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British Lion Films

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British Lion Films
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm production and distribution
FoundedNovember 1927
FounderSam W. Smith
Defunct1 June 1954 (receivership of original company)
FateEntered receivership in 1954; reformed as British Lion Films Ltd in 1955; ownership passed to EMI Films in 1976
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Key people
Sir Alexander Korda (leader post-1946), Sam W. Smith (founder), Boulting brothers, Frank Launder, Sidney Gilliat, David Kingsley (managing director post-1958), David Collins (chairman post-1958)
ProductsFilm production and distribution
Number of employees
Not specified
ParentBritish Lion Holdings Ltd (current)

British Lion Films is a film production and distribution company that has been operating since 1919, initially established as British Lion Film Corporation Ltd. The company entered receivership on 1 June 1954. From 29 January 1955 until 1976, it functioned under the name British Lion Films Ltd, concentrating primarily on film distribution.

The company was founded in November 1927 by Sam W. Smith and had released more than 55 films by the conclusion of the Second World War, including In Which We Serve (1942), which brought writer and producer Noël Coward an Academy Award. British Lion is particularly recognized for its leadership under Sir Alexander Korda, whose London Films acquired a controlling stake in 1946 and purchased Shepperton Studios, using it as their production base. Financial challenges led to a loan from the National Film Finance Corporation in 1949, which went into default, culminating in receivership in 1955. Afterward, British Lion Films Ltd was formed as a distribution company with directors such as the Boulting brothers, Frank Launder, and Sidney Gilliat. Between 1955 and 1976, it distributed a total of 155 films.

In 1976, ownership of British Lion Films Ltd passed to EMI Films. The British Lion name endures today as an independent production company operating under British Lion Holdings Ltd.

Early years

Although British Lion Films was initially founded in 1918, it encountered early financial setbacks. It was revitalized in 1927 with Edgar Wallace serving as chairman. Throughout the 1930s, the firm focused on distributing quota quickies—films created to meet UK cinema quota requirements—and maintained a distribution agreement with Republic Pictures. By 1944, British Lion had reported a profit of £101,000 and had acquired a 50% share in Worton Hall studio located in Isleworth.

Alexander Korda

In 1945, Sir Alexander Korda joined British Lion by selling his shares in United Artists to invest in the company. He also secured interests in both Shepperton Studios and Piccadilly production offices.

British Lion handled distribution for films produced by Korda's London Films and entered into production agreements with teams led by Herbert Wilcox and Anna Neagle, as well as Anthony Kimmins and Edward Black.

By May 1946, British Lion reported profits amounting to £59,468, which was £16,000 less than the previous year. The company had contracts for films with directors such as Leslie Arliss, Carol Reed, and Zoltan Korda. Plans included producing three films the following year and six the year after that. Profit figures increased to £225,455 by 1947.

Wilcox emerged as British Lion’s most commercially successful filmmaker during this period, delivering hits like The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947), Spring in Park Lane (1948), and Maytime in Mayfair (1949). Conversely, Black—who had enjoyed success at Gainsborough Pictures—only produced one film for British Lion: Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), which failed commercially. Director Carol Reed achieved both critical acclaim and box office success with The Fallen Idol (1948) and The Third Man (1949). However, losses from Korda’s productions such as An Ideal Husband and Anna Karenina offset some of these gains. To finance his ventures, Korda borrowed £250,000 from British Electric Traction.

NFFC

In 1949, the British government extended a £3 million ($9 million) loan to British Lion and established the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC) to manage this investment and provide financing to other filmmakers; ultimately, the entire loan was forfeited. Korda resigned from his role as managing director to serve as an advisor, with Arthur Jarratt taking over the directorship.

From 1950 through 1953, British Lion handled distribution of films overseen by Korda alongside independently produced projects. The NFFC provided British Lion with loans of £500,000 in both 1950 and 1951.

Wilcox maintained a streak of box office hits including Odette (1950), Into the Blue (1950), and Derby Day (1952).

Korda succeeded in recruiting Powell and Pressburger from Rank, whose works, while critically praised but commercially modest, featured titles such as The Small Back Room (1949) and The Tales of Hoffmann (1951).

Launder and Gilliat joined British Lion’s production team, delivering successes like The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950) and The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954), though they also produced less successful films including The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953).

Additional notable successes were The Wooden Horse (1950) and Joseph Janni’s Honeymoon Deferred (1951). Conversely, Carol Reed experienced commercial setbacks with Outcast of the Islands (1951) and The Man Between (1953). Mayflower Productions released titles such as Appointment in London (1953) and They Who Dare (1954), while the Boulting brothers achieved critical acclaim with Seven Days to Noon (1950), despite the box office disappointment of The Magic Box (1951).

Receivership

In 1954, British Lion received a £1 million loan from the National Film Finance Corporation, followed by an additional £969,000 in 1955. The company suffered financial losses due to underperforming films like The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan and The Beggar's Opera, both released in 1953.

