Burnett Guffey

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Burnett Guffey, A.S.C.
Guffey behind the camera
Born(1905-05-26)May 26, 1905
Del Rio, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 1983(1983-05-30) (aged 78)
Goleta, California, U.S.
Other namesBurney
TitleA.S.C.
Board member ofA.S.C. President (1957–1958)
AwardsBest Black-and-White Cinematography
1954 From Here to Eternity
Best Cinematography
1968 Bonnie and Clyde

Burnett Guffey, A.S.C. (May 26, 1905 – May 30, 1983) was an American cinematographer.[1]

He won two Academy Awards: From Here to Eternity (1953) and Bonnie and Clyde (1967).

Born on May 26, 1905, in Del Rio, Tennessee, Burnett Guffey attended school in Etowah, Tennessee. He started his career as a messenger boy in a bank before becoming a camera assistant at Fox in 1923. His first film was "The Courtship of Myles Standish" in the same year. John Ford selected him for second unit photography on the epic "The Iron Horse" the following year. Throughout the decade, he worked for Famous Players-Lasky, Fox, and other studios.

During the period from 1935 to 1944, Guffey served as a camera operator on several notable films, including Richard Boleslawski’s "Clive of India," John Ford’s "The Informer," Fritz Lang’s "You Only Live Once," Alfred Hitchcock’s "Foreign Correspondent," Tay Garnett’s "Seven Sinners," Alexander Korda’s "That Hamilton Woman," and Charles Vidor’s "Cover Girl."

Guffey's debut as a cinematographer was in 1944 with "Sailor’s Holiday." He gained acclaim for his crisp imaging and superb compositions, particularly excelling in film noir, having worked on twenty such films over his career.

Between 1944 and 1953, Guffey photographed major films such as Joseph H. Lewis’ "My Name Is Julia Ross," Richard Wallace’s "Framed," Nicholas Ray’s "Knock on Any Door," Max Ophuls’ "The Reckless Moment," Robert Rossen’s Oscar-winning "All the King’s Men," Ray’s "In a Lonely Place," Edward Dmytryk’s "The Sniper," and Fred Zinnemann’s "From Here to Eternity," for which he won his first Oscar after thirty years in the business.

In the years following his Oscar win, Guffey worked on notable films like Lang’s "Human Desire," Don Siegel’s "Private Hell 36," Lewis Seiler’s "The Bamboo Prison," Rudolph Maté’s "The Violent Men," Phil Karlson’s "Tight Spot," George Sherman’s "Count Three and Pray," Mark Robson’s "The Harder They Fall," which earned him a second Oscar nomination, Daniel Taradash’s "Storm Center," and Jacques Tourneur’s "Nightfall." He also served as President of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) from 1957 to 1958.

From 1957 to 1962, Guffey contributed to films such as Jack Garfein’s "The Strange One," Karlson’s "The Brothers Rico," Gerd Oswald’s "Screaming Mimi," Peter Glenville’s "Me and the Colonel," Paul Wendkos’ "Gidget," Rossen’s "They Came to Cordura," Karlson’s "Hell to Eternity," and John Frankenheimer’s "Birdman of Alcatraz," which earned him a third Oscar nomination.

His work on Bryan Forbes’ 1965 film, "King Rat," earned him a fourth Oscar nomination, and Arthur Penn’s 1967 film, "Bonnie and Clyde," earned his fifth nomination and second Oscar.

Guffey’s last significant film was Martin Ritt’s 1970 "The Great White Hope." The following year, "The Steagle" marked his final film.

Burnett Guffey passed away on May 30, 1983, at the age of 78.

Career[edit]

While still a teenager, the future Academy Award-winning cinematographer began as a camera assistant in 1923 on John Ford's 1924 western saga The Iron Horse. He was then hired by the Famous Players–Lasky studios in 1927, became a camera operator in 1928 and worked there until 1943. Guffey was hired as a Director of Photography by Columbia Pictures in 1944.[2][3] After that, he worked as freelance. [4]

In 1957–58, he served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (A.S.C.) for a year, and had been a long-standing member.

According to film critic Spencer Selby, Guffey was a prolific film noir cinematographer, shooting 20 of them, including In a Lonely Place (1950).[5][6]

Style[edit]

Burnett Guffey's cinematographic style underwent a significant evolution throughout his career, showcasing his adaptability and mastery across different genres and techniques. Initially, Guffey was celebrated for his work in film noir, a genre known for its deep focus, shadowy imagery, and stylized aesthetics. Films such as "My Name is Julia Ross," "In a Lonely Place," and "The Sniper" are exemplary of his early style, where he utilized shadows and lighting to create moody, tension-filled atmospheres that enhanced the narrative. Guffey is a strong advocate of "keep the lighting simple"[7], his techniques are most effectively displaying in his photography of "Birdman of Alcatraz". As his career progressed, Guffey demonstrated his capacity to innovate beyond the confines of noir's visual intensity. His later work, notably characterized as a "flat style" of camerawork, marked a departure from his earlier techniques. This style was defined by its unadorned, naturalistic approach to cinematography, focusing on simplicity and minimalism to capture the essence of the scene without the embellishment of dramatic shadows and lighting. This transition is not just a testament to his technical skills but also reflects his artistic sensitivity to the narrative needs of each film.

Guffey's ability to excel in both heavily stylized and straightforward cinematographic styles illustrates why he is regarded as one of the giants in the field of cinematography. His dual expertise allowed him to craft films that were both visually compelling and emotionally resonant, ensuring that the visual storytelling complemented the narrative.

This stylistic versatility is one of Guffey's lasting achievements in Hollywood cinematography. It underscores his profound impact on the development of film as an art form, demonstrating that effective cinematography is not merely about adhering to genre norms but is also about innovating and adapting to enhance cinematic storytelling.

Filmography[edit]

Awards[edit]

Wins

Nominations

Publications[8][edit]

Articles written by Guffey[edit]

"The Photography of King Rat," in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), December 1965.

Articles written on Guffey[edit]

Gavin, Arthur, on They Came to Cordura in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), March 1959.

Mitchell, George J., on Hell to Eternity, in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), July 1960.

Lightman, Herb A., on Birdman of Alcatraz, in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), June 1962.

On Bonnie and Clyde, in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), April 1967.

Monthly Film Bulletin (London), April 1971; August 1971; March 1972; April 1972.

Film Comment (New York), Summer 1972.

Focus on Film (London), no. 13, 1973.

Obituary in Variety (New York), 8 June 1983.

Screen International (London), 13–20 August 1983.

Obituary in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), November 1983.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Burnett Guffey at IMDb.
  2. ^ Burnett Guffey at AllMovie.
  3. ^ * Steeman, Albert. Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers, "Burnett Guffey page," Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2007. Last accessed: January 2, 2008.
  4. ^ "Guffey, Burnett". encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  5. ^ Selby, Spencer. Dark City: The Film Noir, page 239, 1984. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.
  6. ^ American Society of Cinematographers Archived July 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. "Lonely America: The Noir Cinematography of Burnett Guffey ASC," 2007. Last accessed: January 2, 2007.
  7. ^ Lightman, Herb A. (Jan–Dec 1962). "American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1962)". American Cinematographer. American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1962) (Jan-Dec 1962): 354 – via Lantern mediahist.
  8. ^ "Guffey, Burnett". encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-24.

External links[edit]

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