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British Cinema's Golden Era: The Ealing Studios Movie Posters of the 1940s and 1950s

Ealing Studios was a British film production company based in the West London suburb of Ealing. The studio was active from the 1930s to the 1960s and was known for producing a wide range of films, including comedies, dramas, and thrillers.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Ealing Studios produced several notable films that have become classics of British cinema. Some of the most famous films from this period include “Kind Hearts and Coronets” (1949), “The Lavender Hill Mob” (1951), and “The Ladykillers” (1955). These films were known for their sharp wit, clever plots, and memorable characters.

The movie posters produced by Ealing Studios during this period were designed to promote these films and attract audiences to the theatres. They were typically large, colorful, and eye-catching, featuring imagery and typography that was designed to capture the essence of the film’s themes and characters. The posters often featured illustrations or photographs of the film’s stars, as well as bold, attention-grabbing headlines and taglines.

The Ealing Studios movie posters from the 1940s and 1950s are considered an important part of the studio’s legacy and part of the history of British cinema. They are now highly sought after by collectors and considered valuable pieces of cultural heritage. They are considered an important part of the studio’s legacy and are highly sought after by collectors. They are also considered valuable pieces of cultural heritage that help tell the story of British cinema during that period.

#1 The Man in the White Suit was directed in 1951 by Alexander Mackendrick and starred Alec Guinness.

#2 The Lavender Hill Mob was made in 1951 and directed by Charles Crichton, starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway and featuring Sid James and Alfie Bass.

#3 The Gentle Gunman is a 1952 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Elizabeth Sellars

The Gentle Gunman is a 1952 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Elizabeth Sellars

The film is based on a 1950 play of the same title by Roger MacDougall.

#4 Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 British crime black comedy film.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 British crime black comedy film.

It features Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson and Alec Guinness; Guinness plays nine characters. The plot is loosely based on the novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal (1907) by Roy Horniman.

#5 Whisky Galore! was made in 1949 and starred Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and Gordon Jackson.

Whisky Galore! was made in 1949 and starred Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and Gordon Jackson.

It was the directorial debut of Alexander Mackendrick; the screenplay was by Compton Mackenzie, an adaptation of his 1947 novel Whisky Galore, and Angus MacPhail.

#6 It Always Rains on Sunday made in 1947 was based on Arthur La Bern’s novel by the same name, directed by Robert Hamer.

#7 The Ladykillers was directed by Alexander Mackendrick in 1955.

The Ladykillers was directed by Alexander Mackendrick in 1955.

It stars Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, and Katie Johnson as the old lady, Mrs. Wilberforce.

#8 THE CRUEL SEA Poster for 1953 Ealing Studios film with Jack Hawkins

#9 The Titfield Thunderbolt was directed by Charles Crichton in 1953 and starred Stanley Holloway, Naunton Wayne, George Relph and John Gregson.

#10 The Bells Go Down is a 1943 black-and-white wartime film. The reference in the title is to the alarm bells in the fire station that “go down” when a call to respond is made.

#11 Out of the Clouds was directed by Basil Dearden in 1955 and starring Anthony Steel, Robert Beatty and James Robertson Justice.

Out of the Clouds was directed by Basil Dearden in 1955 and starring Anthony Steel, Robert Beatty and James Robertson Justice.

An Ealing Studios production, the film is composed of small stories dealing with the passengers and crew on a day at London Airport (the name of Heathrow Airport 1946–1966).

#13 The Divided Heart is a 1954 British black-and-white drama film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Cornell Borchers, Yvonne Mitchell and Armin Dahlen.

The Divided Heart is a 1954 British black-and-white drama film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Cornell Borchers, Yvonne Mitchell and Armin Dahlen.

The film is based on a true story of a child, whose father was a member of Slovenian Partisans executed by Nazis and whose mother was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

#14 Davy is a 1958 British comedy-drama film directed by Michael Relph and starring Harry Secombe, Alexander Knox and Ron Randell.

Davy is a 1958 British comedy-drama film directed by Michael Relph and starring Harry Secombe, Alexander Knox and Ron Randell.

It was the last comedy to be made by Ealing Studios and had the distinction of being the first British film in Technicolor

#15 His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry and Susan Stephen.

His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry and Susan Stephen.

It follows a blunt Yorkshireman and former trade union leader, who is sent to take over as Governor of a British-ruled island in the Mediterranean.

#16 The Magnet is a 1950 British comedy film featuring Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh and in his first starring role James Fox (then billed as William Fox).

#17 Train of Events is a 1949 British portmanteau film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Sidney Cole, Charles Crichton and Basil Dearden.

Train of Events is a 1949 British portmanteau film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Sidney Cole, Charles Crichton and Basil Dearden.

It begins with a train that is heading for a crash into a stalled petrol tanker at a level crossing and then flashes back and tells four different stories about some of the passengers.

#18 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (also known simply as Nicholas Nickleby) is a 1947 British drama film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and starring Cedric Hardwicke.

#19 Dead of Night is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios.

Dead of Night is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios.

The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Sally Ann Howes and Michael Redgrave. The film is best remembered for the concluding story featuring Redgrave and an insane ventriloquist’s malevolent dummy.

#20 Hue and Cry is a 1947 British film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Alastair Sim, Harry Fowler and Joan Dowling.

Hue and Cry is a 1947 British film directed by Charles Crichton and starring Alastair Sim, Harry Fowler and Joan Dowling.

It is generally considered to be the first of the Ealing comedies, although it is better characterised as a thriller for children.

#21 Painted Boats (US titles The Girl on the Canal or The Girl of the Canal) is a black-and-white British film directed by Charles Crichton and released by Ealing Studios in 1945.

Painted Boats (US titles The Girl on the Canal or The Girl of the Canal) is a black-and-white British film directed by Charles Crichton and released by Ealing Studios in 1945.

Painted Boats, one of the lesser-known Ealing films of the period, is brief (63 minutes long), uses a little-known cast and has a slight storyline

#22 Passport to Pimlico is a 1949 British comedy film made by Ealing Studios and starring Stanley Holloway, Margaret Rutherford and Hermione Baddeley.

Passport to Pimlico is a 1949 British comedy film made by Ealing Studios and starring Stanley Holloway, Margaret Rutherford and Hermione Baddeley.

It was directed by Henry Cornelius and written by T. E. B. Clarke. The story concerns the unearthing of treasure and documents that lead to a small part of Pimlico to be declared a legal part of the House of Burgundy, and therefore exempt from the post-war rationing or other bureaucratic restrictions active in Britain at the time.

#23 Meet Mr. Lucifer is a black-and-white British comedy satire film released in 1953 starring Stanley Holloway.

Meet Mr. Lucifer is a black-and-white British comedy satire film released in 1953 starring Stanley Holloway.

It was filmed at Ealing Studios, London, and is one of the Ealing comedies. The film is based on the play Beggar My Neighbour by Arnold Ridley (who later played Private Godfrey in the BBC television comedy series Dad’s Army).

#24 The Love Lottery is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and starring David Niven, Peggy Cummins, Anne Vernon and Herbert Lom.

The Love Lottery is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Charles Crichton and starring David Niven, Peggy Cummins, Anne Vernon and Herbert Lom.

Produced by Ealing Studios it was one of several Ealing Comedies that veered away from the standard formula. The film examines celebrity and fan worship with an international setting including Lake Como, ambitious dream sequences, and an uncredited cameo appearance at the end by Humphrey Bogart as himself.

Written by Jacob Aberto

Sincere, friendly, curious, ambitious, enthusiast. I'm a content crafter and social media expert. I love Classic Movies because their dialogue, scenery and stories are awesome.

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