By June 1954, the NFFC had lost its entire £1,208,000 share capital along with a substantial portion of the £3 million government loan, reporting a deficit of £1 million (equivalent to US$2.8 million). The Conservative administration intervened by placing British Lion into receivership, writing off nearly £3 million in loans and reallocating remaining assets to two newly formed companies: British Lion Films Ltd and British Lion Studio Company Ltd.

During this restructuring phase, Korda was consulted regarding leadership decisions but passed away in January 1956 after securing new funding. In January 1955, Launder, Gilliat, and the Boulting brothers established a reconstituted British Lion Films Ltd., which managed Shepperton Studios along with distribution operations. Their releases included successful titles such as The Constant Husband (1955), Geordie (1955), The Green Man (1956), The Smallest Show on Earth (1957), and Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957).

During this period, the Boultings produced several hits including Josephine and Men (1955), Private's Progress (1956), Brothers in Law (1957), and Lucky Jim (1957). Other significant British Lion releases from these years comprised John and Julie, Stolen Assignment (both 1955), Charley Moon, A Hill in Korea (both 1956), My Teenage Daughter (1956), alongside numerous 1958 films such as Orders to Kill and Behind the Mask.

In 1956, the Conservative government injected another $1.68 million into British Lion but recouped only half of that investment within two years.

New leadership

In March 1958, a group of five producers—Launder and Gilliat, John and Roy Boulting, along with James Woolf—were invited to oversee British Lion with the goal of revitalizing the company and ultimately returning it to the public stock market. David Kingsley, who had previously served as managing director of the NFFC, assumed the role of managing director at British Lion, while David Collins was appointed chairman. The NFFC retained voting control and held £600,000 worth of shares, with the producers given the option to purchase 180,000 deferred shares. Although James Woolf eventually stepped down, the remaining producers became the core team responsible for British Lion’s recovery. The government also contributed an additional investment of $1.8 million.

Under this new leadership, British Lion produced more than 80 films and succeeded in repaying a significant portion of the government’s funding. Launder and Gilliatt, having previously worked on Fortune Is a Woman (1957) for Columbia, returned with Left Right and Centre (1959). Despite the commercial failure of The Bridal Path (1959), they went on to deliver popular comedies such as The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1961) and Only Two Can Play (1962), which starred Peter Sellers.

The Boulting brothers contributed films including Happy Is the Bride (1958), Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959), and A French Mistress (1960), achieving notable acclaim with I'm All Right Jack (1959) featuring Sellers, followed by Suspect (1960).

Additional prominent releases from British Lion encompassed titles such as Expresso Bongo (1959), Subway in the Sky (1959), Make Mine a Million (1959), Model for Murder (1959), Michael Powell’s Honeymoon (1959), Jet Storm (1959), Cone of Silence (1960), Light Up the Sky! (1960), and The Boy Who Stole a Million (1960).

British Lion also collaborated with Bryanston Films, distributing titles like the commercially underwhelming The Entertainer (1960) alongside the highly successful Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960).

By March 1960, British Lion reported profits amounting to £126,771. This figure rose to £318,285 in 1961 and further increased to £426,098 in 1962, allowing for dividend distribution. During this timeframe, Shepperton Studios’ profits also climbed from £54,298 to £114,032.

Other productions from this period included The Wind of Change (1961), Double Bunk (1961), Spare the Rod (1961), Offbeat (1961), and A Matter of Choice (1963). By March 1963, profits had reached £468,910.

Compulsory sale

In December 1963, the Conservative government took control of British Lion by forcing private shareholders to either sell their shares—valued at $420,000 but originally purchased for $5,000—or pay the government $4.2 million (£1.6 million). The justification was that British Lion should function as a private enterprise rather than remain under state ownership.

Prospective purchasers included Sir Michael Balcon, Lew Grade, Sydney Box, Morecambe and Wise, and Sam Spiegel. This forced sale sparked controversy because British Lion was profitable and represented an important source of domestically financed British films during an era largely influenced by American capital and dominant cinema chains such as Rank and ABC. The original directors realized a capital gain totaling £741,000. The company was on track for acquisition by Sydney Box—affiliated with Rank—a prospect that faced criticism from Balcon, trade unions, independent producers, and members of parliament.

Films released during this timeframe included The Comedy Man, Ring of Spies, and Do You Know This Voice? (all released in 1964).

Syndicate assumes control

In March 1964, a syndicate purchased the controlling stake from the National Film Finance Corporation for $4,452,000 (£1.6 million). This group included Michael Balcon, Woodfall Films (with Tony Richardson and John Osborne), the Boultings, Launder and Gilliat, Joseph Janni, John Schlesinger, and Walter Reade. Their strategy involved creating five separate production divisions within British Lion.

Film production recommenced with titles such as Joey Boy (1965), Rotten to the Core (1965), and Modesty Blaise, although the latter was eventually taken over by 20th Century Fox.

By August 1965, pretax earnings dropped from £280,543 to £194,741. In September 1965, Lord Goodman from the Arts Council was appointed chairman; the board also featured Balcon, Roy Boulting, David Kingsley, Gilliatt, Richardson, and Peter Cooper.

