Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)

Born in Broadstone, Dorset, England; son of the actor George Relph (1888-1960). Michael Relph's career in films began in 1933 working as an assistant art director with Michael Balcon who was working as an art direcror for MGM-British and Warner Brothers. In 1942 Relph joined Ealing as chief art director. He was a producer and occasional writer. After producing KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, Relph began his long, prolific partnership with Basil Dearden, up until Dearden's death in 1971. Sometimes credited as a joint director with Dearden, DAVY made in 1957 is regarded as his directorial debut. Relph succeeded Michael Balcon as chairman of the British Film Institute Production Board in 1972, following Balcon's retirement. Relph later returned to commercial film production with Don Boyd in 1982 - AN UNSUITABLE JOB FOR A WOMAN. Other notable credits include: (as art director) WHO KILLED JOHN SAVAGE? (1937), BELLS GO DOWN and MY LEARNED FRIEND (both 1943), THE HALFWAY HOUSE and CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE (both 1944), THEY CAME TO A CITY (1945), THE CAPTIVE HEART (1946, also assoc. producer), NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (1947) and THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU (1969, also writer & producer); (as writer) I BELIVE IN YOU (1952, also producer & director), OUT OF THE CLOUDS and THE SHIP THAT DIED OF SHAME (both 1955, both also producer & director), MAN IN THE MOON (1960, also producer), A PLACE TO GO (1963, also producer), WOMAN OF STRAW (1964, also producer), MASQUERADE (1965, also producer), THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF (1970); (as director) THE SQUARE RING (1953, also producer & director), ROCKETS GALORE! (1957) and DESERT MICE (1959); (as producer) FRIEDA (1947), TRAIN OF EVENTS (1949), THE GENTLE GUNMAN (1952), THE RAINBOW JACKET (1954), WHO DONE IT? (1956), THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH (1957), VIOLENT PLAYGROUND (1958), SAPPHIRE and THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN (both 1959), THE SECRET PARTNER, VICTIM and ALL NIGHT LONG (all 1961), LIFE FOR RUTH (1962), THE MIND BENDERS (1963), SCUM (1979, exec. producer) and HEAVENLY PURSUITS (1985).  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1949: SARABAND - Art Direction (w. Jim Morahan & William Kellner) 1 nomination