In brief, EMI took over ABPC - who were a cinema chain that dabbled in production. Forbes was brought in to run the film unit. His reputation was high as a writer-director - he'd made some impressive films such as Whistle Down the Wind. He was going to bring Class to British films.
But EMI hedged their bets - they also had a film unit under Nat Cohen. Cohen was an enormously experienced executive who ran an organisation called Anglo-Amalgamated - they did a bunch of films with AIP as well as helping finance early John Schlesinger films.
The two man had duelling units. I'll compare their output from 1970-71 - I hope I've got my facts correct. Cohen outlasted Forbes as an executive for a considerable time.
Bryan Forbes Films
* Eyewitness (Jun 1970) - a remake of The Window. Forbes said he wanted to give young directors a go and here he backed John Hough so good on him. Haven't seen this film - it doesn't seem widely known. Had a semi-name in Mark Lester. It feels like it was an unpretentious programmer that maybe thrived better in the 1950s and 1960s but no disgrace.
* And Soon the Darkness (Jul 1970) - thriller about girls in the French countryside. From Robert Fuest. Unpretentious programmer - a good choice I think.
* Hoffman (Jul 1970) - I can see why Forbes greenlit it. Peter Sellers in a drama. It could've been good. It wasn't. Sellers would bag the production. I don't blame Forbes for making the film though... a risk worth taking. Probably needed a really good director and I'm not sure Alvin Rakoff was the front rank.
* The Man Who Haunted Himself (Jul 1970) - thriller, Roger Moore's favourite performance. A flop. Good to have made though - a real cult film now.
* The Breaking of Bumbo (Sep 1970) - I can see the rationale: an attempt at a Virgin Soldiers style romp. Directed by the author of the novel. No stars. Very risky. But an arguable risk.
* The Railway Children (Dec 1970) - a risk that paid off big time. It helped that the source novel was very well known. Forbes' punt on Lionel Jeffries reaped strong dividends. Forbes' first hit.
* A Fine and Private Place (1970) - a disaster. The director struggled and was replaced. A risk that did not take off.
* The Raging Moon (Jan 1971) - Forbes was a talented writer-director but running a studio is a full time job and I think it was silly of him to over-stretch himself by making this film. It also had a risky subject matter too - paraplegics in love.
* The Tales of Beatrix Potter (Jun 1971) - a risk that paid off, but like Railway Children it had a better known source material.
* Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (Dec 1971) - this was a commercial sounding film, but it had a tricky production, a star who has been respected more than popular (John Hurt) and was not a success. I think it's the sort of film the British industry are good at and I can't blame Forbes for trying.
* Dulcima (Dec 1971) - a middle aged man has sex with a manic pixie dream girl. Urgh. No one saw it.
Forbes also said it was he who greenlit The Go-Between (1971) from Joseph Losey - Cohen has taken credit for it. Robert Littman was in charge of MGM England. This an accomplished film with stars which did extremely well critically though not really commercially. But a film to be proud of.
So what about Forbes' legacy? Every film was defendable. All but one were based on novels. He gave new talent a go. That talent didn't always rise to the occasion - maybe he wasn't the best spotter of talent. That can't be helped.
I think it was overly ambitious program - he tried to do too much too soon. Most of the projects had to really really work to come off. Everything had to click. There were three thrillers - but even thrillers are harder to do than say horror or action. I feel he could've done with one or two action-y films and/or horror. Or something based on better known source material.
I think all the projects he did were worth a punt, even Dulcima, they just needed to be spread out with more conservative choices. Or at the least the films could've cost less money.
Nat Cohen's Regime
On the Buses (Jul 1971) - its weird to think how popular big screen adaptations of British TV shows were in the late 60s and 70s but they were. In particular this. A massive hit. A safe choice, cheap - paid off big time.
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (Oct 1971) - one of several Hammer co productions. A mummy film with a famously troubled production. Worth doing you just wish it was better.
Get Carter (1971) - an MGM/EMI co pro. I'm not sure if it was Cohen who greenlit this to be fair, I think it was more Robert Littman, but it was a solid success at the time, and is beloved.
The Boy Friend (1971) - another MGM/EMI co pro. Ken Russell did it. The film has a varying reputation but worth a go.
All the Way Up (1970) - a vehicle for Warren Mitchell, based on a play. The sort of film that might've worked in the early 1960s.
Spring and Port Wine (Feb 1970) - another adaptation of a play. Didn't do that well.
Entertaining Mr Sloane (Apr 1970) - a play adaptation done by new talent. This could've been a Forbes regime show. Cohen's regime was famous for it's crassly commercial films but he greenlit stuff like this too.
Percy (Feb 1971) - high concept sex comedy from the team of Thomas-Box and a big hit.
Up Pompeii (Mar 1971) - adaptation of a TV show and very popular
Villain (May 1971) - gangster flick which benefited from a star turn from Richard Burton. This is the sort of movie Forbes could and should have made more of... but he didn't like violence.
Family Life (Dec 1971) (AE) - arthouse stuff from Ken Loach.
So what about Cohen's slate? Far more varied than people gave him credit for... there's a sex comedy and a several adaptations of TV shows (Cohen would, not surprisingly, make a bunch more of these), but also a gangster film, a horror film, some play adaptations, a Ken Loach.
Forbes had great intentions and did some very good things - it's a shame he didn't stick around. Maybe had he been given a smaller slate eg five films a year or something. Or maybe he wasn't cut out for it in the long run. Cohen was very skilled and should be better known.
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