The driving forces behind the company were the flamboyant, Italian-born Filippo Del Giudice,[1] and his partner the multitalented Mario Zampi,[2] born in Sora, Italy who often worked in the dual role of director and producer. Two Cities produced a number of quintessentially English[3] film classics including the most popular British film from the wartime period, In Which We Serve (1942).[4]
Other Two Cities films such as This Happy Breed (1944), The Way Ahead (1944), Henry V (1944), The Way to the Stars (1945), and Blithe Spirit (1945) contributed significantly to the high critical reputation acquired by the British cinema of the time.[5][3]
In the mid-1940s Two Cities Films became part of the Rank Organisation. It was raising the finances for the production of Laurence Olivier's patriotic epic Henry V (1944) totalling more than £470,000, which forced Filippo Del Giudice to surrender his controlling interest in the company to the Rank Organisation.[1]
Under Rank they produced key films such as Odd Man Out (1947), Hamlet (1948), and Vice Versa (1948).
Two Cities Films is now owned by Gregory Motton.[6]
New Production[edit]
The company went back into production in 2017 with the shooting of The Four Gospels of Dracula the Messiah, a quartet of films,The Four Gospels of Dracula the Messiah, part one: A Voice Crying In The Wilderness, The Four Gospels of Dracula the Messiah part two; Conquering Death, The Four Gospels of Dracula the Messiah part three, The Seducer, The Four Gospels of Dracula the Messiah part four is to be released in January 2022,[7][8] Lilith (2022), Dracula (2022)