Maxwell Setton

{{Short description|British film producer}}

Maxwell Setton (born 24 October 1909, date of death unknown) was a British film producer, notably active in the 1950s.McFarlane, Brian (28 February 2014). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. pp. 688-689; {{ISBN|9781526111968}} He was born in Cairo[https://historyproject.org.uk/interview/maxwell-setton "Maxwell Setton: Interview notes"]. The History Project. Retrieved 4 June 2021. to British parents and studied law, becoming a barrister.

In 1937, he became legal adviser to Mayflower Productions, the production company of Charles Laughton and Erich Pommer. After serving in the war, he became an assistant to Lord Archibald, who was managing Independent Producers Ltd.

After a few years, he set up as a producer with Aubrey Baring and they made movies for a newly organised Mayflower Productions, releasing through Rank.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224953189 |title=British Company At Work Again |newspaper=Weekly Times |issue=4180 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 August 1949 |accessdate=20 August 2017 |page=48 |via=National Library of Australia}} They produced seven films together, predominantly adventure films set outside Britain written by Robert Westerby. Setton then set up his own company, Marksman Films, whose first film was Twist of Fate (1954).

In 1956 it was announced Setton would run the production company of Donna Reed and Tony Owen, Todon, to make six films, starting with The Nylon Web by Westerby. It ended up becoming Town on Trial.Schallert, E. (1956, May 26). [https://www.proquest.com/docview/166936851 "Drama"] Los Angeles Times However no films resulted. Neither did a proposed biopic of Joseph Conrad.A.H. WEILER. (1957, Dec 22). [https://www.proquest.com/docview/114291444 "BY WAY OF REPORT"] New York Times. Accessed 4 October 2022.

He made a number of films for Mike Frankovitch's company, Frankovitch Productions, who released through Columbia Pictures. He worked with Ken Hughes and John Guillermin a number of times.{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=John Guillermin: Action Man|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/john-guillermin-action-man/|date=17 November 2020}}

He helped establish Bryanston Films.{{cite book|last1=Harper|first1=Sue|last2=Porter|first2=Vincent|title=British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2003|pages=178–180|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UyYTDAAAQBAJ&dq=vincent+porter+sue+harper&pg=PA386|isbn=9780198159346}}

In 1964 he was appointed head of European production for Columbia. The following year he became a vice-president of Columbia as well.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/116768669 "Columbia pictures elects"] (1965, Nov 08). New York Times In 1969 he resigned and announced he was returning to film production with three properties for Columbia: Caravan to Vaccarès by Alistair MacLean, Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith and Rosy is My Relative by Gerald Durrell.By, A. H. W. (1969, July 15). [ "Roth's 'letting go' heads for filming"] New York TimesMartin, B. (1969, Oct 31). [https://www.proquest.com/docview/156315092 "Stars announced for roles in 'El condor'"] Los Angeles Times In January 1970 he became Paramount's vice president in charge of foreign production.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/156829364 "Italian honor presented to bluhdor" (1971, Jul 10). Los Angeles Times]By A.H. WEILER. (1970, Jan 02). [https://www.proquest.com/docview/118803949 "'69 a bad year for good films, Catholic movie office finds"] New York Times