Robert James Hamer, a renowned British film director and screenwriter, entered the world on March 31, 1911, in the charming town of Kidderminster, situated in the picturesque county of Worcestershire.
Notwithstanding his initial academic achievement, securing a prestigious scholarship to Cambridge University, fate had other plans in store for Hamer, as he was subsequently sent down, and thus, embarked on a career trajectory that would take him in a vastly different direction.
In 1934, Hamer began his professional journey as a cutting room assistant, laying the groundwork for the skills and expertise that would soon make him a sought-after figure in the film industry.
As the years progressed, Hamer's talents as a film editor were put to the test, and he went on to work on a number of notable projects, including the 1939 release, Jamaica Inn, a Hitchcock-directed film co-produced by the illustrious Charles Laughton.
In the late 1930s, Hamer's work took on a more documentary-focused bent, as he lent his expertise to the GPO Film Unit, crafting informative and engaging films that would leave a lasting impact on the world of cinema.
Biography:
Name: Hamer
Career: Film Editor
Alberto Cavalcanti's departure from their previous studio to join Ealing Studios presented an opportunity for Hamer to follow suit. He seized the chance to hone his directing skills by filling in for his colleagues, thereby gaining valuable experience in the process. This experience ultimately led to his contribution to the 1945 film Dead of Night, where he created the eerie 'haunted mirror' sequence that has since become a memorable aspect of the movie. Subsequently, Hamer went on to direct three films under his own name at Ealing Studios, for which he is most notably recognized. The first two films, Pink String and Sealing Wax (1946) and It Always Rains on Sunday (1947),featured the talented Googie Withers, while the third film, Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949),was a black comedy starring the renowned Dennis Price and Alec Guinness.
The life of a cinematic visionary was tragically cut short when Hamer succumbed to the debilitating effects of pneumonia at the tender age of 52, his mortal coil being laid to rest at St Thomas's Hospital in London.
Throughout his life, Hamer wrestled with the demons of addiction, a constant companion that threatened to undermine his creative endeavors and personal relationships. Meanwhile, his identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community was shrouded in secrecy, forced to navigate the treacherous waters of societal stigma that permeated the UK during this era.
In the years that followed, Hamer's remarkable body of work would be subject to a reevaluation, with film critic David Thomson ultimately pronouncing his career a poignant example of a "most significant miscarriage of talent" in the post-war British cinema landscape.
