David Lean 1955, Lean began to make internationally co-produced films financed by the big Hollywood studios; in 1970, however, the critical failure of his film "Ryan's Daughter" led him to take a fourteen-year break from filmmaking, during which he planned a number of film projects which never came to fruition. In 1984 he had a career revival with "A Passage to India", adapted from E. M. Forster's novel; it was an instant hit with critics but proved to be the last film Lean would direct. Lean's affinity for striking visuals and inventive editing techniques has led him to be lauded by directors
Peggy Ashcroft King's Gold Medal, Norway (1955), and the Order of St Olav, Norway (Commander, 1976). She was awarded honorary degrees by eight universities and was an honorary fellow of St Hugh's College, Oxford. In addition to the Oscar and BAFTA awards mentioned above, she received a Venice Film Festival Award for "She's Been Away" (1989), a BAFTA Award for the television play "Caught on a Train" (1980), a special award from the British Theatre Association for the television play "Cream in My Coffee" (1982), a special award from BAFTA (1990) and a special Laurence Olivier Award (1991). Ashcroft is commemorated with