Harry Watt (director)
Encyclopedia
Harry Watt was a Scottish documentary and feature film director, who began his career working for John Grierson
and Robert Flaherty. His 1959 film The Siege of Pinchgut
was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival
. He was born in Edinburgh
, and died in Amersham
, Buckinghamshire
.
John Grierson
John Grierson was a pioneering Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. According to popular myth, in 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" to describe a non-fiction film.-Early life:Grierson was born in Deanston, near Doune, Scotland...
and Robert Flaherty. His 1959 film The Siege of Pinchgut
The Siege of Pinchgut
The Siege of Pinchgut is a 1959 British thriller film directed by Harry Watt. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. It was the last film from Ealing Studios.-Plot:...
was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival
9th Berlin International Film Festival
The 9th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 26 to July 7, 1959.-Jury:* Robert Aldrich * Johan Jacobsen* Charles Ford* John Bryan* Ignazio Tranquilli* Shigueo Miyata* Wali Eddine Sameh* O. E...
. He was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and died in Amersham
Amersham
Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
Selected filmography
- Night MailNight MailNight Mail is a 1936 documentary film about a London, Midland and Scottish Railway mail train from London to Scotland, produced by the GPO Film Unit. A poem by English poet W. H. Auden was written for it, used in the closing few minutes, as was music by Benjamin Britten...
(1936) - The Saving of Bill Blewitt (1937)
- Squadron 997 (1939)
- The First Days (1939)
- Dover Front Line (1940)
- London Can Take It!London Can Take It!London Can Take It! is a short documentary film produced by the GPO Film Unit for the Ministry of Information covering less than eighteen hours of the German blitz on London and its people...
(1940) - Christmas Under FireChristmas Under FireChristmas Under Fire is a 1941 short documentary film directed by Harry Watt. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. The film, narrated by Quentin Reynolds, tells of how the British people celebrated Christmas in hiding during the German attack on Britain in 1940, in the...
(1941) - Target for TonightTarget for TonightTarget for Tonight is a 1941 British documentary film billed as being filmed by and acted by the Royal Air Force, all while under fire. It was directed by Harry Watt. The film revolves for the most part around one crew in a single Wellington aircraft...
(1941) - Nine MenNine MenNine Men is a 1943 British patriotic war film. The film is an Ealing Studios production, which marked the first fiction film assignment for celebrated documentary film director Harry Watt...
(1943) - Fiddlers ThreeFiddlers Three (1944 film)Fiddlers Three is a 1944 British black-and-white comedy with music. The film was produced by Michael Balcon and directed by Harry Watt. The cast included Tommy Trinder, Sonnie Hale, Frances Day, Francis L. Sullivan, Diana Decker, Elisabeth Welch and James Robertson Justice...
(1944) - The OverlandersThe Overlanders (film)The Overlanders is a 1946 Australian-British film about drovers droving a large herd of cattle 1600 miles overland from Wyndham in Western Australia through the Northern Territory outback of Australia to pastures north of Brisbane, Queensland during World War II.The film was one of several produced...
(1946) - Eureka StockadeEureka Stockade (film)Eureka Stockade is a 1949 British film of the story surrounding Peter Lalor and the gold miners' rebellion of 1854 at the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat, Victoria...
(1949) - Where No Vultures FlyWhere No Vultures FlyWhere No Vultures Fly is a 1951 British film. It was released under the title Ivory Hunter in the United States. It was directed by Harry Watt and starred Anthony Steel and Dinah Sheridan. The film was inspired by the work of the conservationist Mervyn Cowie...
(1951) - West of ZanzibarWest of Zanzibar (1954 film)West of Zanzibar is a 1954 British adventure film directed by Harry Watt and starring Anthony Steel, Sheila Sim and Edric Connor.-Cast:* Anthony Steel - Bob Payton* Sheila Sim - Mary Payton* Edric Connor - Ushington* Orlando Martins - M'Kwongi...
(1954) - The Siege of PinchgutThe Siege of PinchgutThe Siege of Pinchgut is a 1959 British thriller film directed by Harry Watt. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. It was the last film from Ealing Studios.-Plot:...
(1959)