Venetian Bird (1952)

Interesting facts

• Filmed in: Pinewood Studios

Venetian Bird is a 1952 British thriller film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Richard Todd, Eva Bartok and John Gregson. The screenplay was adapted by Victor Canning from his 1950 novel of the same title. It was released in America by United Artists.

Production

The film was made through British Film-Makers, a short lived production scheme that operated in Britain in the early 1950s as a co operative venture between the Rank Organisation and the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC). Its nominal capital was divided between General Film Distributors (GFD) (Rank’s distribution company) and the NFFC.

Michael Balcon initially rejected the idea of a film based on Victor Canning's novel because it was set in Italy and dealt with Italians, not Britons. Betty Box appealed to Earl St John, who overruled Balcon. Italian censors required that the script clarify the political struggles in post-war Venice that were portrayed in the novel.

Richard Todd was borrowed from Associated British who had the actor under contract. He says Gina Lollobrigida wanted to make the movie but her English was not then good enough. He recalled "I had enjoyed working on it, particularly with the exuberant Ralph Thomas as director. He was always ready to see the funny side of things."

Filming started March 1952. It was shot at Pinewood Studios over three weeks and on location in Venice over five weeks. The film's sets were designed by the art director George Provis.

Box and Thomas decided not to use colour shooting the film as they felt that it would not suit the genre.

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