British films before 1920

Cinema of the
United Kingdom
List of British films
1888-1919
1920s
1930s
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934
1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940s
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944
1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950s
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954
1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960s
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s
2010 2011

List of British films from 1888 to 1919:

Contents

1888-1899

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1888
Roundhay Garden Scene Louis Le Prince Adolphe Le Prince, Sarah Whitley, Joseph Whitley Live action The earliest surviving film
1889
'
1890
Trafalgar Square traffic Wordsworth Donisthorpe Live action 10 frames only, believed never shown publicly
1891
'
1892
'
1893
'
1894
'
1895
The Clown Barber James Williamson Comedy
The Derby Birt Acres Documentary A silent film of that year's Derby
Opening of the Kiel Canal Birt Acres Documentary
The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race Birt Acres Documentary A silent film of that year's race
Rough Sea at Dover Birt Acres
Robert W. Paul
Documentary
1896
Barnet Horse Fair Robert W. Paul Documentary
The Boxing Kangaroo Birt Acres Documentary
Boxing Match; or, Glove Contest Birt Acres Documentary
'
1897
Weary Willie
Tipsy-Topsy-Turvy
The Sign Writer
Nursing the Baby
Making Sausages
The Maid in the Garden
The Haunted Castle
Hanging Out the Clothes
Gymnastics - Indian Club Performer
Comic Shaving
Comic Face aka Man Drinking (UK)
Children Paddling at the Seaside
The X-Rays
1898
Waves and Spray
The Runaway Knock
A Practical Joke
The Policeman, the Cook and the Copper
Photographing a Ghost
The Miller and the Sweep
The Mesmerist
The Lady Barber
Faust and Mephistopheles
The Corsican Brothers
Cinderella
Animated Clown Portrait
Ally Sloper
1899
The Visit of Santa Claus
The Legacy
The Kiss in the Tunnel George Albert Smith
A Good Joke
Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp

1900s

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1900
As Seen Through a Telescope George Albert Smith Short
The Beggar's Deceit Cecil Hepworth
Explosion of a Motor Car Cecil Hepworth
Grandma's Reading Glass George Albert Smith none Drama One minute film
A Railway Collision Walter R. Booth none Drama 22 secs film
1901
Scrooge; or, Marley's Ghost Walter R. Booth none Short 11 minutes long (5 minutes surviving)
'
1902
'
1903
Alice in Wonderland Cecil Hepworth May Clark Fantasy Short 8 minutes long
Desperate Poaching Affray William Haggar Will Haggar Jr. Chase 3 minutes long
Mary Jane's Mishap George Albert Smith
Sick Kitten George Albert Smith
1904
'
1905
Baby's Toilet Cecil Hepworth Documentary 3 minutes long
Rescued by Rover Cecil Hepworth Mabel Clark, Sebastian Smith Drama 6 minutes long
1906
'
1907
Ben Hur Sidney Olcott Herman Rottger, William S. Hart Historical 15 minutes long
The Sleigh Belle Sidney Olcott
The Pony Express Sidney Olcott
1908
A Visit to the Seaside George Albert Smith
1909
'

1910

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1910
The Blue Bird Unknown Pauline Gilmer, Olive Walter Comedy

1911

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1911
Aerial Anarchists Walter Booth Science fiction
A Primitive Man's Career to Civilization Cherry Kearton Drama
Princess Clementina William G.B. Barker H.B. Irving, Alice Young, Dorothea Baird Adventure

1912

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1912
With Our King and Queen Through India Documentary

1913

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1913
Hamlet Hay Plumb Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Gertrude Elliot Drama
The House of Temperley Harold M. Shaw Charles Maude, Ben Webster Drama
Maria Marten, or the Mystery of the Red Barn Maurice Elvey Elizabeth Risdon Drama

1914

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1914
Eugene Aram Edwin J. Collins Jack Leigh, Mary Manners Drama
The Life of Shakespeare Frank R. Growcott, J.B. McDowell Albert Ward, George Foley Biopic
She Stoops to Conquer George Loane Tucker Henry Ainley, Jane Gail Comedy Based on the play by Oliver Goldsmith
A Study in Scarlet George Pearson James Bragington, Fred Paul First film to feature Sherlock Holmes

1915

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1915
The Baby on the Barge Cecil Hepworth Alma Taylor, Stewart Rome Drama
Barnaby Rudge Thomas Bentley Tom Powers, Stewart Rome Drama Based on Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
Far from the Madding Crowd Laurence Trimble Florence Turner, Henry Edwards, Malcolm Cherry Drama
Fight for the Dardanelles Percy F. Smith World War I documentary
The Heart of Sister Ann Harold M. Shaw Edna Flugrath, Hayford Hobbs Drama
Honeymoon for Three Maurice Elvey Charles Hawtrey, Elisabeth Risdon Comedy
Jane Shore Bert Haldane, F. Martin Thornton Blanche Forsythe, Roy Travers Historical
Rupert of Hentzau George Loane Tucker Henry Ainley, Jane Gail Adventure

