The Spy in Black - A 1939 Film Directed by William Powell and Written by Emeric Pressburger- Their First Collaboration - Starring Valerie Hobson

 The Spy in Black - A 1939 Film Directed by William Powell and Written by Emeric Pressburger- Their First Collaboration - Starring Valerie Hobson - Run Time 91 Minutes 

Available on YouTube 

The Spy in Black is based on the 1917 novel of the same name by Joseph Storer Clouston. The film stars Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, and Sebastian Shaw.

The film is set during World War I and tells the story of Captain Ernst Hardt (Veidt), a German U-boat commander who is sent to the Orkney Islands to gather intelligence on the British fleet. He meets with two double agents, Ashington (Shaw) and his wife, Mary (Hobson), who provide him with false information. Hardt is eventually captured by the British and forced to reveal his true mission.

The Spy in Black was a critical and commercial success, and it is now considered to be one of the finest British films of the pre-war era. It is praised for its suspenseful plot, its atmospheric cinematography, and its strong performances.

The film was released in the United States under the title U-Boat 29. It was not as successful in the US as it was in the UK, but it has since become a cult classic.

The Spy in Black is an important film in the history of British cinema. It is a well-made and suspenseful thriller that is also notable for its stylish visuals and its exploration of the theme of deception in wartime.

"Valerie Hobson (14 April 1917 – 13 November 1998) was a British actress whose film career spanned the 1930s to the early 1950s. She was best known for her roles in films such as Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Great Expectations (1946), and Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949. In 

1954, Hobson married John Profumo, a British government minister. They had one son together, David. Profumo's career was ended in disgrace in 1963 when it was revealed that he had lied to the House of Commons about an affair he had had with Christine Keeler, a 19-year-old showgirl. Hobson stood by Profumo throughout the scandal, and they remained married until her death in 1998.  

After the Profumo scandal, Hobson retired from acting and devoted herself to her family and to charity work. She was a tireless supporter of Toynbee Hall, a settlement house in the East End of London, and she worked closely with her husband to raise funds for the organization.

Hobson was a complex and fascinating woman. She was a successful actress, a devoted wife and mother, and a tireless philanthropist. She was also a victim of circumstance, and her life was forever changed by the Profumo scandal. However, she never lost her dignity or her sense of humor, and she remained a popular and respected figure until her death" from Bard

I greatly enjoyed The Spy in Black 

Pygmalion - A 1938 movie based on ths Play by George Bernard Shaw- starring Wendy Hiller and Leslie Howard- o1 Minutes

 The 1938 film Pygmalion is a British adaptation of the 1913 stage play of the same name by George Bernard Shaw. It was directed by Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard, who also starred in the film as Professor Henry Higgins. Wendy Hiller played Eliza Doolittle, the Cockney flower girl who Higgins transforms into a lady by modifying how she speaks.

The film tells the story of Higgins, a renowned phonetics expert, who makes a bet with his colleague Colonel Pickering that he can teach Eliza to speak so well that she will be able to pass as a duchess at an ambassador's garden party. Higgins takes Eliza into his home and begins her rigorous training, but he soon finds himself drawn to her in ways that he had not expected.

The film was a critical and commercial success, and it won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It is considered to be one of the greatest British films ever made, and it has been adapted into several other films and musicals, including the 1956 musical My Fair Lady.

Pygmalion is a witty and satirical film that explores themes of class, social status, and the nature of language. It is also a love story, albeit a complicated one. Higgins and Eliza are drawn to each other, but they are also from very different worlds. In the end, Eliza must decide whether or not she wants to remain in Higgins's world, or if she wants to go her own way.

The film is also notable for its performances. Howard and Hiller are both excellent as Higgins and Eliza, and they have great chemistry together. The supporting cast is also strong, including Wilfrid Lawson as Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle, and Scott Sunderland as Colonel Pickering.

