49th Parallel 1941  N/R, 122 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: The Invaders
Forty-Ninth Parallel
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard, Glynis Johns, Anton Walbrook, Eric Portman, Raymond Massey, Niall MacGinnis, Finlay Currie, Raymond Lovell, John Chandos, Charles Victor, Frederick Piper
When a German U-Boat is sunk off the coast of Canada, six crewmembers reach shore and start on a terrifying journey to neutral territory in America. This propaganda film depicts Nazis in the worst possible light and was a tool to aid the war effort.
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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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Contraband 1940 N/R, 92 min.
Genre: Adventure / Drama / Romance
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, Hay Petrie, Joss Ambler, Raymond Lovell, Esmond Knight, Charles Victor, Phoebe Kershaw, Harold Warrender, John Longden, Eric Maturin, Leo Genn, Peter Bull
During the World War II blackout in London, Capt. Andersen's (Conrad Veidt) Danish freighter is delayed in port by British customs agents. Two passengers–Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) and Mr. Pidgeon (Esmond Knight)–manage to sneak off the ship, and Andersen rows to shore in search of them. He roams through London's dark streets, finally finds them, and learns that they are both secret agents. Pidgeon escapes, but Andersen stays with Mrs. Sorensen and figures out that she is trying to uncover a Nazi spy ring operating out of a Soho nightclub basement. They are captured by the spies, but Andersen escapes–determined to recruit help and to return and perform a rescue while capturing the spies.
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The Edge of the World 1937 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: John Laurie, Belle Chrystall, Eric Berry, Kitty Kirwan, Finlay Currie, Niall MacGinnis, Grant Sutherland, Campbell Robson, George Summers, Michael Powell
Fishing is no longer successful, and, as its economy dies, citizens leave a Shetland island fishing port and move to the mainland. Three friends are among the remaining population; this is their story.
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I Know Where I'm Going 1945 N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, Petula Clark, John Laurie, Walter Hudd, Catherine Lacey, Valentine Dyall, Jean Cadell
Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) is determined to marry her fiance, a wealthy industrialist, when she embarks on her trip to the Scottish Hebrides. However, along the way she falls in love with Torquil MacNeil (Roger Livesey) and decides on marriage for love rather than for money. A Scottish delight.
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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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 Peeping Tom 1960 N/R, 109 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Michael Powell
Cast: Karl Boehm, Moira Shearer, Anna Massey, Maxine Audley, Brenda Bruce, Martin Miller, Nigel Davenport, Esmond Knight, Shirley Anne Field, Michael Goodliffe
While this film was denounced when first shown, it now has a cult following. The gruesome story is about a psychopathic killer (Karl Boehm) who photographs his victims immediately prior to murdering them–he gets his kicks out of viewing the helpless terror on their faces.
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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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 The Thief of Bagdad 1940 N/R, 106 min.
Genre: Family / Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan
Cast: Sabu, John Justin, June Duprez, Conrad Veidt, Rex Ingram, Miles Malleson, Mary Morris, Hay Petrie, Allan Jeayes, Morton Selten, Bruce Winston, Adelaide Hall, Roy Emerton
Abu (Sabu) is a young boy who is tossed into a Bagdad dungeon for stealing. He is joined by Prince Ahmad (John Justin) who the evil Grand Vizier Jaffar (Conrad Veidt) has deposed as ruler of the realm. Together, Abu and Ahmad manage to escape to Bazra where Ahmad falls in love with a beautiful princess (June Duprez). But, the wicked Jaffar appears on the scene with intentions of marrying the princess and sails off with her as his prisoner. Ahmad and Abu follow them, and along the way Ahmad opens a bottle containing a genie (Rex Ingram). Abu outwits the genie, but will his powers be enough to help Ahmad get to the magical Land of Legend where he can regain the crown?
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| 1. 49th Parallel (1941)
aka: The Invaders
aka: Forty-Ninth Parallel
2. Age of Consent (1969)
3. The Battle of the River Plate (1956)
aka: Pursuit of the Graf Spee
4. Black Narcissus (1947)
5. A Canterbury Tale (1944)
6. Contraband (1940)
7. The Edge of the World (1937)
8. I Know Where I'm Going (1945)
9. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
10. A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
aka: Stairway to Heaven
11. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942)
12. Peeping Tom (1960)
13. The Red Shoes (1948)
14. The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
15. The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
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