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Michael Latham Powell (September 30, 1905-February 19,1990) was a British film director, renowned for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger which produced a series of classic British films.
Powell was born in Bekesbourne, Kent, and educated at The King's School, Canterbury and then at Dulwich College. He worked in a bank before becoming an actor and entering the film industry through working with Rex Ingram in France. He developed his skills directing 'quota quickies', sometimes making up to 7 films a year. In 1939 he met Emeric Pressburger whilst they worked together on The Spy in Black. Working together as co-producers, writers and directors in a partnership they dubbed "The Archers", they made nineteen feature films, many of which received critical and commercial success, and their best films are still regarded as classics of 20th century British cinema.
Although admirers would argue that Powell ought to rank alongside Hitchcock and Lean as one of the greatest British film directors, his career suffered a severe reversal after the release of the controversial psychological thriller film Peeping Tom, made in 1960 as a solo effort. The film was excoriated by British critics, who were offended by its sexual and violent images, and Powell was ostracised by the film industry and found it almost impossible to work thereafter. However, his reputation was restored over the years, and by the time of his death he and Pressburger were recognised as one of the foremost film partnerships of all time - and cited as a key infuence by many noted film-makers such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
Powell's father, Thomas William Powell, was a hop farmer; his mother was Mabel (Corbett) Powell. He was married to Frankie May Reidy from July 1, 1943 until her death on July 5, 1983. With her he had two sons: Kevin Michael Powell (b. August 24, 1945) and Columba Jerome Reidy Powell (b. 1951). Subsequently, he was married to Thelma Schoonmaker from May 17, 1984 until his death of cancer.
Filmography
- For his films with Emeric Pressburger, see Powell and Pressburger and Powell and Pressburger films
Early work
Many of his early films are disparagingly referred to as 'quota quickies'. Not all of them were actually quota films, and the ones that were are often of a much higher standard than most other quota films. Some of his early films are now missing, believed lost. But those that have survived often show some very sophisticated techniques and early versions of ideas that were used again, done better, in his later films.
- 1928: Riviera Revels (co-director)
- 1930: Caste (uncredited) *
- 1931: Two Crowded Hours *
- 1932: His Lordship *
- 1932: C.O.D. *
- 1932: Hotel Splendide
- 1932: The Star Reporter *
- 1932: Rynox
- 1932: The Rasp *
- 1932: My Friend the King *
- 1933: Born Lucky *
- 1934: Something Always Happens
- 1934: Red Ensign (US title: Strike!)
- 1934: The Fire Raisers
- 1935: Some Day (aka Young Nowheres) *
- 1935: The Price of a Song *
- 1935: The Phantom Light
- 1935: The Night of the Party (US title: The Murder Party)
- 1935: The Love Test
- 1935: Lazybones
- 1935: The Girl in the Crowd *
- 1936: The Man Behind the Mask (reissued as Behind the Mask)
- 1936: Crown Vs. Stevens (aka Third Time Unlucky)
- 1936: The Brown Wallet *
- 1936: Her Last Affaire
Those marked with a * are "Missing, believed lost"
Other films
From late 1930s onwards, most of Powell's films were in collaboration with Pressburger. His solo films were:
- The Edge of the World (1937)
- Smith (1939)
- The Lion Has Wings (1939) RAF documentary footage with some fictional intercuts
- The Thief of Bagdad (1940) co-director
- An Airman's Letter to His Mother (1941) a 5-minute short
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1955) a short ballet
- Luna de miel (1959, aka Honeymoon)
- Peeping Tom (1960)
- The Queen's Guards (1961)
- Herzog Blaubarts Burg (1964) aka Bluebeard's Castle
- They're a Weird Mob (1966) Pressburger helped on script as Richard Imrie
- Age of Consent (1969)
- Return to the Edge of the World (1978) for British TV, framing of the original 1937 film
Powell also directed episodes of the TV series The Defenders, Espionage and The Nurses.
Non-directorial
Powell was also involved in the following films in a non-directorial role:
- Sebastian (1968) - Producer
- Anna Pavlova (1983) - Associate Producer
Other works
Books
Theatre
- 1944: Directed January de Hartog's Skipper Next To God at the Theatre Royal, Windsor
- 1944: Directed Ernest Hemingway's The Fifth Column at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow
- 1951: Directed James Forsyth's Heloise at the Golders Green Theatre, London
Awards, nominations and honours
- 1943: Oscar nominated for 49th Parallel as Best Picture
- 1943: Oscar nominated for One of Our Aircraft is Missing for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Shared with Emeric Pressburger
- 1949: Oscar nominated for The Red Shoes as Best Picture. Shared with Emeric Pressburger
- 1978: Awarded Hon DLitt, University of East Anglia
- 1978: Awarded Hon DLitt, University of Kent
- 1981: Made fellow of BAFTA
- 1983: Made fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI)
- 1987: Awarded Hon Doctorate, Royal College of Art
Legacy
- Cited as a major influence on many film-makers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, George A. Romero and Bertrand Tavernier.
- The Michael Powell Award for the Best New British Feature was instigated in 1993 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and is sponsored by the UK Film Council and is "named in homage to one of Britain's most original filmmakers". [1]
References
- Powell, Pressburger and Others by Ian Christie, London: British Film Institute, 1978.
- Arrows of Desire: The Films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger by Ian Christie. London: Waterstone, 1985. ISBN 0-947752-13-7, ISBN 0-571-16271-1
- Michael Powell y Emeric Pressburger by Llorenç Esteve. Spain, Catedra, 2002.
- Michael Powell: Interviews edited by David Lazar. University Press of Mississippi, 2003. ISBN 1-57806-498-8
- Powell and Pressburger: A Cinema of Magic Spaces by Andrew Moor. I.B. Tauris, 2005. ISBN 1-85043-947-8
- The Cinema of Michael Powell: International Perspectives on an English Filmmaker edited by Ian Christie and Andrew Moor. BFI, 2005. ISBN 1-84457-093-2, ISBN 1-84457-094-0 (pbk)
External links
de:Michael Powell
fr:Michael Powell
it:Michael Powell
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