Locarno Festival sheds light on an under-appreciated era of British cinema

Michael Powell's Peeping Tom (1960) is probably the most well-known film among the selection curated for Locarno's retrospective this year. Courtesy of Studiocanal

The period between 1945 and 1960 used to be considered the “doldrums” of filmmaking in Britain. The Locarno Film Festival’s retrospective aims to change this perception. By looking beyond period dramas, class stories or literary adaptations, this carefully curated selection of British postwar films tells of a pivotal moment in that country’s history.

This year’s Locarno Film Festival’s retrospective section, titled Great Expectations: British Postwar Cinema 1945–1960, offers a comprehensive exploration of British studio filmmaking during a period marked by national reconstruction and cultural transformation.

Eschewing period dramas and wartime narratives, the selection highlights contemporary-set films that reflect the complexities of postwar British society. It is curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht, in collaboration with the British Film Institute National Archive and the Cinémathèque Suisse, with support from STUDIOCANAL. 

Ehsan Khoshbakht during a presentation at the Vienna International Film Festival (Viennale), in 2023. Viennale

In an interview with Swissinfo, James Bell, senior curator at the BFI National Archive, discusses the importance of this era, the collaborative efforts behind the retrospective, and the relevance of these films in today’s cinematic landscape.

James Bell joined the BFI as senior curator of fiction in 2021, following many years as features editor at Sight and Sound magazine. He was also series editor of the BFI Compendium book series, whose titles include 39 Steps to the Genius of Hitchcock (2012), Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film (2013) and Electric Shadows: The History of Chinese Cinema (2014). He is on the editorial boards of both the BFI Classics and British Screen Stories book series. Bell is also a regular programmer of BFI Southbank’s biannual Deep Focus film seasons.

Swissinfo: How did the BFI become involved in this project?

James Bell Personal Archive

James Bell: The idea came from Ehsan Khoshbakht, the curator. We’ve known each other for years and have worked on various programmes together. The focus of the season – the exploration of postwar British reality through film – was very much his concept. Naturally, he approached the BFI because we hold prints of many of the films and could support the programme logistically and curatorially.

Ehsan worked closely with me and my colleague, Jo Botting, one of the leading experts on British cinema of this period. The three of us collaborated on refining his long list, assessing what we had in the archive, suggesting alternatives, and ensuring the final programme reflected both Ehsan’s vision and the archive’s strengths.

This retrospective is also timely because the BFI National Archive celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. It felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase some of our key holdings internationally.

Swissinfo: Why do you think this particular 15-year period in British cinema is less discussed internationally?

JB: This era falls between two well-recognised high points: the wartime films of [Michael] Powell and [Emeric] Pressburger and the emergence of the British New Wave around 1960. The postwar years have often been dismissed as a period of stagnation – Lindsay Anderson famously referred to them as the ‘doldrums’.

There were industrial struggles as well. Companies like Rank [a British entertainment conglomerate], which had been dominant, began to falter by the late 1940s. Despite this, a great deal of creative work was happening – films that were formally inventive, socially grounded, and often daring in their own right. But they didn’t always have the same international reach or stylistic boldness to gain immediate recognition.

Also, British directors of the period haven’t always been analysed through an auteurist lens in the same way American or European contemporaries have. That’s changing, and this programme helps to foreground their work in a new light.

The strongman striking the gong: Rank’s iconic trademark was recognised all over the world, before the opening credits of the production house’s films. Reproduction

Swissinfo: Could you elaborate a bit on how the British studio system worked in this period, and how it differed from Hollywood?

JB: After the war, 1946 was actually the biggest year for British cinema in terms of box office. Rank, which handled production, distribution, and exhibition, played a key role in that success. But by the late 1940s, Rank was in trouble. John Davis took over from J. Arthur Rank and shifted the focus from artistic freedom to financial control, significantly altering the atmosphere.

British cinema lacked the scale and vertically integrated structure of Hollywood. Rank was the dominant player, but companies like British Lion and Ealing Studios also had their heyday around 1949-50. By the mid-to-late 1950s, Hammer Films emerged as a significant success, especially in the US, with their horror productions.

At the same time, independent productions became more common, often relying on these larger companies for distribution. The creative environment changed with shifting leadership, finances, and audience demand.

