By Tessa Nolan
If you are looking for some cinematic inspiration, look no further than the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the British duo who created some of the most dazzling and daring works of the 20th century. Known as The Archers, Powell and Pressburger made 24 films together between 1939 and 1972, spanning genres, styles, and themes. Their films are not only visually stunning, but also rich in ideas, emotions, and humor. Here are some reasons why you should watch Powell and Pressburger films.
Ambition
P&P films are ambitious in every sense; narratively, emotionally, cinematically, and intellectually. They tackled big subjects such as war, love, death, art, religion, and nationalism with originality and flair. They were not afraid to challenge conventions and expectations, often subverting genres and mixing tones. For example, “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” tells the story of a lifelong friendship between a British army officer and his Prussian colleague. The film spans four decades, from the Boer War to World War II, and explores the changing nature of warfare, honor, and patriotism. It is also a poignant portrait of aging, loss, and regret. “A Matter of Life and Death” tells the story of a Royal Air Force pilot who finds himself in court for his life in the afterlife (the escalator to heaven is iconic). The film is a fantasy romance that also deals with existential questions, cultural differences, and post-war trauma. “Black Narcissus” revolves around a community of nuns in the Himalayas, disrupted by the arrival of a handsome stranger. The film is a psychological thriller that also examines the themes of repression, temptation, and madness. These works are marked by wit, experimentation, and maximum boldness.
Top actors
P&P worked with the best actors in Britain and beyond. They had a knack for casting actors who suited their roles perfectly, and bringing out their best performances. David Niven, Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Wendy Hiller, Jennifer Jones – all delivered career-best work in their collaborations with P&P. Niven is charming and charismatic as the doomed pilot in “A Matter of Life and Death”, Livesey is versatile and charismatic as the aging hero in “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp”, Kerr is radiant and versatile as the three women who cross paths with Livesey’s character in “Blimp”, Walbrook is intense and magnetic as the refugee ballet impresario in “The Red Shoes”, Goring is hilarious and eccentric as the French Resistance fighter in “A Matter of Life and Death”, Hiller is spirited and intelligent as the independent woman who falls for a Scottish laird in “I Know Where I’m Going!”, Jones is sensual and mysterious as the Indian princess who seduces an English artist in “Gone to Earth”. P&P also gave opportunities to lesser-known actors such as Kathleen Byron, who played the unhinged Sister Ruth in “Black Narcissus”, or Sabu, who played the young thief in “The Thief of Bagdad”.
Handcrafted visuals
P&P films are filled with fantastic handcrafted colors that elevate the films beyond the ordinary. P&P worked closely with cinematographer Jack Cardiff, who used Technicolor to create stunning images that enhanced the mood and atmosphere of the films. In “A Matter of Life and Death,” instead of using a fade to black, Powell simply blew onto the lens to create a magical transition to a beach scene. For “Black Narcissus,” the backdrop of the Himalayas was black-and-white photographs blown up and then enhanced with pastel chalks to create stunning, stylized vistas. The film also features one of the most memorable shots in cinema history: a close-up of Byron’s face as she applies lipstick before confronting her rival. The contrast between her pale skin and red lips is striking and sinister. In “The Red Shoes,” Cardiff used filters and lighting to create different color schemes for different scenes: warm tones for reality, cool tones for fantasy, saturated tones for passion.
Romantic streak
P&P speak subtly but directly to emotions, and nowhere is this more evident than in the opening of “A Matter of Life and Death.” It is May 2nd, 1945. A Lancaster bomber limps over the English Channel, and Royal Air Force pilot Peter Carter (David Niven) is the only one left alive on board and without a parachute. He starts talking to June (Kim Hunter), an American radio operator, and their subsequent exchange breaks hearts and affirms spirits simultaneously (“You are life, June, and I’m leaving you!”). Modern critics have dismissed it as saccharine, but from this perspective, it is as touchingly romantic as it gets. P&P also show their romantic streak in other films such as “I Know Where I’m Going!”, where a woman’s plans to marry a rich industrialist are thwarted by a storm and a handsome local, or “The Red Shoes”, where a ballerina is torn between her love for a composer and her devotion to her art.
Universal films
It would be easy to dismiss P&P’s visions of airmen and nurses as depicting a Britain with stiff upper lips that never really existed, but their worldview is more nuanced than that. Their wartime output – “The Spy in Black,” “49th Parallel,” “Contraband,” “Blimp,” “One of Our Aircraft Is Missing,” “A Canterbury Tale” – infuses standard anti-Nazi propaganda with complexity, compassion, and gentle humanism. They show sympathy for the enemy, such as the German U-boat captain in “The Spy in Black”, or the Nazi agents in “49th Parallel”, who are not portrayed as monsters, but as human beings with flaws and fears. They also celebrate diversity and cooperation, such as the multinational crew in “One of Our Aircraft Is Missing”, or the American-British romance in “A Matter of Life and Death”. They also pay tribute to the ordinary people who contribute to the war effort, such as the Dutch resistance in “One of Our Aircraft Is Missing”, or the rural villagers in “A Canterbury Tale”. P&P’s films are not only about Britain, but about the world.
Powell and Pressburger films are not only masterpieces of cinema, but also timeless works of art that speak to the human condition. They are films that inspire, challenge, and entertain. They are films that deserve to be watched and rewatched.
