Michael Powell filmography

Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, best known for his films which were made in partnership with Emeric Pressburger.

For his films with Emeric Pressburger, see Powell and Pressburger.

Early films

Many of his early films are disparagingly referred to as "quota quickies". Not all of them were really 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 and are believed lost. But those that have survived often show some very sophisticated techniques and early versions of ideas that were reused, done better, in his later films. Those marked with an * are "Missing, believed lost".[1]

Year Title Production Company Other notes
1928 Riviera Revels G. Ventimigla and Marcel Lucien A series of comedy shorts. Powell co-directed with Harry Lachman
1930 Caste Harry Rowson (Ideal) Uncredited as director, main director was Campbell Gullan
1931 Two Crowded Hours * Film Engineering
1932 My Friend the King * Film Engineering
Rynox Film Engineering
The Rasp * Film Engineering
The Star Reporter * Film Engineering
Hotel Splendide Film Engineering.
A Gaumont-British Picture Corporation Ltd
C.O.D. * Westminster Films
His Lordship Westminster Films
1933 Born Lucky * Westminster Films
1934 The Fire Raisers Gaumont-British
Red Ensign Gaumont-British US title: Strike!
Something Always Happens Warner Brothers.
First National Productions Ltd
1935 The Girl in the Crowd * First National
Lazybones A Real Art Production
The Love Test Fox British
The Night of the Party Gaumont-British Picture Corporation US title: The Murder Party
The Phantom Light A Gainsborough Picture
The Price of a Song * Fox British
Someday * Warner British a.k.a. Young Nowheres
1936 Her Last Affaire New Ideal Productions Ltd
The Brown Wallet * Warner Brothers.
First National
Crown v. Stevens Warner Brothers. First National Productions Ltd a.k.a. Third Time Unlucky
The Man Behind the Mask Joe Rock Studios reissued as Behind the Mask. Only exists as a cut-down US print.

Major films

Aside from some short films, Powell wrote, produced and directed all of his films from 1939 to 1957 with Emeric Pressburger

Year Title Production Company Other notes
1937 The Edge of the World Joe Rock Productions
1939 The Spy in Black Harefield US title: U Boat 29
Smith D&P Productions.
Embankment Fellowship Co.		 10-minute short film
The Lion Has Wings London Film Productions RAF documentary footage with some fictional intercuts
1940 Contraband British National US title: Blackout
The Thief of Bagdad Alexander Korda Films Inc. co-director
1941 An Airman's Letter to His Mother a 5-minute short
49th Parallel Ortus Films
(and Ministry of Information (United Kingdom))		 US title: The Invaders
1942 One of Our Aircraft Is Missing The Archers.
British National
1943 The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp The Archers/
Independent Producers
The Volunteer The Archers.
Ministry of Information (United Kingdom)		 a short propaganda film
1944 A Canterbury Tale The Archers
1945 I Know Where I'm Going! The Archers
1946 A Matter of Life and Death The Archers US title: Stairway To Heaven
1947 Black Narcissus The Archers
for Independent Producers Ltd.
1948 The Red Shoes The Archers
1949 The Small Back Room The Archers.
London Films
1950 Gone to Earth The Archers.
London Films		 US title: The Wild Heart (1952) – substantially re-edited version additional scenes directed by Rouben Mamoulian
The Elusive Pimpernel London Film Productions
(and The Archers)		 US title: The Fighting Pimpernel
1951 The Tales of Hoffmann British Lion Film Corporation
(with Vega Productions and The Archers)
1955 Oh... Rosalinda!! Associated British Picture Corporation.
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
1956 The Sorcerer's Apprentice 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation/
Norddeutscher Rundfunk		 a short ballet
The Battle of the River Plate Arcturus Productions.
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger		 US title: The Pursuit of the Graf Spee
1957 Ill Met by Moonlight Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
for Rank Organisation Film Productions (and Vega Productions)		 US title: Night Ambush
1959 Luna de Miel Michael Powell Production
for Suevia Films-Cesáreo González (Spain)/Everdene (GB)		 a.k.a. Honeymoon
1960 Peeping Tom Michael Powell Production
1961 The Queen's Guards Imperial.
Michael Powell Production
1963 Herzog Blaubarts Burg Süddeutscher Rundfunk. Norman Foster Produktion a.k.a. Bluebeard's Castle
1966 They're a Weird Mob J. C. Williamson Film Company (Australia)/
Michael Powell Production		 Pressburger wrote the script as Richard Imrie
1969 Age of Consent Nautilus Productions
1972 The Boy Who Turned Yellow Roger Cherrill Ltd
for the Children's Film Foundation		 Script by Pressburger
1978 Return to the Edge of the World Poseidon Films/
BBC Television		 For British TV, framing of the original 1937 film

Television work

Powell also directed episodes of the TV series The Defenders, Espionage and The Nurses.

Year Title Production Company Other notes
1963 Never Turn Your Back on a Friend Herbert Brodkin Ltd. Episode for the Espionage series
1964 The Frantick Rebel Herbert Brodkin Ltd. Episode for the Espionage series
1964 A Free Agent Herbert Brodkin Ltd. Episode for the Espionage series
1965 The Sworn Twelve Herbert Brodkin Ltd. Episode for The Defenders series
1965 A 39846 Herbert Brodkin Ltd. Episode for The Nurses series

Non-directorial work

Powell was also involved in the following films in a non-directorial role:

References
  1. "Early Michael Powell". BFI Screenonline.
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