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Director
David Lean
Defining Films
Summertime
Great Expectations
: American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.
: American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.
David Lean: A Life in Film
David Lean: A Life in Film
: British Film Institute Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement.
: British Film Institute Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement.
Profile
Sir David Lean (25 March 1908 – 16 April 1991) was an English filmmaker and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of British cinema. He directed the large-scale epics The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970), and A Passage to India (1984). He also directed the film adaptations of Charles Dickens novels Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), as well as the romantic drama Brief Encounter (1945).
Critical Essay (Excerpt)
b. March 25, 1908, Croydon, Surrey, England d. April 16, 1991, London, England
In Their Own Words
David Lean was the ultimate influence on me because of his sense of scale, his characterization within scale, and his dramatic structure in films like Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and Ryan's Daughter.
Filmography (33)
Summertime
Great Expectations
: American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.
: American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.
David Lean: A Life in Film
David Lean: A Life in Film
: British Film Institute Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement.
: British Film Institute Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement.
: Directors Guild of America “D.W. Griffith Award” for Outstanding Achievement and Lifetime Contributions to Film.
: Directors Guild of America “D.W. Griffith Award” for Outstanding Achievement and Lifetime Contributions to Film.
![In Which We Serve (, Two Cities Films) Directors: Noel Coward, David Lean. Producer: Noel Coward. Associate Producer: Anthony Havelock-Allan. Screenplay: Noel Coward. Adaptation [Uncredited]: David Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame. Director of Photography: Ronald Neame. Art Director: David Rawsley. Music: Noel Coward. Editors: [David Lean], Thelma Myers. Cast: Noel Coward (Captain Kinross), Bernard Miles (Chief Walter Hardy), John Mills (Shorty Blake), Celia Johnson (Mrs. Kinross), Kay Walsh (Freda Lewis), Joyce Carey (Mrs. Hardy), Leslie Howard (Narrator [Uncredited]). Running time: ll5 minutes. Distribution: British Lion (Great Britain) and United Artists (United States). Released September 17, (G.B.); October 1, (U.S.). Filmed from February to June, at Denham Studios and on location in Hertfordshire at a cost of £240,000. Special Certificate from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to Noel Coward for production achievement.](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/i4SkM1rzBROLt9d33u0KGr2SVVm.jpg)
In Which We Serve (, Two Cities Films) Directors: Noel Coward, David Lean. Producer: Noel Coward. Associate Producer: Anthony Havelock-Allan. Screenplay: Noel Coward. Adaptation [Uncredited]: David Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Ronald Neame. Director of Photography: Ronald Neame. Art Director: David Rawsley. Music: Noel Coward. Editors: [David Lean], Thelma Myers. Cast: Noel Coward (Captain Kinross), Bernard Miles (Chief Walter Hardy), John Mills (Shorty Blake), Celia Johnson (Mrs. Kinross), Kay Walsh (Freda Lewis), Joyce Carey (Mrs. Hardy), Leslie Howard (Narrator [Uncredited]). Running time: ll5 minutes. Distribution: British Lion (Great Britain) and United Artists (United States). Released September 17, (G.B.); October 1, (U.S.). Filmed from February to June, at Denham Studios and on location in Hertfordshire at a cost of £240,000. Special Certificate from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to Noel Coward for production achievement.
The Wife of General Ling (Ladislas Vajda
The Wife of General Ling (Ladislas Vajda
The Southbank Show: Lean and Bolt
The Southbank Show: Lean and Bolt
Champlin on Film: Lawrence of Arabia Restored (Z Channel Los Angeles, ). Produced by Susan Aldisert. Directed by Bob Worden. Hosted by Charles Champlin.
Champlin on Film: Lawrence of Arabia Restored (Z Channel Los Angeles, ). Produced by Susan Aldisert. Directed by Bob Worden. Hosted by Charles Champlin.
: Special Tribute at Cannes.
: Special Tribute at Cannes.
: Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
: Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
David Lean, A Self-Portrait (Pyramid Films, ). Produced and Directed by Thomas Craven.
David Lean, A Self-Portrait (Pyramid Films, ). Produced and Directed by Thomas Craven.
: Elected the first Chairman of the newly-formed British Film Academy.
: Elected the first Chairman of the newly-formed British Film Academy.
Pocket), Ivor Barnard (Wemmick), Freda Jackson (Mrs. Joe Gargery), Torin Thatcher (Bentley Drummle. Running time: 118 minutes. Distribution: General Film Distributors (G.B.); Universal-International (U.S.). Released December 26, (G.B.); April 24, (U.S.). Filmed from September, to April, at Denham Studios and on location around London (Rochester and the Thames Estuary) at a cost of £385,000. Academy Awards ® for black and white Cinematography and Art Direction; nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay.
Pocket), Ivor Barnard (Wemmick), Freda Jackson (Mrs. Joe Gargery), Torin Thatcher (Bentley Drummle. Running time: 118 minutes. Distribution: General Film Distributors (G.B.); Universal-International (U.S.). Released December 26, (G.B.); April 24, (U.S.). Filmed from September, to April, at Denham Studios and on location around London (Rochester and the Thames Estuary) at a cost of £385,000. Academy Awards ® for black and white Cinematography and Art Direction; nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay.
Major Barbara (Gabriel Pascal, ) Assistants to Direction: Harold French and David Lean. Montage by David Lean. Edited by Charles Frend.
Major Barbara (Gabriel Pascal, ) Assistants to Direction: Harold French and David Lean. Montage by David Lean. Edited by Charles Frend.
One of our Aircraft is Missing (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
One of our Aircraft is Missing (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Spies of the Air (David MacDonald
Spies of the Air (David MacDonald
French Without Tears (Anthony Asquith
French Without Tears (Anthony Asquith
Pygmalion (Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard
Pygmalion (Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard
Turn of the Tide (Norman Walker, ) uncredited
Turn of the Tide (Norman Walker, ) uncredited
Java Head (J. Walter Ruben, ) Edited by Thorold Dickinson and David Lean
Java Head (J. Walter Ruben, ) Edited by Thorold Dickinson and David Lean
The Secret of The Loch (Milton Rosmer
The Secret of The Loch (Milton Rosmer
Dangerous Ground (Norman Walker
Dangerous Ground (Norman Walker
Tiger Bay (J. Elder Wills, ) Edited by David Lean and Ian Thomson
Tiger Bay (J. Elder Wills, ) Edited by David Lean and Ian Thomson
The Ghost Camera (Bernard Vorhaus
The Ghost Camera (Bernard Vorhaus
Insult (Harry Lachman, ) Directed by.
Insult (Harry Lachman, ) Directed by.
These Charming People (Louis Mercanton, ) Directed by.
These Charming People (Louis Mercanton, ) Directed by.
Spy for a Day (Mario Zampi
Spy for a Day (Mario Zampi
The Night Porter (Sewell Collins, ) Directed by.
The Night Porter (Sewell Collins, ) Directed by.
Balaclava (Maurice Elvey and Milton Rosmer, ) Lean was also set costumer.
Balaclava (Maurice Elvey and Milton Rosmer, ) Lean was also set costumer.
High Treason (Maurice Elvey
High Treason (Maurice Elvey
Sailors Don’t Care (W.P. Kellino
Sailors Don’t Care (W.P. Kellino