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The History of British Cinema: 1946

Mar -

The Rank Organisation acquires half share of the Australian film distribution and exhibition company, Greater Union. [ADD]

16/4 -

The British Film Academy (later to be renamed the British Academy of Film and Television Arts) is founded.  The inaugural committee is made up of chairman David Lean, Anthony Asquith, Sir Michael Balcon, Sidney Cole, Thorold Dickinson, Sir Alexander Korda, Frank Launder, Ronald Neame, Michael Powell, Carol Reed, Paul Rotha and Harry Watt. [ADD] 

Apr -

Pinewood Studios recommences production after being requisitioned by the government for war service. [ADD]

Apr -

The British Lion Film Corporation buys a 74% stake in Sound City Film and its Shepperton Studios for £380,000, and renames it British Lion Studio Company.   The corporation also buys Worton Hall Studios (1944) Ltd and lets its Beaconsfield Studios to the British government on a 21-year lease.  [ADD]

Aug -

The first issue of Penguin Film Review is published. [ADD]

31/8 -

The International Festival of Documentary Films opens in Edinburgh.  It will later become known as the Edinburgh Film Festival.     [ADD]

1/11 -

The first Royal Film Performance is held at the Empire, Leicester Square, London.  A Matter of Life and Death is shown in the presence of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. [ADD]

26/12 -

David Lean’s screen version of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is released.   The top-notch cast includes Alec Guinness in his screen debut as Herbert Pocket, John Mills as Pip, Finlay Currie as Magwitch and Martha Hunt as Miss Havisham. [ADD]

– Warner Bros acquires a controlling interest in Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), making possible a reciprocal distribution arrangement whereby Warner can distribute ABPC films in their 800-screen US cinema chain, and ABPC can show Warner films in their UK cinemas. [ADD]

– Sir Alexander Korda buys back the negatives of his films from Prudential Assurance, which had seized them with other assets to recover debts [ADD]

- Alliance Film Studios is established to manage production facilities at Riverside and Twickenham; it also buys Southall Studios. [ADD]

– Group 3 film production company is founded at Southall Studios.   John Grierson is executive producer. [ADD]

– The first edition of the annual Film Review, edited by F Maurice Speed, is published. [ADD] 

– Cinema audiences hit an all-time high of 1,640 million. [ADD]

–18.5% of the 447 films registered in the country are British. [ADD]

Other Key British Films of 1946

The History of Cinema: 1946