Timeline of British Crime Films of the 20th Century
British Crime Films Of The 20th Century
1910-1920 – WW1 (1914-1918), Depression, Unemployment, men out in France Fighting. 1911 – A Burglar For one Night (Bert Haldane)
Silent Film
Deals with unemployment (A problem at the time)
A man fired from his job, turns to crime but is ‘rescued’ by his lover.
Due to the war, the British crime film industry slowed down a little. People didn’t want to be reminded of the harshness of real life but wanted to be taken away from the war and real life therefore, crime films didn’t properly restart until the late 20’s thanks to Alfred Hitchcock.
1920-1930 – The Great War had ended and things were looking better for Britain as unemployment and poverty decreased during the 20’s. 1927 – The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (Hitchcock)
Silent
the first true ' Hitchcock film'
About a man thought guilty by the police to be the killer of his sister amongst other beautiful women but is in fact innocent and is trying to kill the killer himself.
A mob try an attack him thinking he's the killer but the real killer is caught just in time for him to be spared. He and his lover live happily ever after. 1929 – Blackmail (Hitchcock) Thriller drama first truly British 'talkie film' but began as a silent film beautiful blonde accidentally kills rapist. A man knows she's involved and blackmails her into telling the police. He gets blamed (due to his criminal record), chased and dies while she is left innocent.
1930-1940 – British crime film prospered and different formats of film became popular, especially the 'private investigator' film including the visualisation of the Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.
1940-1950 - When WW2 was declared in 1939, instead of stopping altogether crime films adapted with films like, 1941 – Cottage to let (Asquith) A spy film Set in World War II Scotland, its plot concerns Nazi spies trying to kidnap an inventor. 1945 – Waterloo Road (Gilliat)
1910-1920 – WW1 (1914-1918), Depression, Unemployment, men out in France Fighting. 1911 – A Burglar For one Night (Bert Haldane)
Silent Film
Deals with unemployment (A problem at the time)
A man fired from his job, turns to crime but is ‘rescued’ by his lover.
Due to the war, the British crime film industry slowed down a little. People didn’t want to be reminded of the harshness of real life but wanted to be taken away from the war and real life therefore, crime films didn’t properly restart until the late 20’s thanks to Alfred Hitchcock.
1920-1930 – The Great War had ended and things were looking better for Britain as unemployment and poverty decreased during the 20’s. 1927 – The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (Hitchcock)
Silent
the first true ' Hitchcock film'
About a man thought guilty by the police to be the killer of his sister amongst other beautiful women but is in fact innocent and is trying to kill the killer himself.
A mob try an attack him thinking he's the killer but the real killer is caught just in time for him to be spared. He and his lover live happily ever after. 1929 – Blackmail (Hitchcock) Thriller drama first truly British 'talkie film' but began as a silent film beautiful blonde accidentally kills rapist. A man knows she's involved and blackmails her into telling the police. He gets blamed (due to his criminal record), chased and dies while she is left innocent.
1930-1940 – British crime film prospered and different formats of film became popular, especially the 'private investigator' film including the visualisation of the Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.
1940-1950 - When WW2 was declared in 1939, instead of stopping altogether crime films adapted with films like, 1941 – Cottage to let (Asquith) A spy film Set in World War II Scotland, its plot concerns Nazi spies trying to kidnap an inventor. 1945 – Waterloo Road (Gilliat)