The Battle of the River Plate 1956  N/R, 119 min.
Genre: Adventure / Action / Drama
aka: Pursuit of the Graf Spee
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Ian Hunter, Jack Gwillim, Bernard Lee, Lionel Murton, Anthony Bushell, Peter Illing, Michael Goodliffe, Christopher Lee, Peter Scott, Patrick Macnee, John Chandos, Douglas Wilmer
The Graf Spee, the Bismarck, the Scharnhorst, and the Gneissau were heavily armed German battleships that wreaked havoc on Atlantic shipping in the early stages of World War II. This is the story of outmanned British ships dealing with this threat, and the story is shown through both the German and the British perspectives. Good documentary-style film.
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Black Narcissus 1947  N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Sabu, Kathleen Byron, Esmond Knight, Judith Furse, Jenny Laird, May Hallatt, Shaun Noble, Eddie Whaley Jr., Nancy(2) Roberts
When five nuns, led by Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), set up a mission in the Himalayas, they are beset with the problems of isolation and inclement weather. Hoping to lessen their problems, they enlist the aid of a British agent, Mr. Dean (David Farrar). Photography is excellent. Oscars were received for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration and Cinematography.
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A Canterbury Tale 1944  N/R, 124 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price, Sergeant John Sweet, Esmond Knight, Charles Hawtrey, Hay Petrie, George Merritt, Edward Rigby, Freda Jackson, Betty Jardine, Eliot Makeham
Along the road to Canterbury, "Land Girl" Alison Smith (Sheila Sim), U.S. Army Sgt. Bob Johnson (Sergeant John Sweet), and British soldier Peter Gibbs (Dennis Price) become involved with a local prankster, "Glue Man," when he dumps glue on Alison's hair. The mysterious local magistrate (Eric Portman) helps as the trio tries to track down "Glue Man." In the process, they learn about the past and present English countryside, which ultimately leads to answers to their own personal troubles.
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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 1943 N/R, 163 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, James McKechnie, Roland Culver, David Hutcheson, Ursula Jeans, John Laurie, Felix Aylmer, Albert Lieven, Neville Mapp, Spencer Trevor, David Ward, Jan Van Loewen, Valentine Dyall
This story is told through flashbacks to relate experiences of British army officer Clive Candy (Roger Livesey) as he participates in the Boer War, World War I, and World War II and fights propaganda used in the wars. Over several decades, with each war Clive becomes involved with different women (each played by Deborah Kerr). "Colonel Blimp" is adapted from a comic strip about upper-crust members of the military created by cartoonist David Low.
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 A Matter of Life and Death 1946  PG, 104 min.
Genre: Drama / Horror / Fantasy / Thriller
aka: Stairway to Heaven
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Robert Coote, Richard Attenborough, Marius Goring, Roger Livesey, Raymond Massey, Kathleen Byron, Bonar Colleano, Abraham Sofaer, Joan Maude, Robert Atkins, Bob Roberts, Edwin Max, Betty Potter
Returning from a World War II bombing run, Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven) realizes his plane will not make it. He talks on his radio to RAF worker June (Kim Hunter) and then jumps, certain that he will die. But a miracle occurs, and Carter awakens in the surf (the angels couldn't find him in the fog, so he didn't die). He and June meet, fall in love, and talk Heaven into waiting.
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One of Our Aircraft Is Missing 1942 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Adventure / Action / Drama
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Godfrey Tearle, Eric Portman, Hugh Williams, Bernard Miles, Peter Ustinov, Robert Helpmann, Googie Withers, Pamela Brown, Hugh Burden, Hay Petrie, Emrys Jones, Joyce Redman, Selma Vaz Dias, Arnold Marle, Alec Clunes
This British film uses World War II as its theme. It is the story of the crash landing of an RAF bomber whose crew manages to bail out over Nazi-occupied Holland, and now they are faced with finding the means of escaping to England. Help comes in the form of an underground network of Dutch patriots that helps them reach the shores of Britain.
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The Red Shoes 1948 N/R, 132 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance / Musical
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer, Leonide Massine, Robert Helpmann, Albert Bassermann, Ludmilla Tcherina, Esmond Knight, Jean Short, Gordon Littman, Julia Lang, Austin Trevor, Irene Brown, Eric Berry, Jerry Verno
In this fine film, capturing the true essence of the ballet world, Victoria Page (Moira Shearer) must decide between her love for dancing and the chance to stay with the man, composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring), who she loves. An Oscar nomination was received for Best Picture, and the film won two Oscars (Art Direction/Set Decoration and Musical Score).
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The Tales of Hoffmann 1951 N/R, 118 min.
Genre: Musical / Adventure / Romance / Fantasy
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Moira Shearer, Robert Rounseville, Robert Helpmann, Pamela Brown, Leonide Massine, Frederick Ashton, Richard Golding, Philip Leaver, Ludmilla Tcherina, Meinhart Maur, Anne Ayars, Alan Carter, Mogens Wieth, Lionel Harris, Edmond Audran
In Jacques Offenbach's beautifully staged opera, university student Hoffmann (Robert Rounseville) experiences doomed love affairs. For example, Hoffmann romances Olympia (Moira Shearer), but she turns out to be a life-sized mechanical doll. His other romances with Giulietta (Ludmilla Tcherina) and Antonia (Anne Ayars) also result in failure, but, in the process, Hoffmann learns to turn those bad experiences into art.
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| 1. The Battle of the River Plate (1956)
aka: Pursuit of the Graf Spee
2. Black Narcissus (1947)
3. A Canterbury Tale (1944)
4. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
5. A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
aka: Stairway to Heaven
6. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942)
7. The Red Shoes (1948)
8. The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
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