Person
Michael Powell
Directing · 1905–1990 · Bekesbourne, Kent, England
Biography
Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. They worked together under the name of "The Archers" and produced a series of classic British films, notably The Thief of Bagdad (1940), 49th Parallel (1941), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946, also called Stairway to Heaven), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948). His controversial 1960 film Peeping Tom, however, was so vilified that his career was seriously damaged.
Known for
The Defenders
Director
Espionage
Director
The Red Shoes
Producer
Peeping Tom
Mark's Father - A.N. Lewis (uncredited)
Black Narcissus
Writer
The Thief of Bagdad
Director
Age of Consent
Director
Churchill and the Movie Mogul
Self (archive footage)
I Hired a Contract Killer
In Memory Of
A Matter of Life and Death
Screenplay
Filmography
- 2025AMR: Dying to Change the WorldSound
- 2024Made in England: The Films of Powell and PressburgerSelf (archive footage)
- 2019Churchill and the Movie MogulSelf (archive footage)
- 2014Inside Rupert PupkinSelf (archive footage)
- 2010Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack CardiffSelf (voice) (archive sound)
- 2003Chaplin Today: A Woman of ParisSelf (archive sound)
- 1997A Very British PsychoHimself
- 1994The Line, the Cross & the CurveThanks
- 1992OrlandoThanks
- 1990I Hired a Contract KillerIn Memory Of
- 1990The Scorsese MachineSelf
- 1986LaughterHimself
- 1986TearsHimself
- 1986FearHimself
- 1985The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary StudioSelf
- 1983Anna PavlovaEditor
- 1981A Pretty British AffairInterviewee
- 1980Picture Business: Michael Powell at Dartmouth
- 1978Return to the Edge of the WorldSelf
- 1972The Boy Who Turned YellowDirector
- 1969Age of ConsentDirector
- 1968SebastianProducer
- 1966They're a Weird MobDirector
- 1963Bluebeard's CastleDirector
- 1963EspionageDirector
- 1961The Queen's GuardsProducer
- 1961The DefendersDirector
- 1960Peeping TomMark's Father - A.N. Lewis (uncredited)
- 1959HoneymoonGuide Describing the Lovers of Teruel (voice) (uncredited)
- 1957Ill Met by MoonlightDirector
- 1956The Battle of the River PlateWriter
- 1955Oh... Rosalinda!!Director
- 1955The Sorcerer's ApprenticeDirector
- 1951The Tales of HoffmannProducer
- 1951Aila – Pohjolan tytärProducer
- 1950The Elusive PimpernelDirector
- 1950Gone to EarthScreenplay
- 1949The Small Back RoomWriter
- 1948The Red ShoesProducer
- 1948“The Red Shoes” SketchesWriter
- 1947The End of the RiverProducer
- 1947Black NarcissusWriter
- 1946A Matter of Life and DeathScreenplay
- 1945I Know Where I'm Going!Writer
- 1944A Canterbury TaleDirector
- 1944The VolunteerSelf
- 1943The Life and Death of Colonel BlimpProducer
- 1943The Silver FleetProducer
- 1942One of Our Aircraft Is MissingDespatching Officer
- 194149th ParallelDirector
- 1941An Airman's Letter to His MotherDirector
- 1940ContrabandDirector
- 1940The Thief of BagdadDirector
- 1939The Lion Has WingsDirector
- 1939The Spy in BlackDirector
- 1939SmithDirector
- 1937The Edge of the WorldMr. Graham - the Yachtsman (uncredited)
- 1936The Man Behind the MaskDirector
- 1936Crown v. StevensDirector
- 1936The Brown WalletDirector
- 1935SomedayDirector
- 1935Her Last AffaireDirector
- 1935The Price of a SongDirector
- 1935The Phantom LightDirector
- 1935The Love TestDirector
- 1935LazybonesDirector
- 1935The Girl in the CrowdDirector
- 1935Oh, Daddy!Scenario Writer
- 1934Something Always HappensDirector
- 1934The Night of the PartyDirector
- 1934Red EnsignDirector
- 1934The Fire RaisersStory
- 1933Born LuckyDirector
- 1933Perfect UnderstandingScreenplay
- 1932His LordshipDirector
- 1932Hotel SplendideBugging Device Engineer (uncredited)
- 1932The RaspScreenplay
- 1932My Friend the KingDirector
- 1932C.O.D.Director
- 1931The Star ReporterDirector
- 193177, rue ChalgrinScreenplay
- 1931RynoxScreenplay
- 1931Two Crowded HoursDirector
- 193177 Park LaneWriter
- 1930CasteWriter
- 1929The Compulsory HusbandMan
- 1929BlackmailAssistant Camera
- 1928A Knight in LondonEditor
- 1928The First BornStill Photographer
- 1928ChampagneSet Designer
- 1927The Garden of AllahA Tourist
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 12Cicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 11: Scents and NonsenseCicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 10: Fauny BusinessCicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 9: Cold FeatsCicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 6Cicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 2: A Nasty JarCicero Baedeker Symp
- 1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 1: Spooky IslandsCicero Baedeker Symp
- 1926The MagicianMan with Balloon at Snake Charming (uncredited)
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