Korda had failed in Hollywood, and when the boom started in the UK, he decided to try his luck there. He founded London Films and built, reputedly, the finest studios in the world at Denham. Here he made Katherine the Great; Don Juan, with Douglas Fairbanks jr., The Scarlet Pimpernel, Raymond Massey and Leslie Howard; Things to Come Massey and Ralph Richardson; The Man Who Could Work Miracles; Rembrandt with Laughton; The Elephant Boy and The Four Feathers. Merl Oberon, Korda's second wife, appeared in many of them.

John Maxwell's British International Studios trained many of this period's notable directors, writers and cameramen. Among them were Sidney Gilliat, J. Lee Thompson, Ronald Neame, Jack Cardif and Charles Frend. He also had some high caliber artists appearing with him, including Richard Tauber, Douglas Fairbanks jr, Will Hays, John Mills and Carol Reed was one of Maxwells directors.