It is my pleasure to bring today the tale of one of the most renowned film production companies in British history: Ealing Studios. Founded in 1902, the studio was initially used to produce silent films. However, it wasn’t until the 1940s that Ealing Studios truly made its mark on the industry.
During this period, the studio produced a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” “The Lavender Hill Mob,” “The Man in the White Suit,” and “The Ladykillers.” These films were known for their sharp wit, clever storytelling, and memorable characters. They also helped establish the Ealing Studios brand as synonymous with high-quality British cinema.
But Ealing Studios wasn’t just known for its drama films, the studio also produced several popular comedy films, such as “Passport to Pimlico,” “The Titfield Thunderbolt,” and “Whisky Galore!” These films were light-hearted and entertaining, with a touch of satire, and they were adored by audiences worldwide.
And let’s not forget the posters! Ealing Studios posters from these films are considered iconic examples of British film poster design. They were designed to be simple yet striking, with bold typography and bright colours. The posters are highly sought after by collectors, and an authentic vintage Ealing Studios poster is a true gem for any cinema enthusiast.
#1 The Man in the White Suit was directed in 1951 by Alexander Mackendrick and starred Alec Guinness.
#2 The Lavender Hill Mob was made in 1951 and directed by Charles Crichton, starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway and featuring Sid James and Alfie Bass.
#3 The Gentle Gunman is a 1952 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Elizabeth Sellars.
#4 Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 British crime black comedy film.
#5 Whisky Galore! was made in 1949 and starred Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and Gordon Jackson.
#6 It Always Rains on Sunday made in 1947 was based on Arthur La Bern’s novel by the same name, directed by Robert Hamer.
#7 The Ladykillers was directed by Alexander Mackendrick in 1955.
#8 THE CRUEL SEA Poster for 1953 Ealing Studios film with Jack Hawkins
#9 The Titfield Thunderbolt was directed by Charles Crichton in 1953 and starred Stanley Holloway, Naunton Wayne, George Relph and John Gregson.
#10 The Bells Go Down is a 1943 black-and-white wartime film. The reference in the title is to the alarm bells in the fire station that “go down” when a call to respond is made.
#11 Out of the Clouds was directed by Basil Dearden in 1955 and starring Anthony Steel, Robert Beatty and James Robertson Justice.
#12 Nine Men.
#13 The Divided Heart is a 1954 British black-and-white drama film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Cornell Borchers, Yvonne Mitchell and Armin Dahlen.
#14 Davy is a 1958 British comedy-drama film directed by Michael Relph and starring Harry Secombe, Alexander Knox and Ron Randell.
#15 His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry and Susan Stephen.
#16 The Magnet is a 1950 British comedy film featuring Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh and in his first starring role James Fox (then billed as William Fox).
#17 Train of Events is a 1949 British portmanteau film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Sidney Cole, Charles Crichton and Basil Dearden.
#18 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (also known simply as Nicholas Nickleby) is a 1947 British drama film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and starring Cedric Hardwicke.
#19 Dead of Night is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios.
The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Sally Ann Howes and Michael Redgrave. The film is best remembered for the concluding story featuring Redgrave and an insane ventriloquist’s malevolent dummy
#20 Hue and Cry is a 1947 British film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Alastair Sim, Harry Fowler and Joan Dowling.
#21 Painted Boats (US titles The Girl on the Canal or The Girl of the Canal) is a black-and-white British film directed by Charles Crichton and released by Ealing Studios in 1945.
#22 Passport to Pimlico is a 1949 British comedy film made by Ealing Studios and starring Stanley Holloway, Margaret Rutherford and Hermione Baddeley.
It was directed by Henry Cornelius and written by T. E. B. Clarke. The story concerns the unearthing of treasure and documents that lead to a small part of Pimlico to be declared a legal part of the House of Burgundy, and therefore exempt from the post-war rationing or other bureaucratic restrictions active in Britain at the time.
#23 Meet Mr. Lucifer is a black-and-white British comedy satire film released in 1953 starring Stanley Holloway.
#24 The Love Lottery is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and starring David Niven, Peggy Cummins, Anne Vernon and Herbert Lom.
Produced by Ealing Studios it was one of several Ealing Comedies that veered away from the standard formula. The film examines celebrity and fan worship with an international setting including Lake Como, ambitious dream sequences, and an uncredited cameo appearance at the end by Humphrey Bogart as himself.
