Muriel Box, a filmmaker in England of the 1950s

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2018

A prolific screenwriter unknown to the general public, Muriel Box emerged as a director during an era when the cinema was dominated by men. As part of the series, "A Permanent History of Women Filmmakers," which has celebrated in editions past films by Ida Lupino, Larisa Shepitko or Dorothy Azner, the Lumière festival pays tribute to Muriel Box, along with the British Film Institute and the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Born in 1905 in South London, Muriel Box shows an early passion for the cinema, never missing an opportunity to discover new releases. After debuting as a scriptwriter at British International Pictures, she begins a fruitful collaboration with journalist Sydney Box - who becomes her husband - and writes nearly 40 plays featuring predominantly female characters. She promptly declares her feminist agenda in an industry with an unfavorable opinion of the young woman.

Via Verity Films, the couple embark on producing propaganda films, which allows Muriel Box to make her first movie, The English Inn, followed by a feature film, The Seventh Veil (1945), which earns the duo immediate recognition and the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay the following year. The unstoppable Englishwoman pens a series of light comedies (Easy Money, Here Come the Huggetts...) along the way, offering several roles to the young Petula Clark. Her work is characterized by a marked interest for controversial issues: the political situation in Ireland, abortion, the sexual life of teenagers...

Muriel Box then takes on the battle of the sexes in a more direct way, but always with a touch of humor (A Novel Affair/ A Passionate Stranger, The Truth About Women, Rattle of a Simple Man). Her ideas continue to be criticized, to the extent that actresses attempt to have her replaced at the helm. Their efforts prevail on So Long at the Fair but not on Simon and Laura. The setback gradually pushes her to write novels and create a feminist publishing house that will be a great success.

Muriel Box dies in 1991, leaving behind 16 films as director, 25 as screenwriter and several books. The retrospective devoted to her by the Lumière festival is part of the series, "A Permanent History of Women Filmmakers," which has previously highlighted the work of Barbara Loden, Dorothy Arzner, Larisa Shepitko, Ida Lupino and Christine Pascal.

On set of Simon et Laura (1955)

In partnership with the Festival de Donostia San Sebastian and the British Film Institute
    

Muriel Box movies at Lumière festival!

To Dorothy, a Son by Muriel Box (1954, 1h19)
Villa Lumière Mon.15 11:30am | Villa Lumière Wed.17 9:15am

Simon and Laura by Muriel Box (1955, 1h27)
Lumière Terreaux Tue.16 5:15pm | Institut Lumière Fri.19 6:15pm

The Passionate Stranger by Muriel Box (1957, 1h37)
Lumière Terreaux Tue.16 7:30pm | Institut Lumière Sun.21 2:15pm

Subway in the Sky by Muriel Box (1959, 1h25)
Institut Lumière Mon.15 2:15pm | Lumière Bellecour Thu.18 7:45pm

This Other Eden by Muriel Box (1959, 1h21)
Lumière Terreaux Mon.15 9:45pm | Villa Lumière Fri.19 10pm

Too Young to Love by Muriel Box (1960, 1h22)
Lumière Bellecour Sun.14 4:30pm | Villa Lumière Sat.20 7:30pm

Rattle of a Simple Man by Muriel Box (1964, 1h36)
Institut Lumière Sun.14 10pm | Lumière Terreaux Tue.16 9:45pm