The Magic Box
The Magic Box is a 1951 British, Technicolor, biographical drama film, directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William FrieseGreene, with a host of cameo appearances by such actors as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier. It was produced by Ronald Neame and distributed by British Lion Film Corporation. The film was a project of the Festival of Britain and adapted by Eric Ambler from the controversial biography by Ray Allister.
In 1921, William FrieseGreene, in dire financial straits and separated from his wife, but still working, attends a film conference in London. He is saddened that all the attendees are businessmen interested only in moneymaking. He attempts to speak, but noone is interested and he sits down. He thinks back to his early pioneering days.Young Willie works as an assistant to photographer Maurice Guttenberg, who will not let him take portraits his way. He leaves and, with his new wife, a client of his former employer, he opens a studio. After a slow start, he does well and opens other studios, but he is more interested in developing moving pictures and colour films. He singlemindedly works on his ideas, spending more and more money, and is eventually declared bankrupt. With the coming of World War I, their sons one under age enlist in the army to relieve their parents of the burden of providing for them. ........
Source: Wikipedia
