Sunday Feature: Carol and Muriel

Original version

BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Sunday Feature

Documentaries

Factual

Exploring music, history, science, philosophy, film, visual arts and literature.

In-depth documentaries which explore music, history, science, philosophy, film, visual arts and literature.

Carol and Muriel

BBC Radio 3 - Sunday Feature, Carol and Muriel

Carol Morley on Britain's most prolific female director, Muriel Box.

Muriel Box is Britain's most prolific female director, and yet she is barely know in her own country. Director Carol Morley has decided to right this historical wrong.

Carol Morley follows the trail of Britain's most prolific female director, Muriel Box. She directed 13 films in 14 years and was the first woman ever to receive the Oscar for best original screenplay, for The Seventh Veil. Yet, she is barely known in her own country. She has never had a retrospective of her work here and her films are hard to get hold of, even box office hits like The Truth About Women, Simon And Laura and The Passionate Stranger.

Carol made an appeal on Radio 4 for anyone who knew Muriel to get in touch. And she was overwhelmed by the response. On this cinematic journey of discovery, Carol talks to her daughter, Leonora, and her grandsons Ben and Charlie, as well as distant relatives Sean Barton and Olivia Howells. She also hears from Karen Peploe, who met the director when she wrote a thesis on her in the 1980s, and British Film Institute curator Jo Botting. Along the way, Carol digs through crates of diaries and letters and finally gets to hold an Academy Award, albeit one that's been loved to death by two small children.

Carol also mounts a campaign to have Muriel's achievements recognised in this country, and discovers that her efforts have not been in vain.

Presented by Carol Morley. Readings by Monica Dolan and Joanna Munro.

Produced by Stephen Hughes and mixed by Donald MacDonald.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Sunday Feature

Carol and Muriel

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3