Swissinfo: Were many of these films seen outside of Britain at the time?

JB: Some were. Ealing comedies were popular in the US, and Hammer’s horror films were major international hits. But many of the more grounded, noirish films didn’t travel as well. They often spoke specifically to British experiences, which may have limited their international reach.

That said, you can see the beginnings of the British New Wave forming during this period – the ‘angry young men’ of the late 1950s, as well as the Free Cinema movement led by Lindsay Anderson.

Swissinfo: One thing I found interesting about the programme is its emphasis on contemporary-set films. At first, I wondered if that approach might feel a bit restrictive, but in retrospect, it makes a lot of sense.

JB: Absolutely. I think one of the things it does, quite powerfully, is challenge some of the prevailing international perceptions of British cinema – namely, that it’s all period dramas, class stories, or literary adaptations.

Swissinfo: Yes, the notion that British cinema is dominated by costume dramas or films set in historical settings still holds sway in many circles, especially outside the UK.

JB: Right. And while those films certainly exist and have their place – think of Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare adaptations or David Lean’s Great Expectations – this programme deliberately avoids them. Instead, it focuses on films that were contemporary to their moment, capturing post-war Britain as it was.

Swissinfo: That helps shift the narrative, doesn’t it?

JB: Exactly. The early Gainsborough melodramas, for example, often seen as ‘women’s pictures’, were hugely popular but have sometimes been dismissed critically. While most of those were wartime productions, this programme moves beyond them. By not leaning on the familiar tropes, it opens up space for reconsidering what British cinema of that era actually encompassed.

Swissinfo: Are documentaries and shorts also included in the programme?

JB: Yes, Ehsan was keen to include some short documentaries alongside the features. One example is The Elephant Will Never Forget (1953), a beautifully melancholic short about the last tram ride through London. While most of the films are narrative features, many also carry strong elements of realism, especially in their use of urban and post-Blitz landscapes. In that sense, the line between fiction and documentary often blurs.

Swissinfo: Martin Scorsese recently curated a programme of British films at the BFIExternal link. Is there any overlap with this retrospective?

JB: Yes, there is some overlap. Scorsese compiled a list of lesser-known British films at the request of Edgar Wright. We built a season around it at the BFI. That list, like Ehsan’s, highlights a growing interest in re-evaluating this period. It’s exciting to see these films being appreciated anew, both in the UK and internationally.

Swissinfo: Some of the directors in this era, like Cy Endfield or Joseph Losey, were American émigrés or blacklisted. What impact did that have?

JB: Absolutely – figures like Endfield and Losey brought a fresh, outsider’s perspective to British life, which you can feel in their work. Beyond that, many films from this period had an international crew – European DOPs [directors of photography], for example, who brought a different visual sensibility. Otto Heller, who shot Peeping Tom (1960) and Temptation Harbour (1947), had a background in German cinema, and you can see that in the noir aesthetic. While these films are distinctly British in subject, an international undercurrent runs through many of them.

A scene from Hell Drivers (1957). Courtesy of Park Circus ITV Studios

Swissinfo: Do you have any personal recommendations – hidden gems from the programme?

JB: Temptation Harbour is one I’d highlight – a coastal noir directed by Lance Comfort and shot by Otto Heller. It’s atmospheric and beautifully made. Daughter of Darkness (1948) is another Lance Comfort film, characterised by its psychological intensity and stylistic uniqueness.

The Yellow Balloon (1953) by J. Lee Thompson is very strong, especially in its portrayal of London’s post-war urban landscape. Hell Drivers is terrific. Pool of London (1951), by Basil Dearden, is another standout for its use of location and social context.

Swissinfo: Does this programme aim to revise or expand the understanding of British film history?

JB: That’s certainly the hope. Internationally, this era has been undervalued. If this retrospective encourages programmers, critics, or audiences to re-evaluate it or to explore more about individual filmmakers and their works, then that’s a significant achievement.

The seeds of the British New Wave were sown in this period. Understanding these films helps make sense of what came after and reframes what British cinema was capable of during those supposedly ‘quiet’ years.

A scene from Pool of London (1951). Courtesy of Studiocanal Films Ltd.

Edited by Catherine Hickley/gw