There is more to cinema than its main attractions. 'What's on with it?' was a frequent question asked by cinemagoers before the 1970s, as they tried to decide which 'A' film to see - and the 'supporting feature' often made the difference in ticket sales. These 'B' films were shown as curtain-raisers on double-bill programmes in the days before television led to major changes in film exhibition. But while they are fondly remembered by audiences, and were a central component of the British film industry, supporting films have largely been neglected by film critics and historians.
The British 'B' Film is the first book to provide an in-depth account of what 'B' films were like, how they came to be made, and how they were received. The careers of many notable actors, directors and other film-makers were launched in these unpretentious but often very entertaining films that ran for roughly an hour before the cinema 'interval'. Steve Chibnall and Brian McFarlane's carefully researched study traces the story of B-film production in Britain, from World War II to the late 1960s, providing a fresh perspective on the 'B' movie phenomenon, both as artefact and as industry product, as well as highlighting what such films tell us about the changing times in which they were made. Some 'B' film-makers and actors went on to bigger things; some had done bigger things in earlier years; some made their whole careers in 'B' movies in Britain. This book draws on sources such as the trade papers which routinely reviewed 'B' films, the fan magazines of the period, and on interviews with some of the most prolific 'B' film-makers. Overall, the book opens up a fascinating corner of British film-making over a period in which the whole pattern of production, distribution and exhibition was changing. But, and perhaps most importantly, the authors stress that there is more sheer enjoyment to be had from these films than has hitherto been allowed, and they aim to communicate the sorts of pleasure they offered to audiences.
STEVE CHIBNALL is Professor of British Cinema at De Montfort University, UK. His books include Quota Quickies: The Birth of the British 'B' Film (2007) and studies of Brighton Rock and Get Carter in the British Film Guides series.
BRIAN MCFARLANE is Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, Melbourne and Visiting Professor at the University of Hull. He is the editor of The Encyclopedia of British Cinema (3rd edition, 2007), co-author of Michael Winterbottom (2009) and author of Screen Adaptations: Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (2008).
