Name : Michael Powell
Birth : 30 September 1905
Died : 19 February 1990
Nationality :
Comment
Michael Powell was a noted director and producer in the 1940's and 1950's with Emeric Pressburger. His partner was the British actress Pamela Brown. He started his career making silent films then so called quota quickies in the late 1920's and into the 1930's. The Edge of the World in 1937 was a more personal work rather just a quick production. On the back of this Alexander Korda gave him a contract at Denham Studios. He was introduced to Emeric Pressburger by Alexander Korda and their first collaboration was The Spy In Black. They worked together for over 20 years. During World War 2 they made films that were effectively propaganda like 49th Parallel directed by Powell from a Pressburger story. They started their own production company The Archers for which they made 19 films. In the middle of the war they made the controversial film The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp satirising outdated British military ideas. A Matter of Life And Death was chosen for the first Royal Film Performance. At the end of the war they wanted to make a non-war film and they made Black Narcissus which was also the first non-original story. In films like The Red Shoes they merged dance and fantasy into the film rather than it being seen as an add on to the film. They were experimenting with what they could do with film including effects and sound. These films had been distributed through Rank, but Rank did not like Red Shoes and so the moved across to work with Korda at London Films. Their first film there was in black and white in contrast to the lavish colour of the Red Shoes. The Small Back Room gained critical but not box office success. Gone to Earth was a co-production with David O Selznick who wanted it as vehicle for his wife Jennifer Jones but ended up with creative differences with Selznick. For the Tales of Hoffman they translated opera into film with the use of dance and choreography. After this the pair went through a difficult time until the Battle Of The River Plate which was a successful war film. From this Rank offered them a contract and they made Ill Met By Moonlight. This was a last film of their partnership. He went on to make the controversial film Peeping Tom.
Director
Peeping Tom (1960)
Ill Met By Moonlight (1957)
Battle Of The River Plate (1956)
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
Gone to Earth (1950)
The Small Back Room (1949)
Red Shoes (1948)
Black Narcissus (1947)
A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)
I Know Where I Am Going (1945)
A Canterbury Tale (1944)
Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943)
One Of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942)
49th Parallel (1941)
The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
The Spy In Black (1939)
The Lion Has Wings (1939)
The Edge of the World (1937)
The Phantom Light (1935)
Producer
Ill Met By Moonlight (1957)
Battle Of The River Plate (1956)
Red Shoes (1948)
Black Narcissus (1947)
A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)
I Know Where I Am Going (1945)
A Canterbury Tale (1944)
Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943)
One Of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942)
Oscars