1916

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1916
The Battle of the Somme Geoffrey Malins
John McDowell
World War I Documentary/Propaganda
Beau Brocade Thomas Bentley Mercy Hatton, Charles Rock Adventure/Drama Based on a novel by Baroness Orczy
East Is East Henry Edwards Florence Turner, Henry Edwards Drama
Kent, the Fighting Man A.E. Coleby Billy Wells, Hetty Payne Sport
The Merchant of Venice Walter West Hutin Britton, Matheson Lang Drama
Milestones Thomas Bentley Isobel Elsom, Owen Nares Drama
Sir James Mortimer's Wager Leslie Seldon-Truss Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Hyland Romance
Tom Brown's Schooldays Rex Wilson Joyce Templeton, Jack Coleman Drama

1917

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1917
Auld Lang Syne Sidney Morgan Violet Graham, Henry Baynton Crime
The Gay Lord Quex Maurice Elvey Ben Webster, Irene Vanbrugh Comedy
For All Eternity Arthur Rooke, A.E. Coleby Janet Alexander, Malvina Longfellow Crime
Holy Orders Arthur Rooke, A.E. Coleby Malvina Longfellow, Maud Yates Romance
The House Opposite Walter West, Frank Wilson Matheson Lang, Violet Hopson Drama
A Pit Boy's Romance Arthur Rooke, A.E. Coleby Jimmy Wilde, Tommy Noble Drama
The Ragged Messenger Frank Wilson Violet Hopson, Gerald Ames Drama
The Village Blacksmith Arthur Rooke, A.E. Coleby Janet Alexander, Arthur Rooke Drama

1918

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1918
Adam Bede Maurice Elvey Bransby Williams, Ivy Close Drama Adapted from the novel by George Eliot
Consequences Arthur Rooke Gordon Craig, Joyce Templeton Comedy
Hindle Wakes Maurice Elvey Colette O'Niel, Hayford Hobbs Drama
The Kiddies in the Ruins George Pearson Emmy Lynn, Hugh E. Wright War
Nelson Maurice Elvey Donald Calthrop, Malvina Longfellow Biopic
Rock of Ages Bertram Phillips Queenie Thomas, Leslie George Drama
Thelma Arthur Rooke Malvina Longfellow, Maud Yayes Drama

1919

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
1919
The Artistic Temperament Fred Goodwins Louis Willoughby, Margot Kelly Romance
City of Beautiful Nonsense Henry Edwards Chrissie White, Henry Edwards Drama
Comradeship Maurice Elvey Gerald Ames, Lily Elsie, Guy Newall Drama
A Daughter of Eve Walter West Violet Hopson, Stewart Rome Crime
The Double Life of Mr. Alfred Burton Arthur Rooke Kenelm Foss, Ivy Duke Comedy
Fancy Dress Kenelm Foss Godfrey Tearle, Ivy Duke Comedy
The First Men in the Moon Bruce Gordon
J.L.V. Leigh
Bruce Gordon, Heather Thatcher Sci Fi/Fantasy
The Forest on the Hill Cecil Hepworth Alma Taylor, James Carew Crime
The Garden of Resurrection Arthur Rooke Guy Newall, Ivy Duke Drama
God's Clay Arthur Rooke Janet Alexander, Humberston Wright Drama
A Great Coup George Dewhurst, Walter West Stewart Rome, Poppy Wyndham Sports
Heart and Soul A.V. Bramble George Keene, Constance Worth Crime
Her Heritage Bannister Merwin Jack Buchanan, Phyllis Monkman Crime
I Will Kenelm Foss, Hubert Herrick Guy Newall, Ivy Duke Comedy
The Kinsman Henry Edwards James Carew, Henry Edwards Comedy
The March Hare Frank Miller Godfrey Tearle, Ivy Duke Comedy
A Member of Tattersall's Albert Ward Isobel Elsom, Malcolm Cherry Sports
Midnight Gambols James C. McKay Marie Doro, Godfrey Tearle Drama
Mrs. Thompson Rex Wilson Minna Grey, C.M. Hallard Drama
Nobody's Child George Edwardes-Hall Jose Collins, Godfrey Tearle Drama
Onward Christian Soldiers Rex Wilson Isobel Elsom, Owen Nares Romance
Possession Henry Edwards Henry Edwards, Chrissie White Romance
Queen's Evidence James MacKay Godfrey Tearle, Unity More Adventure
The Right Element Rex Wilson Campbell Gullan, Miriam Ferris Drama
The Secret of the Moor Louis Willoughby Gwen Williams, Philip Hewland Drama
The Silver Greyhound Bannister Merwin James Knight, Marjorie Villis Crime
The Single Man A.V. Bramble Cecil Mannering, Doris Lytton Drama
A Smart Set A.V. Bramble Concordia Merrill, Neville Percy Crime
The Starting Point Edwin J. Collins Constance Worth, Evan Thomas Drama
Wisp o' the Woods Cecil M. Hepworth, Louis Willoughby Constance Worth, Evan Thomas Romance

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