Oswald "Ossie" Morris & Film - Part 1
Last Friday, 7th November 2008, I interviewed Oswald "Ossie" Morris - a man who has had a lifetime of passionate interest and involvement in Film. Over time, I will be publishing extracts from that interview, as postings on this blog. The first relatively short extract published here, is of the beginning of the epic journey - one that saw him become one of the leading cinematographers, working with eminent directors such as John Huston and David Lean.
Ossie is 92, and will be 93 in two week's time. When he started the interview, I was a little anxious that he would be hesitant, and dry up when answering the questions. Little did I know him at that stage! As soon as I asked the first question, he was off! The only slight problem was then to get a word in edgeways! Ossie was very gracious, and the interview was great fun for both of us.
A note on the presentation of the interview: at times it will be edited. There may be sections omitted, or re-arranged, out of chronological order etc. This first extract is pretty much exactly as it took place.
So, now we'll get on with it ... this is Part 1. All of the interview is Copyright © Oswald Morris & Barrie Gordon 2008.
Barrie (B): Hello, I'm very glad to have Oswald Morris here in Blandford Forum, Dorset, and he's kindly come to talk to me about his life and career... and 'hello Ossie'.
Ossie (O): Hello.
B: Where did your career in film start?
O: Well, I actually entered the studio, as an unpaid clapper-boy in 1932, but before that I was very keen on movie making. My father had a 9.5 Pathescope camera and with my brother and he, we used to make little one minute movies ... and I quite liked doing that - in fact I became fascinated by it, and then my father knew the Manager of our local cinema, and it was a 2nd or 3rd rate cinema on circuits, so we only got films 3 weeks after they were released and he asked the Manager if I'd be allowed up into the projection box, which I was keen to do.
B: How old were you at that stage?
O: I was about 14 I should think, yes, and the Manager said 'well, I can't let him go up there during a public showing', but he said 'I rehearse the films as they come in', and in those days they change the programme twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays - there was no Sunday viewing and he said 'but he can come up for one of the rehearsals'. So I went into the projection box, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful, unbelievable.
B: Had you already been taking photographs?
O: Err, no, not much, no. My Dad used to do that and he used to get my brother and I involved. We used to go into the bathroom, much to my mother's disgust and completely isolate the bathroom, and do the developing and printing there and we had to leave the prints in the water to clear the chemicals for about an hour. My mother used to complain that there was no wash basin she could use in the bathroom.
B: Out of action!
O:Out of action, yes - it was all very primitive but ...
B: Did you ever take photos later, or was it always film?
O:Oh no, whenever ... as I progressed in the industry, we would go on location and I'd take a camera then, and do stills, and often if I got a lovely sunset there, which was nothing to do with the film, I'd photograph that - I liked doing that.
B: For your own personal...
O: Yes.
... to be continued .....
Ossie is 92, and will be 93 in two week's time. When he started the interview, I was a little anxious that he would be hesitant, and dry up when answering the questions. Little did I know him at that stage! As soon as I asked the first question, he was off! The only slight problem was then to get a word in edgeways! Ossie was very gracious, and the interview was great fun for both of us.
A note on the presentation of the interview: at times it will be edited. There may be sections omitted, or re-arranged, out of chronological order etc. This first extract is pretty much exactly as it took place.
So, now we'll get on with it ... this is Part 1. All of the interview is Copyright © Oswald Morris & Barrie Gordon 2008.
Barrie (B): Hello, I'm very glad to have Oswald Morris here in Blandford Forum, Dorset, and he's kindly come to talk to me about his life and career... and 'hello Ossie'.
Ossie (O): Hello.
B: Where did your career in film start?
O: Well, I actually entered the studio, as an unpaid clapper-boy in 1932, but before that I was very keen on movie making. My father had a 9.5 Pathescope camera and with my brother and he, we used to make little one minute movies ... and I quite liked doing that - in fact I became fascinated by it, and then my father knew the Manager of our local cinema, and it was a 2nd or 3rd rate cinema on circuits, so we only got films 3 weeks after they were released and he asked the Manager if I'd be allowed up into the projection box, which I was keen to do.
B: How old were you at that stage?
O: I was about 14 I should think, yes, and the Manager said 'well, I can't let him go up there during a public showing', but he said 'I rehearse the films as they come in', and in those days they change the programme twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays - there was no Sunday viewing and he said 'but he can come up for one of the rehearsals'. So I went into the projection box, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful, unbelievable.
B: Had you already been taking photographs?
O: Err, no, not much, no. My Dad used to do that and he used to get my brother and I involved. We used to go into the bathroom, much to my mother's disgust and completely isolate the bathroom, and do the developing and printing there and we had to leave the prints in the water to clear the chemicals for about an hour. My mother used to complain that there was no wash basin she could use in the bathroom.
B: Out of action!
O:Out of action, yes - it was all very primitive but ...
B: Did you ever take photos later, or was it always film?
O:Oh no, whenever ... as I progressed in the industry, we would go on location and I'd take a camera then, and do stills, and often if I got a lovely sunset there, which was nothing to do with the film, I'd photograph that - I liked doing that.
B: For your own personal...
O: Yes.
... to be continued .....
posted by Barrie Gordon at 8:45 AM
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