Biography
Christopher was passionate about films during his school years and created 16mm films. When his father met the managing director of Gaumont British News, he was advised to send Christopher along, which led to him becoming a camera assistant. Sound was just beginning to be introduced. A year later, Christopher was transporting film from the cameramen back to the studio for processing, taking the tube instead of a taxi as instructed. However, he claimed taxi fares on his expenses, earning more than his £1 weekly wage. After that, he aimed to work in feature films. When Technicolor arrived in Britain, he was asked to direct the first one at Denham, Wings of the Morning. He approached the head of Technicolor and persuaded him to give him a job, mainly in the labs, becoming the first permanent employee when new labs were established at Denham, working on Thief of Baghdad. With the outbreak of war, he joined the RAF film unit and reunited with his friend Jack Cardiff while making A Matter of Life and Death. Christopher worked as lighting cameraman alongside Geoffrey Unsworth on The River and then as camera operator on The Red Shoes. When Jack left, Christopher became a key member of The Archers film team, starting with The Small Back Room, where Freddie Francis was his operator. Colonel Blimp required four men to lift the Technicolor camera, which could only move up and down due to its weight and size; sideways movement would have caused it to tip over. It took over two weeks of walking around Shropshire to find suitable locations for Gone to Earth, as there were no jeeps at the time, so all equipment had to be carried across fields. Jennifer Jones had married Selznick just two weeks earlier, so he was essentially compelled to use her since he financed most of the film. Powell refused to direct and Pressburger declined to write. Christopher went over as the representative but was unable to bring any of his crew; the gaffer was Gregg Toland. On one occasion, during a candlelit bedroom scene with Jennifer, Selznick entered and complained there was too much light. Christopher responded that he had been brought over for the job and if Selznick was unhappy, he would return home. Selznick reviewed the rushes the next day and publicly apologised. Following the success of the film, Technicolor decided to establish labs in Britain and hired staff, most of whom were university-educated.
