This film is part of Rentals

Elstree Story
A charming 1952 history of Elstree Studios, its films and the people who made them, from Hitchcock to Olivier.
Director: Gilbert Gunn
Overview
Charismatic Dam Busters star Richard Todd hosts a whistle-stop tour of the enduring film studio, from the silent era to the first British feature talkie - Hitchcock's Blackmail - and on to Technicolor musicals. Unusual for the time, this 1952 documentary has behind the scenes footage and rare clips of studio stars such as Will Hay, James Mason, John Mills, Margaret Lockwood, Laurence Olivier.
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