John Leonard Duncan Mackenzie (22 May 1928 – 8 June 2011) was a Scottish film and television director. He worked in British film from the late 1960s, first as an assistant director and later as an independent director himself.
Early life Mackenzie was born in Edinburgh, where he attended Holy Cross Academy. He studied history at the University of Edinburgh. He studied drama and joined Edinburgh's Gateway Theatre Company. He worked as a teacher and moved to London in 1960.
Career Early career Mackenzie began his career with Ken Loach, acting as the latter's assistant director on such works as Up the Junction (1965) and Cathy Come Home (1966). This training allowed Mackenzie to begin a move into directing himself, as well as teaching him the skills of working on location with non-professional, local actors to a tight budget and schedule.
Directing, film and television Mackenzie initially worked on television plays following his apprenticeship with Loach. During this period he directed episodes of The Jazz Age and ITV Saturday Night Theatre. His first film was the television drama There Is Also Tomorrow (1969), followed by two feature films One Brief Summer (1970) and Unman, Wittering and Zigo, an adaptation of Giles Cooper's radio play (1971). He collaborated with writer Peter McDougall on three episodes of Play for Today: Just Another Saturday (1975), The Elephants' Graveyard (1976) starring Billy Connolly and Just a Boys' Game (1979). Mackenzie still largely worked for television, aside from the independent production Made (1972), until in 1979 he directed the highly acclaimed A Sense of Freedom, also with a screenplay by McDougall, a BAFTA-nominated film about the Scottish gangster Jimmy Boyle. Freedom was surpassed, however, by Mackenzie's next film, the gangster piece The Long Good Friday, generally accepted as his masterpiece.
The Long Good Friday, starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, opened up opportunities to work in the United States. The Honorary Consul was adapted from Graham Greene's novel by Christopher Hampton. Also released as Beyond the Limit, the film re-united Mackenzie with Hoskins, as well as giving him the chance to direct Michael Caine and Richard Gere. Mackenzie's other films of this period include The Innocent (1985) and The Fourth Protocol (1987).
The greatest success that Mackenzie enjoyed in his American period was Ruby (1992), a biopic of Jack Ruby, the Texan nightclub owner who assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald. Ruby starred Academy Award-nominated Danny Aiello and Twin Peaks actor Sherilyn Fenn.
Another film of this period was The Last of the Finest, a UK-US thriller starring Brian Dennehy. Mackenzie returned to the UK in 1993. He later directed films such as Deadly Voyage (1996) and When the Sky Falls (2000).
Death Mackenzie died following a stroke on 8 June 2011, some three weeks after his 83rd birthday. He is survived by his three daughters: Colyn, Katherine and Rebecca. His wife Wendy Marshall, whom he married in 1956, predeceased him.
Filmography As Assistant Director +YearTitleNotes1965-1966The Wednesday PlayEpisodes: Up the Junction and Cathy Come Home As Director: Film +YearTitle1971One Brief SummerUnman, Wittering and Zigo1972Made1977Apaches1980The Long Good Friday1983The Honorary Consul 1985The Innocent1987The Fourth Protocol1990The Last of the Finest1992Ruby2000When the Sky Falls2003Quicksand As Director: Television +YearTitleNotes1967-1969The Wednesday Play4 episodes1971-1979Play for Today9 episodes, including The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, Double Dare and Just a Boys' Game1981A Sense of FreedomTV film1986Act of Vengeance 1993Voyage1995The Infiltrator 1996Deadly Voyage1998Looking After Jo JoMiniseries
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