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The Best of British
ROY BOULTING
1913-2001
Roy Boulting, who died on November 5 aged 87, was almost the last survivor of an age when Britain had a real film industry. He and his twin broth- er John, who died in 1985, were not only filmmakers: they were peo-
ple who understood the eco- nomics and the dynamics of the business and were thus equipped to take on a key role in British Lion.
In an almost indistin-
guishable partnership with
John, he remained a fierce defender of independence
even when running a
major production and dis-
tribution company. It was
a role that put them in fre-
quent conflict with the giants of the British industry.
The exhibition business in those days was a powerful duopoly domi- nated by Rank and ABC. They had a commanding position in the UK mar- ketplace and their decisions could make or break a film. That strangle- hold generated a combative response from Roy and John, who became very vocal champions of independent film- makers in Britain.
...was a very vocal champion of independent filmmakers in Britain.
STALKING SUCCESS
Cougar Films marks the first professional collaboration between BAFTA award-win- ning writer/producer Lynda La Plante and producer Sophie Balhetchet.
“Lynda and I have been friends for a long time,” says Balhetchet. “And I think she now feels she would like to move into feature film production, with her own ideas.
“That doesn’t mean that she ceas- es to be a very busy TV writer, she just wants to paint on a bigger canvas as well. She’s the sort of writer who has the ability to create the kind of large scale plot which would work very well on the big screen.
“It’s an opportunity for both of us to develop ideas on a scale that’s big-
ger than we can do in British television. But, having said that, Cougar is going to continue developing television pro- jects too.”
As the women behind such diverse, acclaimed programmes as Prime Suspect, Widows, The Governor, The Manageress and The Camomile Lawn, La Plante and Balhetchet have a track record that suggests commercial success will not be beyond them.
“We both place huge emphasis on getting the screenplay right and taking however long it takes to do so. A quali- ty screenplay attracts calibre talent,” says Balhetchet.
Cougar Films certainly looks to have the blend of experience, popular appeal and quality that should see it survive, and thrive. But establishing
any company in an uncertain economic climate is risky, all the more so in the film business.
“Either we’re mad,” laughs Balhetchet, “or we’re properly opti- mistic. I like to think the latter. If you have some energy, a real love of the work, good judgement and a bit of luck
then why shouldn’t it work?
“It’s very early days, and we don’t
want to make too many over reaching claims. We just think it’s just a great opportunity for us to support each other and make a new move. And that’s exciting.” ■ Anwar Brett
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Many people thought that their attitude was reckless - after all, it was argued, they needed the circuits to play their company’s product but caution was not a major component of the Boulting character.
They positively rel- ished confrontation, and some of their great- est pleasure came in the careful composition of confrontational let- ters to circuit chiefs, national newspapers, media tycoons.
They spent many happy hours working with their writers on screenplays; but com- posing contentious
arguments was an irrepressible instinct. Taking on the circuit chiefs, the censors or the nations establish- ment was all part of the game that added relish to their days whether behind a desk or a camera.
I find myself saying ‘they’ when I should of course be saying Roy. But the twins were truly inseparable. Roy was witty, acerbic, a little supercilious, linguistically precise, anti-authoritarian, liberal (he had been involved in the Spanish Civil War).
Like his brother, he spoke with the diction of a Noel Coward. He puffed cig- arettes constantly, often smoked expen- sive cigars, had a taste for fine wines, good food, beautiful women and the South of France. He had a rich life.
As filmmakers, of course, they had enormous success and great influence. Their comedies especially I’m All Right, Jack, Brothers In Law, Private’s Progress, Carlton Browne of the FO – established them as the key satirists of their time. And earlier films like Brighton Rock, Fame is the Spur and The Guinea Pig – were always a
step ahead of the standard product of the day.
But beyond their own work, they played a significant role in encouraging young talent: they found actors, direc- tors and editors who achieved great success with their encouragement. Richard Attenborough and Bryan Forbes, whose production venture, Beaver Films, produced the controver- sial Angr y Silence under the British Lion banner were among them. John Schlesinger’s first documentary Terminus was enthusiastically launched by British Lion.
A lasting image? Roy at the wheel of an open-topped Bentley. But later in
life there was a sharp transition to lean- er times, and Chelsea and the South of France became things of the past. Always resilient, he travelled into town by bus and seemed perfectly at ease in the council flat near Oxford that was his final home.
And my final image of Roy? At an NFT screening of the Oscar-winning Seven Days To Noon he sprinted up the aisle, bounded on to the stage and looked as lean and fit as he did back in Broadwick Street in the 50s. He was 84.
But until major obituaries appeared in the national press, it was almost as though Roy and John had never existed. It remains an inexplicable disgrace that the Boultings are totally absent from BAFTA’s photographic gallery of emi- nent filmmakers. ■ Gerry Lewis
CHARLOTTE COLEMAN, who won two BAFTA nominations for her roles in Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit and Four Weddings And A Funeral, has died of a massive asthma attack aged 33. The popular actress had been a child star in TV series like Worzel Gummidge and Educating Marmalade, in which she played the title role. ■