I hope to shortly watch another Shaw play, Major Barbara, in which Wendy Hiller and Leslie Howard star 

Mel Ulm 

Gone to Earth - A 1950 Film - Directed and written by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger - Run Time One Hour Fifty Minutes

Available on YouTube 

Some visceral reactions

1. The Casting of Jennifer Jones is brilliant 

2. I love Foxy

3. Traditional English Fox Hunting is vile.

4. The film beautifully evokes a pagan England

Gone to Earth is a 1950 British Technicolor film created by the director-writer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It stars Jennifer Jones, David Farrar, Cyril Cusack and Esmond Knight. The film was significantly changed for the American market by David O. Selznick and retitled The Wild Heart in 1952.

The film is based on the 1917 novel of the same name by author Mary Webb. 

The film is set in the Shropshire countryside in 1897. Hazel Woodus (Jennifer Jones) is a child of nature who loves and understands all of the wild animals more than she does the people around her. She is also a bit of a witch, and she consults the book of spells and charms left to her by her gypsy mother. Her father is a coffin maker and a musician. He and his daughter, his only child, have a relationship fraught with quarrels and deep love.

Local squire Jack Reddin (David Farrar) sees Hazel and wants her for himself. But Hazel has already promised herself to the Baptist minister Edward Marston (Cyril Cusack). A struggle for Hazel's body and soul ensues.

Gone to Earth is a beautifully shot and atmospheric film. It is also a complex and challenging film that explores themes of love, passion, nature, and religion. The film was not a commercial success when it was first released, but it has since come to be regarded as one of Powell and Pressburger's best films.

Mel Ulm

A Matter of Life and Death- A 1946 film written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

A Matter of Life and Death is a 1946 British romantic fantasy drama film directed and written by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film stars David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Raymond Massey, and Marius Goring.

Available On YouTube 

The film tells the story of Peter Carter (Niven), a Royal Air Force pilot who is shot down over the English Channel during World War II. Carter is rescued by a British aircraft carrier, but he is then transported to a mysterious afterlife where he is put on trial by a celestial court for his life. The court is presided over by the Angel of Death (Massey), who argues that Carter should be allowed to live because he has unfinished business on Earth. However, the Angel of Destiny (Goring) argues that Carter should die because he has no right to interfere with the natural order of things.

The film is a complex and thought-provoking exploration of the themes of life, death, and free will. It is also a visually stunning film, with some of the most innovative special effects ever seen at the time.

A Matter of Life and Death was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it has since been recognized as one of the greatest British films ever made. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

The film has been praised for its originality, its complex characters, and its beautiful visuals. It is a truly unique and unforgettable film experience

Coming out right at the end of World War Two some see it as a commentary on the British Empire in the coming days. I was very impacted by the brilliantly done trial scene.

Mel Ulm

The Tales of Hoffmmann- A 1951 Film directed and written by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

 

After watching The Red Shoes by the Archers, William Powell and Emeric Pressburger I was very eager to experience their 1951 work, Tales of Hoffmann 

You can watch Tales of Hoffmann on the link below

https://www.plex.tv/

"The Tales of Hoffmann is a 1951 British Technicolor comic opera film written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger working under the umbrella of their production company The Archers. It is an adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's 1881 opera The Tales of Hoffmann, itself based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann.

The film stars Robert Rounseville as Hoffmann, Moira Shearer as Olympia, Ludmilla Tchérina as Antonia, and Robert Helpmann as Lindorf/Coppélius/Dapertutto. It also features Pamela Brown, Ann Ayars, and Léonide Massine. Only Rounseville and Ayars sang their own roles.

The film is a visual feast, with stunning sets and costumes designed by Hein Heckroth. The opera's music is beautifully performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.

The film tells the story of Hoffmann, a poet who falls in love with three women: Olympia, a mechanical doll; Antonia, a singer who is dying of consumption; and Giulietta, a courtesan. Hoffmann's love for these women is doomed, as they are all under the spell of the evil sorcerer Dapertutto.

