‘The same virile ability of Val Guest’: The Film Finances Archive and British Film-makers

Abstract

This article draws upon the Film Finances Archive to propose an alternative hierarchy of British directors based on their ability to deliver films on budget and schedule rather than on the artistic qualities of their films. An analysis of the archive’s large collection of budgets and cost reports for British feature films since 1950 highlights which directors had a record of economical and timely delivery of their films. The article shows that the common distinction between auteur and journeyman directors does not necessarily map onto their efficiency as film-makers. In this way the article demonstrates how a particular archive can offer new ways of thinking about British cinema history based on the professional discourses of the film industry.