre of film that emphasizes human drama on a grand scale. Epics are more ambitious in scope than other film genres, and their ambitious nature helps to differentiate them from similar genres such as the period piece or adventure film...
", The Battle of Waterloo. This was filmed by director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Charles Weston at Irthlingborough
Irthlingborough
Irthlingborough , originally called Artleborough, is a small town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England with a population of 6,179 people according to the 2001 census. It is the smallest town in England to have possessed a league association football team, Rushden & Diamonds. The parish...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. It was made "less as a drama and rather more as a recreation of historic actuality" and contained "elaborately recreated scenes... from the point of view of an ordinary soldier in the thick of the battle". It was nearly an hour and a half long – much longer than most others of the period – and was filmed using hundreds of extras, in five days, at a cost of £1,800, most of which McDowell raised by remortgaging the company. McDowell sold the British rights for £5,000, and raised even more from overseas rights. Two reels and a further fragment, representing roughly half of the film, are now preserved in the BFI National Archive
BFI National Archive
The BFI National Archive is a department of the British Film Institute, and one of the largest film archives in the world. It was originally set up as the National Film Library in 1935; its first curator was Ernest Lindgren. In 1955 its name became the National Film Archive, and in 1992, the...
. A parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the film, The Adventures of Pimple: The Battle of Waterloo, written and produced by Fred and Joe Evans
Fred Evans (comedian)
Fred Evans was a British music hall and silent film comedian, who became famous around the time of the First World War for portraying his character Pimple in more than 200 short movies...
, was produced and released within a month of the original film. In 1919, the director of The Battle of Waterloo, Charles Weston, jumped to his death from the 18th floor of the Aeolian Building
Aeolian Hall (New York)
Aeolian Hall was a concert hall near Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City located on the third floor of 29-33 West 42nd Street across the street from Bryant Park. The Aeolian Building was built in 1912 for the Aeolian Company, which manufactured pianos...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The company moved to new studios in a converted ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
rink in Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
in 1913. For a time, it employed the exiled American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
director James Young Deer
James Young Deer
James Young Deer , born J. Younger Johnston and also known as Jim Young Deer, was an early Native American film actor, director, writer, and producer. With his wife and partner, Lillian St. Cyr, they were an "influential force" in the production of one-reel Westerns during the first part of the...
. In 1915, the company was one of several to take over British filming on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, later releasing footage as The Battle of the Somme.
The company filmed The Life of Shakespeare (1914), and two versions of The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
, in 1915 and 1923. The first version is of historical interest for its use of a primitive sound process called Voxograph, which required offstage actors to dub their voices at the same time that the performers were filmed. The second version in 1923 is the earliest surviving British film, visualising the play in about 22 minutes, and retaining many of Shakespeare's lines as intertitles.
The company was wound up in 1924.