Ben Lowry: Brian Desmond Hurst, his success and its reminder about the random nature of all of our lives

Recently we ran a story about Brian Desmond Hurst, the film director.
By Ben Lowry
Published 19th Dec 2020, 12:02 BST
Updated 19th Dec 2020, 13:15 BST
Brian Desmond Hurst, who was born in Belfast 1895, survived the Great War, and by a chance encounter, as a result of his love of art, became a successful film director. He lived until the 1980s, dying at age 91Brian Desmond Hurst, who was born in Belfast 1895, survived the Great War, and by a chance encounter, as a result of his love of art, became a successful film director. He lived until the 1980s, dying at age 91
Brian Desmond Hurst, who was born in Belfast 1895, survived the Great War, and by a chance encounter, as a result of his love of art, became a successful film director. He lived until the 1980s, dying at age 91

His great great nephew, Allan Esler Smith, wrote a 2016 book on him. Two authors are writing another.

One thing struck me on hearing about Hurst’s remarkable life: the random nature of all our existences.

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Hurst was born in Belfast 1895, prime age for the Great War (19 when it began). He served with the Royal Irish Rifles in Gallipoli, and could easily have died in that horrendous conflict (as did my own great uncle, born 1894, who is buried in the region, Thessaloniki).

Hurst studied art in Canada, then moved to Los Angeles.

In another random moment, the great western film director John Ford happened to buy one of his paintings in a gallery, and asked who the artist was. This led to Hurst getting work on film sets.

One thing led to another, and he became a major director after World War Two.

His 1945 movie about Arnhem, Theirs is the Glory, was the biggest grossing UK film for a decade.

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In another random moment (according to one theory), Hurst’s house in Belgravia was burgled and the policeman who investigated it was father of a young wannabe actor, Roger Moore.

Allen Esler Smith tells me the exact details of that story are unclear, but what is not in doubt is that Hurst gave him a bit part, and then came to see his potential.

One thing led to another for Moore too.

Thus two glittering film careers launched in random moments.

Hurst’s best film was Scrooge (1951).

In the opposite spirit to that of Ebenezer, Hurst gave away his wealth when he died in 1986, such as a Picasso painting to someone who had admired it.

Ben Lowry (@BenLowry2) is News Letter deputy editor

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• Ben Lowry: Covid restrictions will be used to undermine grammar schools

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Related topics:Ben LowryJohn FordBelfast