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.
Early films Those marked with an * are "Missing, believed lost".
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 Gullan1931 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 Archersfor 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 Pressburgerfor Rank Organisation Film Productions (and Vega Productions) US title: Night Ambush 1959 Luna de Miel Michael Powell Productionfor 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 Ltdfor 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:
The Silver Fleet (1943) – Producer The End of the River (1947) – Producer Aila, pohjolan tytär (a.k.a. Arctic Fury) (1951) – Producer Sebastian (1968) – Producer Anna Pavlova (1983) – Associate Producer
References