Tony Richardson was a key figure in British cinema of the 1950s and 1960s. Having established himself in the theatre with the first production of John Osborne's landmark play Look Back in Anger, he became a central director in the New Wave, bringing greater realism to British cinema. He went on to make some of the most significant films of the 1960s including the multi Oscar-winning Tom Jones.

This detailed and authoritative account of Richardson's career provides a reassessment of his achievements. As well as looking at his best known films, it considers neglected works such as Ned Kelly and Joseph Andrews, illustrating how Richardson remained a champion of the socially marginalised.

In mapping out his life and work, from the English Stage Company to his final films in America, Shail re-establishes Richardson's at the front rank of British film directors, confirming his contribution to a period of dynamic change in British culture.