Ronald Neame

Director, Director Of Photography

About

Birth Place

London, England, GB

Born

April 23, 1911

Died

June 16, 2010

Cause of Death

Natural Causes/Complications From Fall

Biography

Although he may not be as widely remembered as some of his contemporaries, cinematographer-turned-director Ronald Neame made important contributions to British cinema in a career that spanned seven decades. Even when he formally retired from making movies, he continued to impart his knowledge teaching classes at UCLA and recording commentary for DVD releases of his earlier work.It would ...

Filmography

The Magic Balloon (1990)

Director

Foreign Body (1986)

Director

First Monday in October (1981)

The Odessa File (1974)

Director

Photos & Videos

View All

Tunes of Glory (1960) -- (Movie Clip) The Colonel's Here!

Tunes Of Glory (1960) -- (Movie Clip) Opening, Miss Sinclair

Family & Companions

Beryl Yolanda Heanly

Wife

Married on October 15, 1933.

Donna Neame

Wife

Notes

For several years, Neame has taught a course on filmmaking at UCLA.

In 1971, he began pre-production on a biopic "Isabella of Spain", but the project was cancelled before lensing.

Biography

It would seem almost an inevitability that this son of pioneer photographer Elwin Neame and actress Ivy Close would seek a career in motion pictures. Following his father's untimely 1927 death, Neame began working, eventually taking on a position as an office boy at British International Pictures. While he briefly had a foray into portrait photography, he soon decided he preferred shooting moving images and set about to work his way through the system, starting as a camera assistant on the 1929 Alfred Hitchcock-directed "Blackmail." Following a six-year apprenticeship as a camera operator, Neame graduated to full-fledge director of photography on the historical drama "Drake of England" (1935). Over the next decade, he would shoot numerous features ranging from "A Star Fell From Heaven" (1936) to "Penny Paradise" (1938) to "Major Barbara" (1941) and "...One of Our Aircraft Is Missing" (1942).

During the height of WWII, Neame served as cinematographer on the undisputed masterpiece "In Which We Serve" (1942), about the crew of a British fighting ship, co-directed by Noel Coward and David Lean. For Neame, it began a working relationship with Lean in which he branched out into other areas of filmmaking. Serving as executive in charge of production, he oversaw the now classic romance "Brief Encounter" (1945), co-wrote and produced both "Blithe Spirit" (1945, also photographed) and "Great Expectations" (1946), and produced "Oliver Twist" (1948).

Neame stepped into the director's chair with the 1947 film "Take My Life" and went on to enjoy working with actor Alec Guinness in the comedies "The Card/The Promoter" (1952) and "The Horse's Mouth" (1958) and the superb war drama "Tunes of Glory" (1960). Over the course of his career, he proved a master with actors, guiding the Judy Garland vehicle "I Could Go On Singing" (1963, which hit rather close to home for its talented, if troubled star), and garnered praise for his handling of the eccentric Edith Evans in "The Chalk Garden" (1964). "Gambit" (1966) was a delightful caper comedy that teamed Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine and demonstrated his already well-honed comedic skills. Switching gears, Neame directed "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969) and enjoyed one of his more successful ventures, steering leading lady Maggie Smith to a Best Actress Oscar as the fascistic Scottish schoolteacher.

With "Scrooge" (1970), Neame showed a flair for large screen musicals, although he did encourage star Albert Finney to overact some in the title role. The director perhaps enjoyed his biggest hit with the all-star disaster-themed "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972). Although in retrospect the film has taken hits for its weak script, Neame managed to make the proceedings tolerable and enjoyable. He went on to helm the spy thriller "The Odessa File" (1974) and two Walter Matthau comedies, "Hopscotch" (1980) and "First Monday in October" (1981) before ending his career on a relatively high note with the fine comedy "Foreign Body" (1986).

Filmography

Life Events

1923

After father's death, dropped out of school

1927

Joined British International Pictures as a messenger and general assistant

1928

Began career as an assistant cameraman at Elstree Studios

1929

Feature debut, worked as assistant cameraman on "Blackmail", directed by Alfred Hitchcock

1935

Debut as director of photography, "Drake of England/Drake the Pirate"; originally hired as camera operator then assumsed cinematography duties when Claude Friese-Greene left the production

1941

Served as director of photography on "Major Barbara". directed by Gabriel Pascal

1942

Shot the Powell-Pressburger film "...One of Our Aircraft Is Missing"

1942

Began association with David Lean as cinematographer on "In Which We Serve"

1945

With Lean, co-wrote the film adaptation of Noel Coward's play "Blithe Spirit"; also served as cinematographer

1946

Co-wrote script and did uncredited photography on "Great Expectations", directed by Lean

1947

Feature directorial debut, "Take My Life"

1948

Was a producer on Lean's film version of "Oliver Twist"

1952

Directed the comedy "The Card/The Promoter", starring Alec Guinness as a resourceful young man out to climb the ladders of society

1956

Helmed the engaging spy thriller "The Man Who Never Was"

1958

Reunited with Guinness (who scripted as well as starred) for "The Horse's Mouth", based on Joyce Cary's novel about an extravagantly talented, sometimes monstrously behaved artist

1960

Directed what is arguably his best film, "Tunes of Glory", focusing on the clash between two Scottish military men (played by Guinness and John Mills)