Hitchcock Chronology: Blackmail (1929)

November

British International Pictures announces that Alfred Hitchcock's next production will be an adaptation of Charles Bennett's play Blackmail.^[1]

February

8th - Rehearsals start for the dialogue scenes to be shot for Blackmail, with filming scheduled to begin on the new sound stages on April 10th.^[2]
Principal photography starts on Hitchcock's fifth film for British International Pictures, Blackmail, staring Anny Ondra, John Longden and Donald Calthrop.^[3]

March

The filming of Blackmail continues throughout March, including location shoots at the Lyons Corner House towards the end of the month.^[4]

April

British International Pictures completes building temporary sound stages. The company announces in the trade papers that Blackmail will become its first "talking picture".^[5]
Benn Levy completes writing the dialogue for the sound version of Blackmail by mid-April.^[6]

May

13th - The Duke and Duchess of York visit the British International Pictures studios, where they meet with Alfred Hitchcock and watch a scene from Blackmail being rehearsed.^[7]
22nd - Location filming for the exterior shots of the Blackmail chase finalé at the British Museum takes place. According to newspaper reports, Hitchcock encouraged cinematographer Jack E. Cox to include members of the general public in the sequences.^[8]
Filming of the sound version of Blackmail is completed by late May.^[9]

June

21st - The sound version of Blackmail is given a trade screening at the Regal Marble Arch cinema.^[10]^[11]

July

September

10th - Both the sound and silent versions of Blackmail are screened in Berlin to a large trade audience who are then asked to vote for their preferred version. The silent version wins by 685 votes to 439.^[13]

January

21st - Blackmail is screened as part of the Association of Cine-Technicians' Winter Programme of lectures and film shows (1936-37).

January

24th - BBC Radio broadcasts an episode of the 30-minute "The Cinema: The Director's Job" series in which Hitchcock talks about his work. The Yorkshire Post description reads, "The third of the talks on The Cinema (National, 8) is to be given by Alfred Hitchcock, the producer, who will speak about his work. Hitchcock has become outstanding among producers by reason of such successes as Blackmail some years ago, and later The Thirty Nine Steps, Secret Agent and Sabotage."^[14]^[15]

September

13th - Irish actress Sara Allgood, who appeared in Blackmail, Juno and the Paycock, and Sabotage, dies of a heart attack aged 70.

July

29th - Cinematographer Jack E. Cox, who worked with Hitchcock on The Ring, Champagne, The Farmer's Wife, Blackmail, The Manxman, Murder!, Juno and the Paycock, Mary, Rich and Strange, The Skin Game, Number Seventeen and The Lady Vanishes, dies aged 64.

December

7th - Art Director Norman G. Arnold, who worked with Hitchcock on Blackmail and Juno and the Paycock, and who gave the young Hitchcock his first break into the film world, dies aged 71.

May

26th - Actor John Longden, who starred in Blackmail and has smaller roles in 4 other Hitchcock films, dies aged 70.

November

7th - As part of a season celebrating the 50th anniversary of Elstree Studios, BBC Television broadcasts Blackmail (1929) with a specially recorded introduction by Hitchcock.^[16]

February

28th - Actress Anny Ondra, who starred in The Manxman and Blackmail, dies aged 84.

June

16th - Ronald Neame, who began his long career in British films as an assistant cameraman on Blackmail, dies aged 99.

References