The Tales of Hoffmann is a complex and multilayered film, with elements of fantasy, romance, and tragedy. It is a visually stunning and musically beautiful film that is a must-see for fans of opera and classic cinema.

The film was a critical and commercial success, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Costume Design, Color. It is considered one of the greatest films ever made, and is ranked #12 on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list.

Here are some of the things that make The Tales of Hoffmann a great film:

• The stunning visuals: The film is a feast for the eyes, with gorgeous sets and costumes designed by Hein Heckroth.

• The beautiful music: The opera's music is beautifully performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.

• The complex and multilayered story: The film is a complex and multilayered story, with elements of fantasy, romance, and tragedy.

• The performances: The performances by the cast are all top-notch, especially Robert Rounseville as Hoffmann and Moira Shearer." From Bard

I have watched Tales of Hoffmann several times.  In times when my spirits are low the sheer beauty of the film helps me.

Soon I will post on The Black Narrcisus, followed by as many other William and Powell films as I can find online.

Dinner at the Ritz - 1937 - A British Murder Mystery Film- Directed by Harold Schuster - Starring David Niven and Annabelle- set in Paris- running time 73 minutes

 Dinner at the Ritz - 1937 - A British Murder Mystery Film- Directed by Harold Schuster - Starring David Niven and Annabelle- set in Paris- running time 73 minutes . Viewable on YouTube 

Part of my Participation in Paris in July 2023- Hosted by Words and Peace

https://wordsandpeace.com/

The daughter of a Parisian banker is engaged to marry one of her father's colleagues. However, her father inadvertently discovers his soon-to-be son-in-law is in fact one of the men who have misappropriated his bank's funds. While confronting Baron de Beaufort, Mr. Racine is shot; his daughter refuses to believe that his death was a suicide. Traveling in disguise and helped by a fraud investigator, she tracks those among his colleagues who looted his bank. Her goal is to repay the depositors who lost money when his bank failed.

It was fun to notice that an actor who played a Nazi General in Pimpernel Smith plays a villain in this film. We get a feel for the experience of dining at the Ritz in Paris. There are comic elements and a romance.

I will next post upon Cafe Metropole, from 1937

Mel Ulm 

Pimpernel Smith - 1941- A Film produced by and starring Leslie Howard set In England and Nazi Germany just before the start of World War Two- running time 132 minutes

 Pimpernel Smith - 1941- A Film produced by and starring Leslie Howard set In England and Nazi Germany just before the start of World War Two- running time 132 minutes

The movie can be viewed for free on YouTube 

https://youtu.be/jvtVrQb5DTY

In this delightful take on The Scarlet Pimpernel,English archaeologist Horatio Smith (Leslie Howard) takes his students to Germany before the start of World War II to study the existence of early Aryans. He is actually there, however, to free concentration camp inmates. 

As the film opens Professor Smith has forgotten he has a lecture to give. The Dean of the college presents to Professor Smith a colleague who escaped from captivity in Germany, through the help of a mysterious rescuer. Once in class Smith drives the three female students out by saying he finds their presence "disgusting". Later we will discover why he wants them out of his class.He worships a statue of APHRODITE he discovered. There is a very funny scene when a group of Girl Scouts are contemplating the statue.

The plot is fun and exciting. Professor Smith is very quick witted. Once he arrives in Nazi run Germany we learn his real reasons for taking a group of students with him.

The Nazis, as you might imagine in an English film made in 1941, are cruel monsters bent on world domination. The Gestapo General who has captured Smith, the Pimpernel, is no match for Professor Smith.

"May a dead man say a few words to you, general, for your enlightenment? You will never rule the world... because you are doomed. All of you who demoralized and corrupted a nation are doomed. Tonight you will take the first step along a dark road from which there is no turning back. You will have to go on and on, from one madness to another, leaving behind you a wilderness of misery and hatred. And still, you will have to go on... because you will find no horizon... see no dawn... until at last you are lost and destroyed. You are doomed, captain of murderers. And one day, sooner or later, you will remember my words..." Professor Smith 

I loved the ending. 

