David Lean

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March 25, 1908

April 16, 1991

Director

A Passage to India (1984) (writer)

Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor (1979) (TV)

Ryan's Daughter (1970)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) (some scenes) (uncredited)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (actor, producer)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Summertime (1955) (writer, actor)

Hobson's Choice (1954) (writer, producer)

The Sound Barrier (1952) (producer)

Madeleine (1950)

The Passionate Friends (1949) (writer)

Oliver Twist (1948)(writer)

Great Expectations (1946) (writer)

Brief Encounter (1945) (writer)

Blithe Spirit (1945) (writer)

This Happy Breed (1944) (writer)

In Which We Serve (1942)

Actor

Money for Speed (1933) (uncredited)

Appearances

The American Film Institute Salute to David Lean (1990) (TV)

"Film '72" (1 episode, 1988)

The 57th Annual Academy Awards (1985) (TV)

"The South Bank Show" (1 episode, 1985)

The Golden Gong (1985) (TV)

"Omnibus" (1 episode, 1971)

"The Dick Cavett Show" (1 episode, 1971)

Ryan's Daughter (1970)

The 42nd Annual Academy Awards (1970) (TV)

"Film Night" (1 episode, 1970)

David Lean's Film of Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Zhivago: Behind the Camera with David Lean (1965)

Moscow in Madrid (1965)

Pasternak (1965)

The 35th Annual Academy Awards (1963) (TV)

The 30th Annual Academy Awards (1958) (TV)

Korda Interviews (1956) (TV)

The Academy Awards

1985 Nominated Oscar Best Director for: A Passage to India (1984)

1985 Nominated Oscar Best Film Editing for: A Passage to India (1984)

1985 Nominated Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
for: A Passage to India (1984)

1966 Nominated Oscar Best Director for: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1963 Won Oscar Best Director for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

1958 Won Oscar Best Director for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

1956 Nominated Oscar Best Director for: Summertime (1955)

1948 Nominated Oscar Best Director for: Great Expectations (1946)

1948 Nominated Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay for: Great Expectations (1946). Shared with: Ronald Neame & Anthony Havelock-Allan

1947 Nominated Oscar Best Director for: Brief Encounter (1945)

1947 Nominated Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay for: Brief Encounter (1945). Shared with :Anthony Havelock-Allan & Ronald Neame

American Film Institute

1990 Life Achievement Award

Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards

1944 Won Silver Condor Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera) for: In Which We Serve (1942). Shared with: Noel Coward

BAFTA Awards

1986 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Film for: A Passage to India (1984). Shared with: John Brabourne & Richard B. Goodwin

1986 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Screenplay - Adapted for: A Passage to India (1984)

1974 Academy Fellowship

1971 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Direction for: Ryan's Daughter (1970)

1967 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Film from any Source for: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1955 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best British Screenplay for: Hobson's Choice (1954). Shared with: Norman Spencer & Wynyard Browne

Berlin International Film Festival

1954 Won Golden Berlin Bear for: Hobson's Choice (1954)

Cannes Film Festival

1966 Nominated Golden Palm for: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1946 Won Grand Prize of the Festival for: Brief Encounter (1945)

David di Donatello Awards

1967 Won David Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regia Straniero) for: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Directors Guild of America

1985 Nominated DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for: A Passage to India (1984)

1973 DGA Honorary Life Member Award Lifetime Achievement Award

1971 Nominated DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for: Ryan's Daughter (1970)

1963 Won DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Shared with: Roy Stevens (assistant director) (plaque)

1958 Won DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). Shared with: Gus Agosti & Ted Sturgis (assistant directors) (plaque)

Evening Standard British Film Awards

1974 Won Evening Standard British Film Award Best Film for: Ryan's Daughter (1970)

Golden Globes

1985 Nominated Golden Globe Best Director - Motion Picture for: A Passage to India (1984)

1985 Nominated Golden Globe Best Screenplay - Motion Picture for: A Passage to India (1984)

1966 Won Golden Globe Best Motion Picture Director for: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1963 Won Golden Globe Best Motion Picture Director for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

1958 Won Golden Globe Best Motion Picture Director for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists

1964 Won Silver Ribbon Best Director - Foreign Film (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero) for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards

1985 Won KCFCC Award Best Director for: A Passage to India (1984)

Kinema Junpo Awards

1964 Won Kinema Junpo Award Best Foreign Language Film for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Laurel Awards

1971 2nd place Golden Laurel Best Director

1968 Nominated Golden Laurel Director 5th place

1967 Nominated Golden Laurel Director 8th place

1966 Won Golden Laurel Director

1963 3rd place Golden Laurel Top Director

National Board of Review

1984 Won NBR Award Best Director for: A Passage to India (1984)

1962 Won NBR Award Best Director for: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

1957 Won NBR Award Best Director for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

1952 Won NBR Award Best Director for: The Sound Barrier (1952)

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

1984 Won NYFCC Award Best Director for: A Passage to India (1984)

1957 Won NYFCC Award Best Director for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

1955 Won NYFCC Award Best Director for: Summertime (1955)

Venice Film Festival

1948 Nominated Golden Lion for: Oliver Twist (1948)

Writers Guild of America, USA

1985 Nominated WGA Award (Screen) Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
for: A Passage to India (1984)

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I like making films about characters I'd like to have dinner with.

Actors can be a terrible bore on the set, though I enjoy having dinner with them.

I wouldn't take the advice of a lot of so-called critics on how to shoot a close-up of a teapot.

All of the elements of filmmaking lead to one very simple result--to entertain people, but it is human emotions, not circuses, that make a picture big.

I think people remember pictures not dialogue. That’s why I like pictures.

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David Lean's father was Francis William le Blount Lean and his mother was the former Helena Tangye (niece of Sir Richard Trevithick Tangye). His parents were Quakers and he was a pupil at the Quaker-founded Leighton Park School in Reading.

In 1927, after working briefly in his father’s accountancy office, Lean followed his passion becoming a tea boy at Gaumont’s Lime Grove Studios in London. He worked as a clapper loader in the camera department, graduating to editing newsreel by 1930, then started a career as a distinguished feature-film editor.

Lean was one of the founding members of the British Film Academy (later the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA Awards and was appointed its first chairman in 1947.

Stories of Lean’s quest to capture the ultimate in imagery are legendary. On The Bridge on the River Kwai Lean dragged his crew 150 miles (240 km) to capture the perfect sunset. Also, at one point during the shoot, Lean was nearly swept away by a current when lining up a shot in a river – actor Geoffrey Horne saved his life. On Ryan’s Daughter Lean almost killed his cast and crew, waiting hours to shoot just the right swell of waves off the coast of Ireland. He also refused to let divers intervene as Trevor Howard, Sarah Miles and John Mills bobbed precariously in a rickety little craft.

He was married 6 times and at all times briefly, apparently having been unable to maintain a marriage due to his wandering eye. He also declined to discuss his personal life.

His home town of Croydon, South London, has a cinema named after him at the Croydon Clocktower Arts Centre.

Must-see Movies

Brief Encounter (1945)

Great Expectations (1946)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

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