Love, Life and Laughter
Synopsis
Lost for nearly a century, this rediscovery offers a wonderful opportunity to fall under the spell of Betty Balfour, Britain’s ‘Queen of Happiness’. Betty Balfour was Britain’s biggest star of the 1920s, so the discovery of one of her key films was a major event. Identified by archivists at EYE Filmmuseum in the Netherlands, this Dutch-language version is incomplete, with footage missing throughout the film. This version was painstakingly pieced together by the BFI National Archive's restoration team with new English intertitles. It restores a truly vivacious performance from Balfour, and adds to the knowledge of director George Pearson, a key figure in British cinema of whose films a bare handful survive.
Telling the story of a pair of working class youngsters with big dreams – a cheery chorus girl and a serious writer – the film toys with expectations, blurring the boundaries of reverie and reality, tragedy and comedy.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2019 - Archive Special Presentation - Restoration World premiere
Details
- Year
- 1923
- Type of film
- Features
- Running Time
- 61 mins
- Director
- George Pearson
- Producer
- George Pearson
- Screenwriter
- George Pearson
- Director of Photography
- A.H. Blake, Percy Strong
- Principal Cast
- Betty Balfour, Harry Jonas, Frank Stanmore
Genre
Production status
Complete
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Last updated 16th September 2019
