Career Alexander Korda

1 career

1.1 hungary
1.2 vienna , berlin
1.3 hollywood
1.4 britain
1.5 post-war career
1.6 death

career
hungary

after death of father korda began writing film reviews support family. korda changed family name kellner korda—from latin phrase sursum corda means lift hearts.

korda became important film figure through film magazines pesti mozi, mozihét , világ. led invitations write film screenplays.

korda s first film script watchhouse in carpathians (1914). when first world war broke out, korda excused military service in austrian army because of bad eyesight. korda went work @ pedagogical studio in budapest , co-directed 3 films gyula zilahy.

korda established film company named corvin film, building 1 of largest in hungary. in october 1919, korda arrested during white terror followed overthrow of short-lived communist government, hungarian democratic republic, because of participation in government. after release, left hungary austria, , never returned country of birth.

vienna , berlin

korda s first wife actress maría corda, starred in many of silent films in europe , america.

during next eleven years, korda made films in several countries, working in vienna, berlin, london , paris before moving hollywood in 1940. worked closely many artists on films, including hungarian friend, painter , set designer emile lahner.

after leaving hungary, korda accepted invitation count alexander kolowrat work company sascha-film in austrian capital vienna. korda worked alongside kolowrat, had attracted several leading hungarian , german directors employment, on 1920 historical epic prince , pauper. film major international success , inspired korda idea of making international films global box office appeal.

korda s next 2 films, masters of sea (1922) , vanished world (1922), both nautical-set adventures based on hungarian novels. stage, korda had grown irritated kolowrat s interference work , left sascha make independent film, samson , delilah (1922), set in world of opera. film made on lavish scale, large crowd scenes. lengthy shooting schedule lasted 160 working days. film not success.

unable find further backing film projects, korda left vienna , travelled germany. korda raised funding melodrama unknown tomorrow (1923). backing germany s biggest film company, ufa, korda returned vienna make s woman (1924). while there, began work on next film, historical tragedy in house of habsburg (1924), portrayed mayerling incident. earned around half of production cost. followed dancing mad (1925), melodrama.

korda had frequent problems money, , had receive support friends , business associates. korda had cast wife maria corda female lead in german-language films , large degree, productions depended on star power. growing tension in marriage came head after moved united states.

they settled in hollywood, film capital. korda cast again in modern dubarry (1927), adapted life story of madame du barry, based on original screenplay lajos biro. film may have intended highlight maria corda s star potential hollywood. korda made final german film madame wants no children (1926) american studio s fox s berlin-based subsidiary. although made later, released before modern dubarry.

hollywood

in december 1926 after receiving joint contract offer american studio first national, korda , wife sailed united states on board steamer olympic. once reached hollywood, both struggled adapt studio system. korda had wait time before gaining first directorial assignment. first american film drama titled stolen bride (1927). korda chosen hungarian-themed romance peasant s love countess. film starred american actress billie dove, rather korda s wife.

after stolen bride s moderate success, korda brought in work on comedy private life of helen of troy (1927), replacing previous director, george fitzmaurice. film retells story of helen of troy, parodying plot-line of historical epics of era transforming classical characters everyday people modern problems. film significant success korda, wife playing role of helen. after film, however, korda became pigeon-holed director of female stars , exotic foreign locations. given similar assignments remainder of time in hollywood. film satisfying work in united states , provided template later success in britain.

korda s next few films yellow lily (1928), night watch (1928), , love , devil (1929) disappointments career lost momentum. latter 2 both silent films, had sound effects , music added soundtracks part of hollywood s transitional phase of technology following success of sound film jazz singer. korda s next film squall (1929) first talkie , featured hungarian setting. although, many other directors, korda had misgivings new technology, adapted making sound films.

korda s marriage strained in hollywood. arrival of sound films wrecked wife s career heavy accent made unemployable american studios films. love , devil last of korda s films appeared in, , made 2 more films. became increasingly resentful of switch in relationship career on while korda, had once relied on production of films, relatively flourishing. marriage collapsed, , divorced in 1930.

korda made 2 more sound films @ first national: private life (1929) , lilies of field (1930), both of remakes of earlier silent films. gradually korda grew more frustrated in hollywood came dislike studio system. hoped save enough money return europe , begin producing on large scale there, lavish personal spending , large amounts lost in wall street crash prevented this. when producer ned marin moved first national fox film corporation, korda followed him. korda s new contract gave him $100,000 year.

his first film fox, women everywhere (1930), cost more of programmers had directed in united states. collaborated several figures contribute future success in britain. korda offered series of scripts, of disliked, before agreed make princess , plumber (1930). korda s reluctance make film led conflict studio bosses, brought end first period in hollywood.

britain

in 1932 korda founded london films big ben company logo. company s releases included private life of henry viii (1933), nominated academy award best picture, , rembrandt (1936), both of starred charles laughton , directed korda. other successes included 4 feathers (1939), q planes (1939), , thief of bagdad (1940). korda s younger brothers zoltán, film director, , vincent, art director, involved projects.

korda bought property in denham, buckinghamshire, including hills house, , planned build film studios on property. london film s denham film studios financed prudential , opened in 1936. korda naturalised british subject on 28 october 1936. same year, korda important contributor moyne commission, formed protect british film production competition, united states. korda said: if american interests obtained control of british production companies may make british pictures here pictures made american made in hollywood. on verge of forming british school of film making in country.

by 1939, michael powell had been hired contract director korda on strength of edge of world. korda set him work on projects such burmese silver subsequently cancelled. nonetheless, powell brought in save film being made vehicle 2 of korda s star players, conrad veidt , valerie hobson. film spy in black, powell first met emeric pressburger.

korda, though, had financial difficulties , management of denham complex merged pinewood in 1939, becoming part of rank organisation.

the outbreak of world war ii in europe meant thief of bagdad had completed in hollywood, korda based again few years. while in united states, korda produced , directed hamilton woman (1941) , supervised jungle book (1942), live action version of kipling story, directed zoltán korda.

on 22 september 1942, korda knighted @ buckingham palace george vi contribution war effort, first film director receive honour.

he returned britain in 1943 production chief of mgm-london films, £35 million, 10-year programme. scheme ended after 1 year, 1 film , £1million loss mgm.

post-war career

via london films, korda bought controlling interest in british lion films. produced such films third man (1949).

in 1948 korda received advance payment of £375,000, largest single payment received british film company, 3 movies, ideal husband (1947), anna karenina (1948) , mine own executioner (1948). released 3 other films, bonnie prince charlie (1948), winslow boy (1948) , fallen idol (1948). of these films did others expensive failures. korda badly hurt trade war between british , american film industries in late 1940s. in 1948 korda signed co-production deal david o. selznick.

korda did recover, in part due £3 million loan british lion received national film finance corporation. in 1954 received £5 million city investing corporation of new york, enabling him keep producing movies until death. last film laurence olivier s adaptation of richard iii (1955).

a draft screenplay of became red shoes written emeric pressburger in 1930s korda , intended vehicle merle oberon, whom korda later married. screenplay bought michael powell , pressburger, made j. arthur rank. during 1950s, korda reportedly expressed interest in producing james bond film based upon ian fleming s novel live , let die, no agreement ever reached.

death

korda died @ age of 62 in london in 1956 of heart attack , cremated. ashes @ golders green crematorium in london.