Campbell's Kingdom
| Campbell's Kingdom | |
|---|---|
 Original British film poster | |
| Directed by | Ralph Thomas |
| Screenplay by | Robin Estridge |
| Produced by | Betty Box |
| Starring | Dirk Bogarde Stanley Baker Michael Craig Barbara Murray |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Frederick Wilson |
| Music by | Muir Mathieson |
Production company | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Campbell's Kingdom is a 1957 British adventure film directed by Ralph Thomas, based on the 1952 novel of the same name by Hammond Innes. The film stars Dirk Bogarde and Stanley Baker, with Michael Craig, Barbara Murray, James Robertson Justice and Sid James in support. The story is set in Alberta, Canada, and largely follows the principles of the Northwestern genre of film-making.
Plot
Recently diagnosed with a terminal disease, Bruce Campbell (Dirk Bogarde) unexpectedly finds himself the owner of a small valley in the Canadian Rocky Mountains as the result of a bequest from his grandfather.[1] After travelling from England, Bruce arrives at "Campbell's Kingdom" (as the locals disparagingly call it) to find its existence under threat from the construction of a new hydroelectricity dam. Convinced that his grandfather was right and that the Kingdom may be prospective for oil, the race is on to prove that there is oil under Campbell's Kingdom before the mining company building the dam can flood the valley. Standing in his way is corrupt construction contractor Owen Morgan (Stanley Baker), who resorts to dirty tricks in order to prevent Campbell from succeeding in his quest. However, Bruce is ably and enthusiastically assisted by love interest Jean Lucas (Barbara Murray), geologist Boy Bladen (Michael Craig) and drilling contractor James MacDonald (James Robertson Justice). Unfortunately for Campbell the residents of the nearby town of Come Lucky invested heavily in his grandfather's schemes, only to feel cheated when his projects came to nothing. Gradually Bruce manages to turn them around by exposing the fraud and lies of Morgan and the mining company.
Cast
- Dirk Bogarde as Bruce Campbell
- Stanley Baker as Owen Morgan
- Michael Craig as Boy Bladen
- Barbara Murray as Jean Lucas
- James Robertson Justice as James MacDonald
- Athene Seyler as Miss Abigail
- Robert Brown as Ben Creasy
- John Laurie as Mac
- Sid James as Tim
- Mary Merrall as Miss Ruth
- George Murcell as Max
- Roland Brand as Driver
- Finlay Currie as Old Man
- Peter Illing as the Doctor
- Maurice Kaufmann as Man at Golden Calf
Production
The story was serialised as Nothing to Lose. Film rights were purchased prior to the novel's publication and location scouting for the film began in 1952.[2][3]
Although the story is set in Alberta, the landscape exteriors were shot in the Italian Dolomites and the rest was shot at Pinewood Studios outside London.[1][4][5]
References
- ^ a b Weiler, A.H. (11 January 1960). "Movie Review - Campbell's Kingdom". New York Times. Retrieved 5 May 2010. (Registration required.)
- ^ "Round the studios". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 20 September 1952. p. 7 Supplement: SUNDAY MAGAZINE. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ^ BY WAY OF REPORT: Box -- Thomas Activities -- Cinema 16 Plans -- By HOWARD THOMPSON. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 14 Sep 1952: X5.
- ^ IMDb: Locations for Campbell's Kingdom Retrieved 2012-11-21
- ^ British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference by Sue Harper, Vincent Porter Oxford University Press, 2003 p 53
