Guy Hamilton

Guy Hamilton was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Naomi Chance and it ended in divorce. He then married actress, Kerima, whom he had first met while working in Carol Reed’s film ‘Outcast of the Island’.

From the middle of 1980s, Hamilton shifted to the Mediterranean island of Majorca along with his wife, Kerima, and settled at the municipal town of Andratx. He died there on 20 April 2016, at the age of 93.

Guy Hamilton was born on 16 September 1922, in Paris. His father was a diplomat and at the time of Guy’s birth he was working as the press attaché to the British Embassy at Paris. Although his parents lived mostly in France, Guy was sent to England for his schooling.

Guy Hamilton came in contact with the film world early in his life. He especially enjoyed French movies. and was very fond of Jean Renoir. Although he was being trained to become a diplomat his secret wish was to become a film director.

He had his first brush with film industry in 1938. In that year, he was employed as a clapperboard boy at the Victorine Studios (now known as Studio Riviera) in Nice. Later he worked in the company’s accounts department and then as an assistant producer.

However, as the World War II broke out, Hamilton, along with other British citizens, was evacuated from France to England. On returning to London, he found a job in the cutting room of the British Paramount News. What he learnt there helped him in editing his works later in life.

Very soon, he was inducted in the British Navy and was posted in 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla, a covert unit engaged in rescuing British servicemen held up in France and ferrying agents into the German occupied territories. His experiences during the war greatly influenced his film making.

As the war ended, Hamilton returned to film industry. His big break came in September 1947, when director Carol Reed took him under his wing and appointed him as the assistant director for his 1948 film ‘Fallen Idol’. Subsequently, Reed became a sort of father-figure for Hamilton and guided him in the art of film directing.

Hamilton worked as the assistant director under Reeds for two more films; ‘The Third Man’ (1949) and ‘Outcast of the Island’ (1951). Subsequently, he also served in the same capacity for John Huston on ‘The African Queen’ (1951)

Impressed by his talent, Reed next helped Hamilton to direct his first movie; ‘The Ringer’. This low budget film, released in 1952, was dubbed as “old-fashioned melodrama with an excellent cast."

‘Intruder’, his second film, was released in 1953. Set up against the backdrop of postwar London, the film received moderate review. This was followed by ‘The Inspector Calls’ (1954), which was based on an eponymous play.

It was his fourth movie ‘The Colditz Story’, released in 1955, which actually established him as a director. The film, based on Patrick Robert’s memoir, depicts the escape of prisoners of war during World War II from the high security German castle at Colditz. Hamilton was not only the director of the movie, but had also co-authored script. It turned out to be the fourth most popular movie at the British box office in 1955 and made a profit of £100,000.

Guy Hamilton is best known for his four James Bond films; ‘Goldfinger’ (1964), ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (1971), ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973) and ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ (1974). All of them made huge profit at the box office.