Ronald Neame
Birthday: 23 April 1911, London, England, UK
A British filmmaker who, over the years, worked as assistant director, cinematographer, producer, writer and ultimately director, Ronald Neame was born on April 23, 1911. His father, Elwin Neame, was ...Show More
I consider myself a good craftsman. I know my job. I was brought up in a school to make films a cert Show more
I consider myself a good craftsman. I know my job. I was brought up in a school to make films a certain way. The most important thing you learn as a director is not to direct too much. You must force the audience to work too. Hide
[About his working relationship with J. Arthur Rank] I always remember him as a rather big man, but Show more
[About his working relationship with J. Arthur Rank] I always remember him as a rather big man, but that may be because I was a very slim, young man at the time. He wasn't fat. I remember a mustache, a good-natured face. You know when you met him that this was a good man. And so we started to choose subjects, prepare scripts, and knew that we had a lovely studio to shoot them in. And we knew nobody was going to say, "This won't go in America," or "This doesn't seem too good," or "This costs too much." None of that. We didn't make films with an American market in mind, which quite frankly would have been fatal. Even today I think that if Britain tries to make a film that will go well in America, it's a mistake. They are making films in England, and they should make the film they believe in. Hide
[About the early 40s] At that time everybody was asking why it was that America could shoot 20 setup Show more
[About the early 40s] At that time everybody was asking why it was that America could shoot 20 setups a day and in England we seemed to only manage about nine? It was partly union problems - too many cups of tea in the afternoon - but it was also equipment. We were very, very short of cameras. Hide
[on David Lean] "If he heard his best friend was dying while he was on the set, I doubt if he'd take Show more
[on David Lean] "If he heard his best friend was dying while he was on the set, I doubt if he'd take it in. Once he's started a film, there's really nothing else in his life." Hide
[About Alexander Korda] I once had a meeting with him. I remember thinking, Korda can make you think Show more
[About Alexander Korda] I once had a meeting with him. I remember thinking, Korda can make you think black is white, or white is black that he would say at a meeting, "Well, you see, black is white, Ronnie." And you'd say, "Yes, yes." And then halfway up Brook Street after you'd left, you'd say, "Well, no. That's not so. Black isn't white." Hide
[on British quota quickies] Many were made in a week... one take for each scene. The cinemas ran the Show more
[on British quota quickies] Many were made in a week... one take for each scene. The cinemas ran them in the mornings to fulfill the requirement. What killed them off? Well, the Dominions started making them even cheaper, and the government simply gave up. Hide
I was never comfortable in the limelight. I am the first to admit some of my recent films have been Show more
I was never comfortable in the limelight. I am the first to admit some of my recent films have been among my weakest, but that is the fault of changes in the industry. It wasn't in my temperament to retire as David Lean did for such a lengthy period. I remain the determined optimist, hopeful that my brand of small, character study portraits will eventually come back into favor. Hide
