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The influence of Fritz Lang is unmistakeable on Powell’s earliest extant film – a thriller crafted with real visual style, despite its limited budget. The twisty plot concerns businessman F.X. Benedik (Rome), who has been receiving threats from a mysterious stranger. When Benedik is murdered, the hunt is on to find his killer – but all may not be what it seems.Read More »
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Powell’s adaptation of Walter Ellis’s successful West End play S.O.S. was the most prestigious production he had made to date. A ‘society drama’ involving suspicion, clandestine romance and presumed murder, its cast of accomplished stage actors are nonetheless entirely upstaged by the glorious comic double-act of Googie Withers as mischievous maid Effie, and John Laurie as her pious, disapproving employer.Read More »
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Jerry Mason inherits the Hotel Splendide at Speymouth but is disappointed when he sees it is a quiet place with few permanent residents. Gentleman Charlie, a jewel thief arrives after a long spell in prison expecting to be able to dig up the pearls he had buried – only to find the hotel has been built on the site.
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Restored by the BFI National Archive in 2023Read More »
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A major newspaper publisher dies in suspicious circumstances during a parlour game at a dinner party. The publishers secretary is the obvious suspect, but the Inspector isn’t so sure …
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This film was believed lost, but a copy was found and was shown at the National Film Theatre, operated by the British Film Institute, in London, England, in March 2000.Read More »
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John and his class go on a school trip to the Tower of London. While he is there he loses his pet mouse and vows to return and find her later. Back in school, he is not very attentive and falls asleep during a lesson about electricity so his teacher sends him home. On the ‘tube’ there is a sudden flash, and John, the train and all of the passengers turn yellow. With the help of Nick (short for ‘Electronic’) John learns about electricity, invades the Tower of London and saves his pet mouse … or was it a dream. This is the Powell & Pressburger touch applied to children’s films.Read More »
In the fall of 1939, the German heavy cruiser (referred to as a pocket battleship) Graf Spee seems to have command of the Atlantic. In the first three months of World War II, she was responsible for sinking nine ships. The British sent three cruisers commanded by Commodore Henry Harwood to confront her. The battle took place on December 13, 1939 and the British came out on top. The Graf Spee headed for the neutral harbor of Montevideo, Uruguay. They were given only a short time to effect repairs and the British did their best to make them believe a British fleet of six or eight ships awaited them. Rather than chance the loss of his men, the German Captain ordered the Graf Spee scuttled.Read More »
An Italian sports journalist arrives in Australia but finds no work. The only employment he can find is as a builder’s labourer. At first, he cannot comprehend the culture, but eventually he finds mateship and romance.Read More »
Led by British officers, partisans on Crete plan to kidnap the island’s German commander and smuggle him to Cairo to embarrass the occupiers.Read More »
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A magnificent spectacle. A truly filmic version of a classic opera. Often mentioned as a favourite movie and constant inspiration for young Martin Scorsese.
With the audacity that Powell & Pressburger were famous for we are presented with a wonderful performance of a truly “composed” film. All the soundtrack was recorded by Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and then the filming was all done on the open stage (it didn’t need a sound stage) at Shepperton.Read More »