British Lion sought to have the government repurchase its shares but was declined. In October 1966, plans were made to sell the distribution division to Columbia and pivot towards television production.

A takeover bid led by Sir Michael Balcon in late 1966 was turned down. However, by December that year, profits surged from £82,000 to £218,000 thanks to successful films like Morgan and The Great St Trinians Train Robbery. The Boultings’ The Family Way (1966) stood out as the only British-financed film produced domestically within a twelve-month period.

By October 1967, ownership included Max Rayne—who controlled five-sixths after acquiring Walter Reade’s shares—the Boultings (who purchased Tiberian Films’ one-eighth stake), Launder and Gilliat, Lord Goodman, along with institutional investors. Profits for 1967/68 totaled £152,514. Joseph Janni and Roy Boulting stepped down from the board; Max Rayne and John Boulting joined in their place.

In 1968, Hambros Bank recommended raising funds through a public share offering. British Lion Holdings went public in December 1968 with over one million shares issued. That year’s profits reached £247,000 with releases including the Boultings’ Twisted Nerve. By 1969, shareholdings included John Boulting with 354,000 shares, Roy Boulting with 366,000 shares, and Lord Goodman holding 155,000 shares. The company reported profits of £575,679 in 1969.

Industry decline

During the late 1960s, the British film sector encountered significant challenges due to the withdrawal of American capital investment, cuts in NFFC funding, and dwindling cinema attendance. British Lion aimed to diversify by investing approximately £500,000 in equipment for television broadcasters but faced an oversaturated market. Efforts to branch into publishing were unsuccessful. The August 1970 acquisition of cinema advertising company Pearl & Dean failed to generate meaningful profits.

In January 1970, John Boulting remained hopeful yet requested a government bailout amounting to £5 million. That same year saw Sydney Gilliat resign as chairman of Shepperton Studios to concentrate on filmmaking; his final project for British Lion was Endless Night (1972). For the fiscal year ending March 1971, the company recorded a profit of £137,273.

British Lion attempted an unsuccessful takeover of the £9.2 million Star Cinema chain in November 1971 while being valued at £2.7 million. By March 1972, it reported losses totaling £1 million.

Barclay Securities

In April 1972, British Lion was purchased by Barclay Securities, under the leadership of John Bentley, for £5.4 million. The company's board featured notable figures including Lord Goodman, Sir Max Rayne, John and Roy Boulting, alongside Sidney Gilliat. British Lion's holdings encompassed Shepperton Studios and a significant real estate portfolio—valued at £2 million for the film library, £1.8 million for the studio land, with the remainder linked to Pearl & Dean.

Bentley had a reputation for acquiring firms primarily to liquidate their property assets. Facing losses at Shepperton Studios, Barclay intended to sell a portion of its land, estimated at £3.5 million, for development purposes. This plan triggered union unrest and threats directed at the Boulting Brothers during the production of Soft Beds, Hard Battles.

During this era, British Lion released titles such as Ooh... You Are Awful (1972). Bentley appointed Peter Snell as managing director; under Snell's direction, production was approved for The Wicker Man and Don't Look Now (1973).

In September 1972, Mills and Allen was transferred from Barclays to British Lion. By November 1972, British Lion disclosed a loss of £941,000 for the previous fiscal year, which included an £804,000 tax deduction related to unsuccessful film ventures.

Spikings and Deeley

Filmmakers Barry Spikings and Michael Deeley, who co-owned Greater Western Investments (GWI) alongside actor Stanley Baker, exchanged their GWI shares for equity in Lion International—the parent company of British Lion Films, Shepperton Studios, Pearl & Dean cinema advertising, and Mills and Allen outdoor advertising—to circumvent substantial taxes on the sale of GWI’s primary property asset. This restructuring enabled Lion to sell the building while offsetting gains against losses incurred by subsidiaries.

Despite initial resistance, Deeley assumed the role of managing director at British Lion Films in January 1973 and joined its board. At that time, two films were in post-production: Don't Look Now, which was sold to Paramount Pictures, and The Wicker Man, which encountered difficulties during post-production and initially received a lukewarm response but later achieved cult classic status.

British Lion proceeded with productions including The Internecine Project and Who?, financing these through a combination of American distributor contributions and German tax shelter arrangements. Subsequent projects included Conduct Unbecoming and Ransom. In June 1975, Deeley and Spikings acquired full ownership of British Lion by selling their shares in Lion International. Following this acquisition, they produced films such as The Man Who Fell to Earth, Nickelodeon, and At the Earth's Core. To secure greater financial backing, they explored potential partnerships with EMI Films.

EMI

In May 1976, EMI Films purchased British Lion for £739,000 through a combination of cash and stock. By May 1977, British Lion had ceased operations as an independent entity, with Deeley and Spikings appointed as members of EMI's board.

Selected films produced or distributed by British Lion

A = The Archers I = Individual Pictures LF = London Films

Notes

External links

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