Much of the plot in my new Frank Merlin book, A Death In Mayfair, revolves around the film world of World War Two Britain. I was first attracted to the idea of such a setting when I read that there were as many as fifteen film studios based in and around London in 1940. A few of these were later commandeered by the Government for documentary production, but some managed to keep on making commercial films for the duration. I realised how crucial British cinema was during the war and what an important role it played in maintaining people’s morale.
In A Death In Mayfair, a film star, Laura Curzon, falls to her death from the terrace of her Mayfair apartment and DCI Merlin is called in to investigate. He soon becomes embroiled with film moguls, producers, actors and agents. In my research I read a lot about the film scene of the time and the careers of a number of real figures informed my story. These are some of them:
- Alexander Korda, the Hungarian studio owner and producer was one of the most powerful and charismatic figures in the British cinema of the 30s and 40s. A tough financial adventurer and risk-taker, he was responsible for classics like The Private Life of Henry VIII, Things To Come, That Hamilton Woman (Churchill’s favourite film) and The Third Man (my own favourite).
- Sam Spiegel was another larger than life character of Middle European origin. Sharing a similar buccaneering approach to business as Korda, he had a very successful career. His films included David Lean’s masterpieces, The Bridge On The River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. I was reading about Spiegel at the time when the big Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal broke. I couldn’t help thinking Spiegel was lucky not to be around now. Notorious for his sexual voracity, he had a particular predilection for young girls.
- Rex Harrison was a huge star of stage and screen for much of the 20th At the outset of the war he was just beginning to come into his own as a film actor. Elegant, debonair and charming on screen he wasn’t quite as perfect in real life. He was notorious for his vile temper and his cruel treatment of women. Married six times, one wife and one mistress committed suicide.
- George Formby was a hugely popular film and music hall star in Britain in the 30s and 40s. He was famous for his unique brand of cheery gormless Northern humour and his ukulele. His unsophisticated films topped British box office figures time after time. Success did not apparently bring personal happiness. His domineering wife of many years had made his life hell, he said just after her death and just before his.
The fictional studio I created for the purposes of A Death In Mayfair is called Silver Screen Studios. Several of the London film studios of the time were located on or near the River Thames and I thought I would give my studio a waterside setting too. It is situated somewhere a few miles to the west of Windsor on an unspecified bend of the river. As the book begins, one of the films in production at the studio is Murder At Midnight. It stars the estranged husband of the unfortunate Laura Curzon. The studio boss is Victor Goldsmith, a dynamic producer of Lithuanian origin, who is battling against serious financial problems. In Victoria, another dead body is found. As it usually does, the plot thickens, and Frank Merlin gains his own inside knowledge of the film community as he battles to find the guilty.
