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Powell et Pressburger

Powell et Pressburger
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Foundation date 1 january 1943
Creator Michael Powell
Creator Emeric Pressburger

The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell (1905–1990) and Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988) — together often known as The Archers, the name of their production company – made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 50s. Their collaborations — 24 films between 1939 and 1972 – were mainly derived from original stories by Pressburger with the script written by both Pressburger & Powell. Powell did most of the directing while Pressburger did most of the work of the producer and also assisted with the editing, especially the way the music was used. Unusually, the pair shared a writer-director-producer credit for most of their films. The best known of these are The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948).

In 1981 Powell and Pressburger were recognised for their contributions to British cinema with the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, the most prestigious award given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Best films

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Filmography of Powell et Pressburger (14 films)

Display filmography as list

Production

Ill Met by Moonlight, 1h44
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Political films
Actors Dirk Bogarde, Marius Goring, David Oxley, Cyril Cusack, Laurence Payne, Wolfe Morris

During World War II, the Greek Mediterranean island of Crete was occupied by the Nazis. British officers Major Patrick Leigh Fermor DSO (Dirk Bogarde) and Captain Bill Stanley Moss MC (David Oxley) of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) land on the island. With the help of the local Cretan resistance in April 1944, they kidnap General Kreipe (Marius Goring), the commander of the island. They take Kreipe across rough country to a secluded cove on the far side of the island, where they are picked up and taken to Cairo, the Middle East headquarters of British forces.
Oh... Rosalinda!!, 1h41
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy-drama, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Films based on operas, Operetta films
Actors Michael Redgrave, Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quayle, Dennis Price, Ludmila Tcherina, Anton Walbrook

In 1955 Vienna, during its post-war occupation, the black-market dealer Dr. Falke (Anton Walbrook) moves freely through the French, British, American and Russian sectors, dealing in champagne and caviar amongst the highest echelons of the allied powers. After a costume party, French Colonel Gabriel Eisenstein (Michael Redgrave) plays a practical joke on a drunken Falke, depositing him, asleep and dressed as a bat, in the lap of a patriotic Russian statue, to be discovered the following morning by irate Russian soldiers. Falke is nearly arrested until his friend General Orlofsky (Anthony Quayle) of the USSR intervenes. A vengeful Falke plans an elaborate practical joke on his friend, involving Orlofsky, a British major (Dennis Price), Eisenstein's beautiful wife Rosalinda (Ludmilla Tcherina), her maid (Anneliese Rothenberger) and a masked ball where no one is what they seem. Complicating matters is American Captain Alfred Westerman (Mel Ferrer), an old flame of Rosalinda's who is determined to take advantage of her husband's absence.
The Battle of the River Plate, 1h59
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, La bataille de l'Atlantique, Political films
Actors John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Ian Hunter, Bernard Lee, Patrick Macnee

In the early months of the Second World War, Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine sends out merchant raiders to attack Allied shipping. The Royal Navy responds with hunting groups whose mission is to stop them. The group that finds the heavily armed pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee near South America is outgunned: Graf Spee is equipped with long-range 11-inch guns, while the British heavy cruiser Exeter has much lighter 8-inch guns, and the light cruisers Ajax and Achilles have 6-inch guns. Despite this, they go straight to the attack.
The Tales of Hoffmann, 2h8
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Romance
Themes Dance films, Films about writers, Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Films based on operas
Actors Moira Shearer, Ludmila Tcherina, Robert Helpmann, Pamela Brown, Ann Ayars, Mogens Wieth

In the prologue, Hoffmann is in the audience at a performance by Stella, a prima ballerina. Stella sends Hoffmann a note asking him to meet her after the performance, but the note is intercepted by his rival, Councillor Lindorf. Not having received her note, Hoffmann goes to the tavern in the interval, where he tells the story of a clown, Kleinzach and three stories of his past loves — Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia, and gets drunk.
The Elusive Pimpernel, 1h49
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Adventure, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films, Histoire de France, French Revolution films
Actors David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Jack Hawkins, Cyril Cusack, Robert Coote, Arlette Marchal

During the French Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel (David Niven), who is really Sir Percy Blakeney in disguise, risks his life to rescue French noblemen from the guillotine and take them across the English Channel to safety. As cover, Sir Percy poses as a fop at Court, and curries favour with the Prince of Wales (Jack Hawkins) by providing advice about fashion, but secretly he leads The League, a group of noblemen with similar views.
The Small Back Room, 1h46
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins, Leslie Banks, Michael Gough, Cyril Cusack

Sammy Rice (David Farrar) is a British scientist working with a specialist "back room" team in London during World War II. Rice is embittered because he feels military scientific research is being incompetently managed. He is also enduring unremitting pain from his artificial foot. The painkillers he has been prescribed are ineffective, and his use of alcohol as an analgesic has led to his alcoholism. His girlfriend Susan (Kathleen Byron) puts up with his self-pitying, self-destructive behaviour as long as she can, but finally breaks up with him, telling him that he lacks the ambition to better himself.
The Red Shoes, 2h14
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Musical, Romance
Themes Dance films, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Robert Helpmann, Albert Bassermann, Ludmila Tcherina