The next movie I will post upon is Dinner at the Ritz from 1937

Mel Ulm  

Madame Pimpernel- also titled as Paris Undercover is a 1945 Film Set in Paris during the German Occupation

Production

company

Constance Bennett Productions

Distributed byUnited Artists

Release date

• October 19, 1945

The film stars Constance Bennett and Gracie Fields as an American and an Englishwoman trapped in Paris when Nazi Germany invades in 1940, who rescue British airmen shot down in France and help them escape across the English Channel. This was also Bennett's only producing credit.

American Kitty de Mornay quarrels with her French husband Andre over her lack of concern over the imminent fall of Paris to the Germans. She is so ignorant of the danger she is in, she flees with her English friend Emmeline "Emmy" Quayle too late. They end up at the country inn of Pappa Renard. After serving them a meal, he reveals that a shot-down English flyer, Flight Lieutenant William Gray, is hiding out there. Since Renard is unwilling to continue sheltering Gray, the women decide to take him back to Paris with them. When their car has a flat, German Captain Kurt von Weber happens by and has one of his men change the tire. Since he is going to Paris too, von Weber personally drives them back, past all the German patrols and checkpoints. When he leaves, he gives Kitty his card, revealing that he is assigned to the military department of the Gestapo. They sneak Gray past Madame Martin, Emmy's concierge, and into her apartment.

A week later, Gray decides he has to leave, as anyone caught sheltering an enemy soldier will be executed. Before he can, the Germans surround and search the building. The timely arrival of von Weber, with a bouquet of flowers, ensures that the search is cut short. Kitty suggests going out to a nightclub to get the German out of the apartment. At the club, they encounter Andre. While dancing, Kitty apprises Andre of her situation and asks for his help in getting Gray out.

Following Andre's instructions, they contact Tissier, a baker. By bad luck, a German patrol happens by, and Emmy is taken in for questioning. After seeing Gray off, Kitty goes back to see what she can do for her friend. To her surprise, she find Emmy at Tessier's place.

Kitty is persuaded to help others escape with them. Emmy reluctantly decides to get involved too, just to keep Kitty out of trouble. They contact Father Dominique. Expecting to sneak one man into unoccupied France, they are surprised to find the priest hiding about a dozen in his crypt. The women take two with them, but when they reach Tissier's bakery, they learn that he has been shot. When they discover that the local cemetery is across the border, Kitty decides to use a funeral to get the men. The undertaker, however, informs them that the Germans are on guard against such attempts. However, he expects the aged Marquise de Montigny to pass away soon; when she does, the undertaker is glad to be able to give the worthy, yet poverty-stricken woman a lavish funeral procession, with the soldiers disguised as mourners. At the last moment, Kitty and Emmy decide to go back to continue smuggling.

By 1942, the occupying Germans are frustrated that so many Allied soldiers are eluding them. Von Weber comes up with a plan to destroy the smuggling network. He arranges for a fake Allied pilot to be "shot down". The man is brought to Emmy's antique shop hidden inside a chest. She is warned, but he becomes suspicious and pulls a gun and calls the Gestapo. She is able to strike him on the head (fatally) with a candlestick when he is distracted. However, too much is overheard over the phone, and the Germans, led by von Weber, come for them; Andre is there as well, back from England on a mission for the Free French. Emmy is captured, but the others evade the first sweep, hiding in the basement. When they overhear that von Weber will not stop searching, utterly convinced Kitty is still in the building, she knocks Andre out and gives herself up to save him.

They survive to be liberated by the Allies, though Emmy is so unhinged by her ordeal that she at first does not even recognize her friend.

The ending is very exciting and gratifying. The Germans are all cruel, bullies, glorious over taking Paris 

Madame Pimpernel is an excellent retake on the Pimpernel saga,

I will take post on Pimpernel Smith, staring Leslie Howard.

Mel Ulm