David MacDonald(1904-1983)
- Director
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scottish-born David MacDonald got his training in the industry in the
United States under celebrated producer and director
Cecil B. DeMille, who hired him in 1929
as a production assistant. MacDonald returned to Britain in 1936 after
his apprenticeship and directed a dozen of "quota quickies", films that were made quickly and cheaply
to fulfill a British government requirement that a certain percentage
of films shown in the United Kingdom had to be made by British companies.
He achieved some recognition when he made a series of comedies with
Barry K. Barnes. During World War II
MacDonald joined the Crown Film Unit and produced and directed a series
of propaganda war documentaries, including the critically acclaimed
Men of the Lightship (1941),
and produced two award-winning documentaries by director
Roy Boulting--Desert Victory (1943)
and Burma Victory (1946).
His
postwar career began well with the sharp thriller
Snowbound (1948). Unfortunately, his
next film,
Christopher Columbus (1949),
was not successful at the box office, and panned by critics as a leaden, talky and slow epic, an opinion that has considerably changed with the pass of time. MacDonald's career barely recovered
from this production. He directed mostly "B" pictures and television episodes for the
rest of his career, including thrillers and comedies, with the occasional "A" movie. He is definitely remembered for the notorious and campy sci-fi drama
Devil Girl from Mars (1954), which became a cult film in latter years.
United States under celebrated producer and director
Cecil B. DeMille, who hired him in 1929
as a production assistant. MacDonald returned to Britain in 1936 after
his apprenticeship and directed a dozen of "quota quickies", films that were made quickly and cheaply
to fulfill a British government requirement that a certain percentage
of films shown in the United Kingdom had to be made by British companies.
He achieved some recognition when he made a series of comedies with
Barry K. Barnes. During World War II
MacDonald joined the Crown Film Unit and produced and directed a series
of propaganda war documentaries, including the critically acclaimed
Men of the Lightship (1941),
and produced two award-winning documentaries by director
Roy Boulting--Desert Victory (1943)
and Burma Victory (1946).
His
postwar career began well with the sharp thriller
Snowbound (1948). Unfortunately, his
next film,
Christopher Columbus (1949),
was not successful at the box office, and panned by critics as a leaden, talky and slow epic, an opinion that has considerably changed with the pass of time. MacDonald's career barely recovered
from this production. He directed mostly "B" pictures and television episodes for the
rest of his career, including thrillers and comedies, with the occasional "A" movie. He is definitely remembered for the notorious and campy sci-fi drama
Devil Girl from Mars (1954), which became a cult film in latter years.