Victoria 'Vicky' Page (Moira Shearer) is a young, unknown dancer from an aristocratic background. At an after-ballet party, arranged by her aunt as a surreptitious audition, she meets Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook), the ruthless but charismatic impresario of the Ballet Lermontov. Lermontov takes her on as a student, where she is taught by, among others, Grisha Ljubov (Léonide Massine), the company's chief choreographer.
Black Narcissus, 1h40
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Themes Films about education, Films about religion
Actors Deborah Kerr, Sabu, Jean Simmons, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Esmond Knight

A group of Anglican nuns travel to a remote location in the Himalayas (the Palace of Mopu, near Darjeeling) to set up a school and hospital for the local people, only to find themselves increasingly seduced by the sensuality of their surroundings in a converted seraglio high up in the mountains, and by the local British agent Mr Dean (David Farrar). Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), the Sister Superior, is attempting to forget a failed romance at home in Ireland. Tensions mount as Dean's laid-back charm makes an impression on Clodagh, but also attracts the mentally unstable Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron), who becomes pathologically jealous of Clodagh, resulting in a nervous breakdown and a violent climax. In a subplot, 'the Young General' (Sabu), heir to the throne of a princely Indian state who has come to the convent for his education, becomes infatuated with Kanchi, a lower caste dancing girl (Jean Simmons).
A Matter of Life and Death, 1h34
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Themes Films about religion, Transport films, Aviation films, Films about angels, Political films
Actors David Niven, Roger Livesey, Richard Attenborough, Kim Hunter, Marius Goring, Raymond Massey

Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven) is a British Royal Air Force pilot trying to fly a badly damaged and burning Lancaster bomber home after a mission over Germany on 2 May 1945. He has ordered his crew to bail out, without revealing that his own parachute has been shot up. He manages to contact June (Kim Hunter), an American radio operator based in England, and talks with her for a few minutes before jumping without a parachute.
I Know Where I'm Going!, 1h31
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romance
Actors Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, George Carney, John Laurie

Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) is a young middle class Englishwoman with an ambitious, independent spirit. She knows where she's going, or at least she thinks she does. She travels from her home in Manchester to the Hebrides to marry Sir Robert Bellinger, a very wealthy, much older industrialist, on the (fictitious) Isle of Kiloran.
A Canterbury Tale, 2h4
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Transport films, Political films, Road movies
Actors Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price, Kim Hunter, Charles Hawtrey, Esmond Knight

The story concerns three young people: British Army Sergeant Peter Gibbs (Dennis Price), U.S. Army Sergeant Bob Johnson (played by real-life Sergeant John Sweet), and a "Land Girl", Miss Alison Smith (Sheila Sim). The group arrive at the railway station in the fictitious small Kent town of Chillingbourne (filmed in Chilham, Fordwich, Wickhambreaux and other villages in the area), near Canterbury, late on Friday night, 27 August 1943. Peter has been stationed at a nearby Army camp, Alison is due to start working on a farm in the area, and Bob left the train by mistake, hearing the announcement "next stop Canterbury" and thinking he was in Canterbury.
The Volunteer, 45minutes
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Documentary
Themes Politique, Transport films, Aviation films, Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Political films, Documentary films about World War II
Actors Ralph Richardson, Michael Powell, Anna Neagle, Laurence Olivier, Herbert Wilcox, Anthony Asquith

L'engagement de l'habilleur d'un acteur de théâtre britannique, qui devient un héros et reçoit la Distinguished Service Medal au Palais de Buckingham.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 2h43
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Comedy, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, Roland Culver, Ursula Jeans, Patrick Macnee

Major-General Clive Wynne-Candy (Roger Livesey) is a senior commander in the Home Guard during the Second World War. Before a training exercise, he is captured in a Turkish bath by soldiers led by Lieutenant "Spud" Wilson, who has struck pre-emptively. He ignores Candy's outraged protests that "War starts at midnight!" They scuffle and fall into a bathing pool.
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing, 1h42
Directed by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Action
Themes Politique, Transport films, Aviation films, Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Political films, Documentary films about World War II, Disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors Godfrey Tearle, Eric Portman, Hugh Williams, Bernard Miles, Hugh Burden, Emrys Jones

"B for Bertie" is an RAF Vickers Wellington bomber whose crew was forced to bail out over the Netherlands near the Zuider Zee after one of their engines was damaged during a nighttime raid on Stuttgart. Five of the six airmen find each other; the sixth goes missing. The first Dutch citizens they encounter, led by English-speaking schoolteacher Else Meertens (Pamela Brown), are suspicious at first as no aircraft is reported to have crashed in the Netherlands (the abandoned bomber actually reaches England before hitting a pylon). After much debate and some questioning, the Dutch agree to help, despite their fear of German reprisals.