an attic full of puppets
A documentary film about a magic 94 year old puppet master and the old tins of film we found in the back of a cupboard in his tiny apartment. The goal of the film was to help Frank restore his old puppets and film and to bring his remarkable story to life on screen.Made in 2013 following a successful crowd funding campaign, the film was screened at the V&A Museum in London, puppet master Frank Mumford passed away in 2014.
documentary film
Frank Mumford was 93 and a "half" years old he'd lived in a tiny flat in London's Notting Hill Gate since 1946, surrounded by the memorabilia of a life well lived. Frank's not your ordinary garden variety 93 year old. He's special, not only because of his strong independent lifestyle, living alone as he approached 100, but also because Frank and his late wife, Maisie, created one of the most glamorous Marionette variety acts to ever grace the stage.
In the late 1940's and 1950's they played prestige venues all over Europe, including the Moulin Rouge, Paris, London's Savoy Hotel, and the Sporting Club, Monte Carlo. He performed for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Prince Rainer of Monaco, was given a gold cigarette case by General Franco, dined with Jean Cocteau and joked with Josephine Baker. This remarkable documentary tells Frank's story. The past, present and future, it's a tale of princes and puppets, bitter rivalries and betrayal, of joy and tragedy.
Reviewed by Dan Bullock for The Hollywood News, 2014:
"Richard Butchins’ poignant and insightful documentary AN ATTIC FULL OF PUPPETS is something a little different as it tells the real-life story of Frank Mumford, a 95-year old puppet master who played to the crowned heads of Europe. Frank was a master marionettist whose characterful puppets entertained around the world and, very interestingly, were occasionally considered a little too racy by the censors." more