‘Praise these daring men’: ACT Films Ltd, 1950–1963

Abstract

During the 1950s the film technicians’ trade union, the Association of Cinematograph Technicians (ACT), was a significant force in the film industry. At the same time the ‘second feature’ or ‘B-film’ sector was producing a constant stream of low-budget titles. This article examines an initiative which combined the two: ACT Films Ltd, a film production company active in the second-feature sector, which was created by the union to provide jobs for its unemployed members. It explores some of the internal tensions this generated within ACT, the company’s production record, including its occasional forays beyond B-films, and its relations with other industry players. It also sheds light on the role of the National Film Finance Corporation and the distributor British Lion during this period, and their relations with independent production companies.