fbpx
Wikipedia

Clive Donner

September 29, 2023

Clive Stanley Donner (21 January 1926 – 6 September 2010)[1][2] was a British film director who was part of the British New Wave, directing films such as The Caretaker, Nothing but the Best, What's New Pussycat?, and Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. He also directed television movies and commercials through the mid-1990s.[1]

Clive Donner
Born
Clive Stanley Donner

(1926-01-21)21 January 1926
London, England
Died6 September 2010(2010-09-06) (aged 84)
London, England
Occupations
  • Director
  • film editor
Years active1943–2010
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1969; died 2005)​

Early career Edit

Donner was born in West Hampstead, London. His father was a concert violinist and his mother ran a dress shop; his grandparents were Polish-Jewish immigrants.[1] Donner began his filmmaking career while attending Kilburn Polytechnic. He began working in the film industry as a cutting-room assistant at Denham Studios, having gained the job after joining his father, who was at the studio to record the soundtrack for the film The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943).[3] Donner did his eighteen months of National Service with the Royal Army Educational Corps,[1] and afterwards was hired by Pinewood Studios as a film editor, where the movies he worked on included Scrooge (1951), with Alastair Sim; The Card (1952), with Alec Guinness; Genevieve (1953), a comedy about a vintage car rally; The Million Pound Note (1954), with Gregory Peck; and I Am a Camera (1955), with Laurence Harvey.[3]

Career as director Edit

Early works Edit

Donner began his professional directing career on a number of low-budget films, starting with The Secret Place (1957), a crime drama about a troubled youth, starring Belinda Lee, Ronald Lewis, and David McCallum. After this Donner says he turned down Rooney and a film which he said was a copy of Genevieve with gliders. Then he agreed to make Heart of a Child (1958) a melodrama starring Jean Anderson and Donald Pleasence. Donner says then a new manager came in, Connery, and Rank released him from his contract.[4]

Donner directed some commercials and some short features based on Edgar Wallace novels. He did Some People (1962), a film about a group of alienated youths who form a rock band, starring Kenneth More and Ray Brooks. His television work during that time included episodes of Danger Man (1960) and Sir Francis Drake (1961–62), as well as Mighty and Mystical, a documentary series about India.

1960s Edit

Donner's breakthrough directing role came with The Caretaker (1963), a film made with a low-budget funded almost entirely by financial contributions starting at £1,000 each from such individuals as Richard Burton, Noël Coward, Peter Sellers and Elizabeth Taylor, with the stars bypassing their standard fees and taking shares of the film's revenue. The movie, based on the play of the same name by Harold Pinter, was filmed in black-and-white with cinematography by Nicolas Roeg.[3]

Donner's next film, Nothing but the Best (1964), was a satire on the British class system starring Alan Bates and Denholm Elliott, based on a screenplay by Frederic Raphael. The film tells the story of Jimmy Brewster (played by Bates) as a lower-class striver who seeks to move up in the system under the tutelage of his upper crust instructor Charlie Prince (Elliott).

Donner's first large-budget film was What's New Pussycat? (1965), an American-financed comedy shot in France, starring Peter O'Toole and Peter Sellers. O'Toole played the womanizer Michael James, who does his best to remain faithful to his fiancée Carole Werner (Romy Schneider), while numerous women – Ursula Andress, Capucine, Paula Prentiss – fall in love with him, with Sellers playing the role of his psychoanalyst, Dr. Fassbender. The success of the title song, performed by Tom Jones, added to the motion picture's success with audiences.[3] Woody Allen, who wrote the screenplay and made his first screen appearance in the movie, hated the end result, commenting that the vision he had for the movie in his original script had been distorted.[1]

Donner's film Luv (1967), an adaptation of the play by Murray Schisgal, starred Peter Falk, Jack Lemmon and Elaine May, but the addition of locations and characters to the original work led to criticism of the casting and direction, and the film was a commercial failure. Donner rounded out the 1960s with the 9th-century period piece Alfred the Great (1969), starring David Hemmings.

1970s Edit

In 1973, Donner's essay into theatre, directing Robert Patrick's play Kennedy's Children at the King's Head Theatre, Islington was ultimately produced internationally.

Donner directed the film Vampira (US: Old Dracula, 1974), a comedy horror film of the vampire genre that sought to piggyback on the commercial success of Young Frankenstein for its US release. He directed the made-for-television movie Spectre (1977), produced by Gene Roddenberry.

