Can you name this film - or cast and crew?

[mazzie74]

Hi,

I have received a wonderful photo of the cast and crew of a British Film.

Can anybody name the film, or maybe any of the cast or crew?

I know that the gentleman standing back row 2nd from the left is my ancestor, Andrew Mazzei (1887-1975), who was a British Film Art Director.

Also, the gentleman seated on the left with a walking stick is V. Gareth Gundrey, Film Director/ Producer / Script Writer.

I don't know anybody else in the photo.

Andrew and Gareth worked on a few films together.

I was trying to find a match with a cast member that played a Reverend or vicar, and I have found 2 - What money Can Buy 1928 and The Physician 1928.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Darin, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[smudge]

I can't name the film - I am sure Penfold will be able to once he sees this - but I just had to say lucky you, having such a direct family connection to the industry. Have you done a lot of research into that connection? In my travels I meet a number of older people, some of whom have quite remarkable stories to tell and it drives me to distraction that (when I ask) they have never recorded their memories, not even for their immediate family. I hope your relative did pass on his stories over the years.

Smudge

[Steve Crook]

Hi,

I have received a wonderful photo of the cast and crew of a British Film.

Can anybody name the film, or maybe any of the cast or crew?

It looks like a bad cut & paste job. The lighting is different on different faces, some of the faces aren't quite the right size for their bodies & there's still a white outline behind the man with big hair 2nd from the right.

Steve

[Mr Sloane]

It looks like a bad cut & paste job. The lighting is different on different faces, some of the faces aren't quite the right size for their bodies & there's still a white outline behind the man with big hair 2nd from the right.

Steve

I agree Ian Hunter is in the middle at that the back in a snap taken years after the others,

I have just had a thought this is a sneaky way to bring back the quizzes is it ?

[mazzie74]

Hi,

This photo was given to me by a friend of the daughter of V. Gareth Gundrey.

She has many film stills in her possession, but this is the only one that has my ancestor, Andrew Mazzei on it.


I have done a lot of research into Andrew's life, and have found that besides working on British Films, he also designed, and produced the plaster work for many rooms in the Blackpool Tower & Winter Gardens in the 1930's.

I was contacted by a lady from Blackpool Council, who wanted information on the work Andrew had done, as they wanted to preserve the rooms that he designed.

They have now opened a cafe in the Tower & Winter Gardens called "The Mazzei Cafe" in his memory.

Thanks,

Darin.

[Steve Crook]

Hi,

This photo was given to me by a friend of the daughter of V. Gareth Gundrey.

She has many film stills in her possession, but this is the only one that has my ancestor, Andrew Mazzei on it.


I have done a lot of research into Andrew's life, and have found that besides working on British Films, he also designed, and produced the plaster work for many rooms in the Blackpool Tower & Winter Gardens in the 1930's.

I was contacted by a lady from Blackpool Council, who wanted information on the work Andrew had done, as they wanted to preserve the rooms that he designed.

They have now opened a cafe in the Tower & Winter Gardens called "The Mazzei Cafe" in his memory.

Thanks,

Darin.

Very nice, and it's good that he's been remembered like that. But that photo is still a cut & paste job.
I think some of them could have been there, but a lot weren't.

Steve

[mazzie74]

Hi again,

I sent the picture to the BFI, and they have told me that the film is "The Physician" (1928).

The people they recognised were:-

Andrew Mazzei - standing 2nd left - Art Director on The Physician;

Georg Jacoby - standing 4th left - Director on The Physician;

Ian Hunter - standing 5th left - Played Dr. Carey in The Physician;

Gaetano di Ventimiglia (Baron Ventimiglia) - 3rd from right (with arm draped over guy in fronts shoulder) - Cinematographer on The Physician;

David Lean - 2nd from right at back - Assistant Director on The Physician;

V. Gareth Gundrey - seated left - Producer on The Physician;

Elga Brink - lady in centre - Played Edana Hindle in The Physician.



