Rennie

Just been watching a local South West TV programme about the life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The documentary showed scenes from a black and white film ( British??? c 1930's???) with Brunel being played by an actor whom I positively thought was a very young Donald Wolfit. According to IMDb he never appeared in such a film. Anyone any idea as to the film and the actor?

Oh yes, before anyone suggests it, the scenes were definitely taken from a motion picture, and not a modern sepia grained reconstruction, as is the norm these days in British TV documentaries!!!!!!!

[ 26. March 2004, 21:24: Message edited by: DB7 ]

Steve Crook

The IMDb also allows a search by character name. But a search for Brunel only finds Jeremy Clarkson as presenter of the Brunel section of the "Greatest Britons" vote last year and some Frenchmen. No sign of a film with IK Brunel as a character.

But the IMDb doesn't list every film that has ever been made (although that's what they're working towards) so don't give up the search.

A call to South West TV could at least get you a contact with the people who made the documentary - they would know :)

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

glyn horton

The film is a drama/documentary made in 1935 called The Romance of a Railway, a promotional film made by the Great Western Railway to celebrate it's centenary. Directed by Walter Creighton, it starred Donald Wolfit but he played the locomotive designer Daniel Gooch. Carl Harbard played Brunel. I remember going to a couple of archive filmshows in Cardiff and seeing clips of this film. I can't think why imdb don't list it-perhaps because it was a non studio promo film?

Steve Crook

Some films aren't listed by the IMDb just because nobody has ever told them about it :)

They do rely on contributions from people like us to help complete their database. That's one reason why I like it so much, it lets everyone share what they know.

I'll add the details about this one. Expect to see it there in a month or two.

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Steve Crook

Correction.
It can't be added because they have tightened up their rules so that they don't get flooded with student films which aren't shown anywhere.

The web site at http://www.britishtransportfilms.co.uk/his...istory/GWR.html says that it was just 40 minutes (so it counts as a short) and has never been shown in full in public anywhere. It was just shown to a private audience at Paddington Station.

The IMDb will only include a short film if it's had a public screening at a cinema or at a festival.

A shame, but without those details I can't get it included.

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Rennie

Many, many thanks for all of you in helping me identify this film. It is much appreciated. I am quite glad that I had at least identified Donald Wolfit as being in the cast. Seems that the South West TV company made a mistake, as they clearly were identifying the character of Daniel Gooch, as that of being Brunel. I, too, had tried to find the film title by using IDMb, and it was interesting to discover that no full length feature film has ever been made about this great man.

David K.

If it helps, 'The Romance of a Railway' is available on video. It's on 'Archive Railway Films' Volume 6 (Transport Video Publishing)- along with other GWR publicity films of the period. I expect you'd need to go to a specialist in railway videos to get it.