1980s Edit

The Nude Bomb (1980) is a comedy based on the television series Get Smart, which featured Don Adams reprising his role as secret agent Maxwell Smart.[3] This was followed by the parody Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981) featuring Angie Dickinson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Peter Ustinov.[2]Stealing Heaven (1988) is a costume drama based on the 12th-century romance of Peter Abelard and Héloïse[5] and was Donner's last theatrical film.

For television, Donner directed a film version of The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982) with Ian McKellen and Jane Seymour[2] and productions based on two Charles Dickens novels, Oliver Twist (1982) and A Christmas Carol (1984), both starring George C. Scott.[3]

Death Edit

Donner died at age 84 on 7 September 2010 in London due to complications of Alzheimer's disease.[3] His Australian wife, Jocelyn Rickards, a costume designer whom he met while working on Alfred the Great and married in 1969, had died in 2005.[3]

Bibliography Edit

Donner discusses the making of all his films in the book Six English Filmmakers (2014, Paul Sutton) ISBN 978-0957246256

Selected filmography Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Ronald Bergan Obituary: Clive Donner, The Guardian, 7 September 2010
  2. ^ a b c "British film director Clive Donner dies at 84". BBC News. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Grimes, William. "Clive Donner, 1960s-Era Film Director, Dies at 84", The New York Times, 9 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  4. ^ Fowler, Roy (8 March 2000). "Interview with Clive Donner - Side Ten". British Entertainment History Project. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  5. ^ Michael Wilmington, "Movie Reviews: ‘Stealing Heaven’ Updates Heloise and Abelard", Los Angeles Times, April 28, 1989

External links Edit

  • Clive Donner at IMDb
  • Clive Donner at the BFI's Screenonline
  • [1] interview British Entertainment History Project