I have also found that a Henry Vibart played the character of Rev. Peregrine Hindle in The Physician, so I would imagine that the guy standing 3rd from left is him.



Maurice Elvey was also a Producer on The Physician - does anybody recognise him in the photo?


I have also asked the BFI about the possibility of the photo being a cut and paste job.

Thanks,

Darin.

[Nick Dando]

I don't see it as a faked photo. The white edging around the head of the chap (David Lean) on the second left is caused by the sheer amount of brilliantine he's using on his hair. The hair is so thick and glossy and it is catching the main overhead lighting, that appears to be coming from top-right, and slightly behind the sitters, causing the shadowing of some of the faces. There's a bit of fill light for the lady in the centre, coming from the middle right (you can see the shadow of her head on the jacket of the man behind her, who looks a little like Eisenstein to me).

Nick

[cornershop15]

I'm glad you got back to us with some of those names. What a surprise to discover one of them is David Lean. The vicar must be Henry Vibart. Is that Miles Mander folding his arms? I'm more used to seeing him with a moustache. Maurice Elvey far left? He directed three of Diana Dors' films.

Several of those involved with The Physician worked together the previous year on a film called The Fake: Germans Georg Jacoby and Elga Brink, Miles Mander and Julie Suedo. Also in this film was Henry Edwards. The photographs I've just seen of him look very much like the man at the end (next to David Lean).

[DB7]

I'd agree with Steve, a number of heads to to have been added at the neckline.

[Steve Crook]

I don't see it as a faked photo. The white edging around the head of the chap (David Lean) on the second left is caused by the sheer amount of brilliantine he's using on his hair. The hair is so thick and glossy and it is catching the main overhead lighting, that appears to be coming from top-right, and slightly behind the sitters, causing the shadowing of some of the faces. There's a bit of fill light for the lady in the centre, coming from the middle right (you can see the shadow of her head on the jacket of the man behind her, who looks a little like Eisenstein to me).

Nick

The man standing behind the woman is the biggest give-away. His head is much too big for his body. He would need a neck brace to be able to support a head that big

The lighting on quite a few of them is very different. Some of them, like Ian Hunter, have a strong light above and in front of them, others have a light to the right or to the left

Steve

[cornershop15]

Maybe this photograph combines some of the cast and crew of both films, The Physician and The Fake (aptly-named in the case of the latter). If I'm right about Mr. Edwards, it's even more likely!

[Steve Crook]

David Lean - 2nd from right at back - Assistant Director on The Physician;

Why doesn't that person look anything like other photos of David Lean from the period?




Steve

[will.15]

I think that could be the same person. Smiling can change a face, Many of the features are similar, but I really am no expert on David Lean. The more I look the more I think it is the same person. The other two pictures don't show his teeth.

I think it is the same guy. Look at the ears.

[Freddy]

When I first saw this picture I thought heavens what is T E Lawrence doing in that photo standing next to Ian Hunter, then to find out it is David Lean is strange to say the least,
however imo it is not David Lean. According to imdb Ian Hunter was six foot and Lean was six foot one and our chap is clearly smaller than Ian Hunter also he simply doesn't look like David Lean.
Therefore I come back to T E Lawrence who was five foot five, looking at photos of him in 1928 there is a similarity (sadly I can't put one in here as I have not got my computer) although he would still have been in the armed forces and overseas iirc. Everyone else is wearing collar and tie whereas T E is in polo neck and sports jacket which he sometimes wore. Could it be that he was actually there or DL put him in for whatever reason or of course it might not be him. Sadly as my books on him are in storage for the time being I cannot look for any connections but may come back to this later.

regards

Freddy

[will.15]

That can't be T E Lawrence if he was five foot five. He has several inches on the man he has his hand on.

Also he has his head cocked which makes it difficult to judge his height.

[Freddy]

That can't be T E Lawrence if he was five foot five. He has several inches on the man he has his hand on.

Also he has his head cocked which makes it difficult to judge his height.

The gentleman he has his hand on is not standing up but sitting on what looks to be the arm of a chair similar to the person fartherest right in the picture.