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Ideal Film Company

Ideal Film Company
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Foundation date 1 january 1911

The Ideal Film Company (often known as Ideal Films or simply Ideal) was a British film production and distribution company that operated between 1911 and 1934.

The company, based in Soho, was started by the two Jewish brothers Harry Moses (1875-17 August 1951) and Simon (1877-26 June 1950) Rowson, born Rosenbaum. They were born in Manchester, where their father, an immigrant from Suwałki in Poland, worked as butcher.

After having begun as a pure distribution company in 1911, Ideal also began producing films in 1916. In 1917, the company acquired the first of the Elstree Studios in Borehamwood from the Neptune Film Company. During the silent era, the Ideal Film Company became one of the leading British production companies, benefiting from the post-First World War boom in films. However the company was badly hit by the Slump of 1924, and stopped its production, while the distribution arm continued. In 1927 the company was merged into the Gaumont British empire, where it continued to distribute under its own name until 1934.

During its 23 years, the company distributed almost 400 films and produced more than 80. Most of the films produced by the company are now considered lost, but a number still survive. Perhaps the company's best known film is The Life Story of David Lloyd George, a 1918 biopic of the British Prime Minister directed by Maurice Elvey.

Simon Rowson went on to become an advisor to the government on British film, and was the first president of the British Kinematograph Society (1931-1938). His son, Leslie Rowson, became a renowned British cinematographer.
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Filmography of Ideal Film Company (48 films)

Display filmography as list

Production

Lady Audley's Secret
Lady Audley's Secret (1920)

Directed by Maurice Elvey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Manning Haynes, Hubert Willis

A woman marries a man then murders him.

Distribution

The Good Companions
The Good Companions (1933)
, 1h53
Directed by Victor Saville
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Musical, Romance
Actors Jessie Matthews, John Gielgud, Edmund Gwenn, Mary Glynne, Frank Pettingell, Laurence Hanray

A group of widely divergent characters meet up with a broken-down touring concert-party, throw in their lot with them, and eventually triumph after temporary setbacks. This British musical-comedy follows an unlikely trio as they try to revive the fortunes of the floundering theatrical troupe. School teacher Inigo Jolifant (John Gielgud) with his talent for songwriting, and recently unemployed Jess Oakroyd (Edmund Gwenn) with his theatrical ambitions, together persuade Miss Trant (Mary Glynne), an older single woman looking for adventure, to fund them as they attempt to bring "The Dinky Do's" back into the spotlight. Susie Dean (Jessie Matthews) is a chorus girl who dreams of stardom, and when she's made the new leader of the show, it looks as if her dreams may finally come true.