Lawrence Bachmann was the driving force behind MGM’s British film operation during the early 1960s, overseeing a range of productions that balanced modest budgets with international appeal. Appointed in December 1959 by MGM’s head of production Sol Siegel as a liaison for European productions, Bachmann became the effective head of MGM-British. His leadership spanned from London-based shoots to films made across Europe, including France, Italy, Ireland, and Spain, and was central to MGM’s focus on British talent and stories during this period.
Under Bachmann’s stewardship, MGM-British crafted diverse films that mixed commercial viability with artistry, reflecting the studio’s strategy to produce smaller local movies, each anchored by an internationally recognizable star to secure box office success. His career prior to this role was notable — an American writer and producer born in 1911, Bachmann had worked at studios such as Universal, RKO, and MGM, with international experience including studies at Oxford and work for the US State Department in Berlin. Before joining MGM, he had been head of production at Paramount’s British subsidiary and had contributed to the Rank Organisation’s 1959 adventure film Whirlpool.
Building a Successful Slate of British Films
Lawrence Bachmann’s initial slate of films reflected a strategy to combine commercial appeal with British sensibilities and cost efficiency. The first five productions embodied this mix of genre and star power, combining science fiction, mystery, and drama. While mostly profitable, MGM records show only one of these early films, Invasion Quartet, failed to recuperate its investment. Conversely, hits like Village of the Damned and Murder She Said became marquee successes, spurring sequels and establishing popular British film franchises—Bachmann arranged subsequent films such as Children of the Damned and a series of Rutherford-led Marple mysteries including Murder at the Gallop, Murder Most Foul, and Murder Ahoy. These films, while not strictly faithful adaptations, remain widely enjoyed, with Village of the Damned hailed as a classic sci-fi.
Plans for further literary adaptations under Bachmann’s management, including an Agatha Christie version of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, RC Sheriff’s Journey’s End, and DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, never materialized. This suggests budgetary restraints at MGM limited the scope for more ambitious productions despite Bachmann’s ambitions.
Expanding Comedy and Diverse Genres in the Mid-1960s
Bachmann’s subsequent production slate leaned heavily on comedy and included films featuring well-known British comedians and actors. Highlights encompassed a remake of The Asphalt Jungle titled Cairo, starring George Sanders and directed by Wolf Rilla; Private Potter, featuring the film debut of Tom Courtenay; two Terry-Thomas comedies, Kill or Cure and A Matter of Who; as well as comedies by Eric Sykes (Village of Daughters), Peter Sellers (The Dock Brief), and Spike Milligan (Postman’s Knock).
While the better-known stars helped some of these films perform decently, lesser-known productions, including Private Potter, struggled at the box office. The spaghetti Western The Savage Guns, directed in Spain by Michael Carreras, was another venture linked to Bachmann’s network, as Carreras had previously worked with Hammer Films on a project involving Bachmann. MGM’s later involvement in Hammer productions such as Hysteria and She may have stemmed from this connection.
Producing Larger-Scale European-Set Films
Alongside smaller features, MGM-British also produced higher-budget films with more involvement from MGM’s headquarters in Hollywood, focusing largely on European settings and stories. These included melodramas starring Peter Finch, directed by Robert Stevens: I Thank a Fool and In the Cool of the Day; romantic comedies modeled after the successful 1960 hit Where the Boys Are, namely Come Fly with Me and Follow the Boys, which followed the lives of air hostesses and women accompanying American sailors around the Mediterranean.
Also notable were all-star melodramas such as The VIPs, featuring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor fresh off Cleopatra, alongside Margaret Rutherford, Orson Welles, and Rod Taylor. This film achieved significant commercial success, prompting another all-star collaboration, The Yellow Rolls Royce (1964), which was well-received.
A landmark production from this era was the horror film The Haunting, adapted from Shirley Jackson’s novel, which has become a staple of classic horror cinema. However, the larger Finch melodramas did not fare well financially, while the romantic comedies, though never major hits, remained in circulation and likely generated modest profits.
“Follow the Boys was based on a story by Bachmann, who had a house in the south of France – nice work if you can get it.”
—Stephen Vagg, Film Historian
Collaborations and Later Projects
Bachmann also engaged with American producers Virginia and Andrew Stone in a three-picture deal, resulting in The Password is Courage, The Secret of My Success, and Never Put it in Writing. The reception of these varied: The Password is Courage found success in Britain, while Never Put it in Writing, featuring Pat Boone and shot in Ireland, was eventually released through Allied Artists. The Secret of My Success failed to launch James Booth as a major star, reflecting the challenges of creating hits post-Zulu.
Final MGM British Films and Franchise Attempts
The last films associated with Bachmann’s leadership demonstrated ambition but met mixed outcomes. These included a 1964 remake of Night Must Fall, starring Albert Finney and directed by Karel Reisz, on which Bachmann is credited as a producer; and two attempts to establish a British spy franchise reminiscent of James Bond: Where the Spies Are, with David Niven, and The Liquidator, starring Rod Taylor.
Other notable productions were The Hill, directed by Sydney Lumet and starring Sean Connery, produced by Ken Hyman of Seven Arts; the star-studded war film Operation Crossbow, produced by Carlo Ponti; and The Alphabet Murders, aiming to replicate the success of Margaret Rutherford’s Marple series with Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot. Bachmann’s credit as a producer on these films suggests continued involvement despite the challenges of sustaining momentum in a changing industry.
Additional films made by MGM in Ireland, such as Young Cassidy and Of Human Bondage, may also have had indirect connections to Bachmann’s influence. He announced a project called The Scorpio Letters, which ultimately became a US-made MGM Television production.
Departure from MGM British and Continued Contributions
Despite a portfolio of esteemed credits, including hits and some commercial disappointments, Bachmann’s tenure at MGM British ended in January 1966 when he left to become an independent producer. It remains unclear whether he resigned voluntarily or was encouraged to leave by the studio. His departure marked the end of an era for MGM’s British operation, which had since produced acclaimed films like Blowup, The Dirty Dozen, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Where Eagles Dare, and Get Carter, as well as notable failures such as Alfred the Great and Goodbye Mr Chips. Eventually, under the cost-cutting regime of James Aubrey, the Borehamwood studio itself was sold, signaling a major contraction for MGM’s British film presence.
After leaving MGM, Bachmann continued his work as an independent producer and writer. His credits include the 1981 adaptation of the Broadway play Whose Life Is It Anyway, which was produced for MGM. He passed away in 2004, leaving behind a legacy that remains underappreciated in most histories of British cinema during the 1960s.
Evaluating Bachmann’s Impact on MGM British Cinema
Though often overlooked in favor of stars and directors, Lawrence Bachmann’s period at MGM British yielded a diverse array of films, ranging from suspenseful thrillers and distinguished sci-fi to elegant melodramas and light romantic comedies. His management balanced budget constraints with attempts to appeal both locally and internationally, producing enduring classics such as The Village of the Damned, the Rutherford Marple series, The VIPs, The Haunting, and Operation Crossbow.
England provided the perfect setting for MGM’s brand of filmmaking during this time, blending glamour, talented actors, and compelling stories. MGM’s eventual withdrawal from its British subsidiary and the departure of Bachmann arguably represented a significant missed opportunity to sustain this distinctively rich era. His varied filmography and leadership reveal a producer who helped cement MGM British’s place in film history, deserving greater recognition for his role in shaping memorable and iconic cinema.
