Articles & Texticles

Continuing a series about Art Directors in the British film industry up to 1948, when the book containing these articles was published.

This chapter deals with Paul Sherriff (1903 – 1960).

It was in 1943 that Sheriff made his most memorable contribution to film decor when as Art Director for Laurence Olivier’s `Henry V’ he experimented with an entirely new kind of background, taking the illuminated chronicles of the period and using their naive perspective and delicate colouring as the basis for his designs.

(Please click the thumbnail pictures to enlarge them. I thank you.)
Henry The Fifth Two Cities Films, 1944

Henry The Fifth Two Cities Films, 1944

Vice Versa Two Cities Films 1948 ¹

Henry The Fifth Two Cities Films, 1944

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When Andrejew first came to work in England he could not speak a word of English: Ferdinand Bellan who came with him could say very little more and it was a great relief when a tall young mining engineer called Paul Schouvaloff (now Sheriff) appeared upon the scene as an interpreter.

He had charm and was a great diplomat, which was essential since the producers and most of the key technicians on the film came from various parts of Europe. The film was ‘The Dictator’ and it was made at Ealing. After this Sheriff continued as assistant to Andrejew at Denham and later to Lazare Meerson when he came to work for Korda.

In 1939 he joined Two Cities as Art Director and helped to make `French Without Tears’ and followed this with ‘Freedom Radio’, `Saint’s Vacation’, ‘Jeanne’, ‘First of the Few’, ‘The Gentle Sex’, `Flemish Farm’, and ‘Demi-Paradise’.

But it was in 1943 that Sheriff made his most memorable contribution to film decor when as Art Director for Laurence Olivier’s `Henry V’ he experimented with an entirely new kind of background, taking the illuminated chronicles of the period and using their naive perspective and delicate colouring as the basis for his designs.

This, he says, was the most interesting experience in his film career and it proved to be one of the most talked of films in England and America. The costumes were designed by Roger Furse.

In 1945 he was Supervising Art Director to ‘The Way to the Stars’, followed by ‘School for Secrets’ and ‘Vice Versa’. On the last he was Associate Producer.
For a time Sheriff took a very live interest in stage decor and was associated with John Gielgud’s production of ‘Crime and Punishment’. He also made the decor for ‘The White Devil’ for Robert Helpmann and for Michael Redgrave’s `Macbeth’.

Sheriff works with oils or poster colours which he afterwards varnishes. He has a very free style and relies on the pattern of his colours rather than his line to create his effects.

He looks for great improvements in film making which he regards as going through a period of adolescence; he feels that ‘more intelligent thought’ is needed to make films eligible in the ‘Junior Society of Arts’.

(Excerpted from: “Art & Design In The British Film” A Pictorial Directory of British Art Directors and their work. Compiled by Edward Carrick, 1947 )

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