September 29, 2023
clive, donner, clive, stanley, donner, january, 1926, september, 2010, british, film, director, part, british, wave, directing, films, such, caretaker, nothing, best, what, pussycat, here, round, mulberry, bush, also, directed, television, movies, commercials,. Clive Stanley Donner 21 January 1926 6 September 2010 1 2 was a British film director who was part of the British New Wave directing films such as The Caretaker Nothing but the Best What s New Pussycat and Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush He also directed television movies and commercials through the mid 1990s 1 Clive DonnerBornClive Stanley Donner 1926 01 21 21 January 1926London EnglandDied6 September 2010 2010 09 06 aged 84 London EnglandOccupationsDirectorfilm editorYears active1943 2010SpouseJocelyn Rickards m 1969 died 2005 wbr Contents 1 Early career 2 Career as director 2 1 Early works 2 2 1960s 2 3 1970s 2 4 1980s 3 Death 4 Bibliography 5 Selected filmography 6 References 7 External linksEarly career EditDonner was born in West Hampstead London His father was a concert violinist and his mother ran a dress shop his grandparents were Polish Jewish immigrants 1 Donner began his filmmaking career while attending Kilburn Polytechnic He began working in the film industry as a cutting room assistant at Denham Studios having gained the job after joining his father who was at the studio to record the soundtrack for the film The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 1943 3 Donner did his eighteen months of National Service with the Royal Army Educational Corps 1 and afterwards was hired by Pinewood Studios as a film editor where the movies he worked on included Scrooge 1951 with Alastair Sim The Card 1952 with Alec Guinness Genevieve 1953 a comedy about a vintage car rally The Million Pound Note 1954 with Gregory Peck and I Am a Camera 1955 with Laurence Harvey 3 Career as director EditEarly works Edit Donner began his professional directing career on a number of low budget films starting with The Secret Place 1957 a crime drama about a troubled youth starring Belinda Lee Ronald Lewis and David McCallum After this Donner says he turned down Rooney and a film which he said was a copy of Genevieve with gliders Then he agreed to make Heart of a Child 1958 a melodrama starring Jean Anderson and Donald Pleasence Donner says then a new manager came in Connery and Rank released him from his contract 4 Donner directed some commercials and some short features based on Edgar Wallace novels He did Some People 1962 a film about a group of alienated youths who form a rock band starring Kenneth More and Ray Brooks His television work during that time included episodes of Danger Man 1960 and Sir Francis Drake 1961 62 as well as Mighty and Mystical a documentary series about India 1960s Edit Donner s breakthrough directing role came with The Caretaker 1963 a film made with a low budget funded almost entirely by financial contributions starting at 1 000 each from such individuals as Richard Burton Noel Coward Peter Sellers and Elizabeth Taylor with the stars bypassing their standard fees and taking shares of the film s revenue The movie based on the play of the same name by Harold Pinter was filmed in black and white with cinematography by Nicolas Roeg 3 Donner s next film Nothing but the Best 1964 was a satire on the British class system starring Alan Bates and Denholm Elliott based on a screenplay by Frederic Raphael The film tells the story of Jimmy Brewster played by Bates as a lower class striver who seeks to move up in the system under the tutelage of his upper crust instructor Charlie Prince Elliott Donner s first large budget film was What s New Pussycat 1965 an American financed comedy shot in France starring Peter O Toole and Peter Sellers O Toole played the womanizer Michael James who does his best to remain faithful to his fiancee Carole Werner Romy Schneider while numerous women Ursula Andress Capucine Paula Prentiss fall in love with him with Sellers playing the role of his psychoanalyst Dr Fassbender The success of the title song performed by Tom Jones added to the motion picture s success with audiences 3 Woody Allen who wrote the screenplay and made his first screen appearance in the movie hated the end result commenting that the vision he had for the movie in his original script had been distorted 1 Donner s film Luv 1967 an adaptation of the play by Murray Schisgal starred Peter Falk Jack Lemmon and Elaine May but the addition of locations and characters to the original work led to criticism of the casting and direction and the film was a commercial failure Donner rounded out the 1960s with the 9th century period piece Alfred the Great 1969 starring David Hemmings 1970s Edit In 1973 Donner s essay into theatre directing Robert Patrick s play Kennedy s Children at the King s Head Theatre Islington was ultimately produced internationally Donner directed the film Vampira US Old Dracula 1974 a comedy horror film of the vampire genre that sought to piggyback on the commercial success of Young Frankenstein for its US release He directed the made for television movie Spectre 1977 produced by Gene Roddenberry 1980s Edit The Nude Bomb 1980 is a comedy based on the television series Get Smart which featured Don Adams reprising his role as secret agent Maxwell Smart 3 This was followed by the parody Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen 1981 featuring Angie Dickinson Michelle Pfeiffer and Peter Ustinov 2 Stealing Heaven 1988 is a costume drama based on the 12th century romance of Peter Abelard and Heloise 5 and was Donner s last theatrical film For television Donner directed a film version of The Scarlet Pimpernel 1982 with Ian McKellen and Jane Seymour 2 and productions based on two Charles Dickens novels Oliver Twist 1982 and A Christmas Carol 1984 both starring George C Scott 3 Death EditDonner died at age 84 on 7 September 2010 in London due to complications of Alzheimer s disease 3 His Australian wife Jocelyn Rickards a costume designer whom he met while working on Alfred the Great and married in 1969 had died in 2005 3 Bibliography EditDonner discusses the making of all his films in the book Six English Filmmakers 2014 Paul Sutton ISBN 978 0957246256Selected filmography EditScrooge editor 1951 The Purple Plain editor 1954 The Secret Place 1957 Heart of a Child 1958 Marriage of Convenience 1960 The Sinister Man 1961 Some People 1962 The Caretaker 1963 Nothing but the Best 1964 What s New Pussycat 1965 Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush 1967 Luv 1967 Alfred the Great 1969 Vampira 1974 Rogue Male 1976 Spectre 1977 The Three Hostages 1977 She Fell Among Thieves 1978 The Thief of Baghdad 1978 The Nude Bomb 1980 Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen 1981 Oliver Twist 1982 The Scarlet Pimpernel 1982 To Catch a King 1984 A Christmas Carol 1984 Arthur the King 1985 Dead Man s Folly 1986 Babes in Toyland 1986 Stealing Heaven 1988 Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less 1990 Charlemagne le prince a cheval 1993 References Edit a b c d e Ronald Bergan Obituary Clive Donner The Guardian 7 September 2010 a b c British film director Clive Donner dies at 84 BBC News 7 September 2010 Retrieved 7 September 2010 a b c d e f g h Grimes William Clive Donner 1960s Era Film Director Dies at 84 The New York Times 9 September 2010 Retrieved 14 September 2010 Fowler Roy 8 March 2000 Interview with Clive Donner Side Ten British Entertainment History Project Retrieved 17 March 2023 Michael Wilmington Movie Reviews Stealing Heaven Updates Heloise and Abelard Los Angeles Times April 28 1989External links EditClive Donner at IMDb Clive Donner at the BFI s Screenonline 1 interview British Entertainment History Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Clive Donner amp oldid 1175362523, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.