History Creator / MichaelPowell

* ExecutiveMeddling: Averted in England where he had AuteurLicense, but the American releases of his films, barring ''Film/{{The Red Shoes|1948}}'', were released with alternate titles and scenes cut and re-shot. Powell himself [[BerserkButton loathed]] the American title of his film Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath, famously retitled as ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he felt was ComicallyMissingThePoint of the story. ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' lost nearly forty minutes of run-time in its American release, and mind-bogglingly was released ''in black-and-white'' in some markets. ''Film/BlackNarcissus'' had footage of Sister Clodagh's flashbacks to her pre-vocational life cut, along with a shot of a nun putting on lipstick and a disclaimer added to the opening statement that the nuns were Anglican. This prevented the Archers from attaining the same stature as Creator/DavidLean or Carol Reed, whose films more or less played as per the director's wishes.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Averted in England where he had AuteurLicense, but the American releases of his films, barring Film/{{The Red Shoes|1948}}, were released with alternate titles and scenes cut and re-shot. Powell himself [[BerserkButton loathed]] the American title of his film Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath, famously retitled as ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he felt was ComicallyMissingThePoint of the story. ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' lost nearly forty minutes of run-time in its American release, and mind-bogglingly was released ''in black-and-white'' in some markets. ''Film/BlackNarcissus'' had footage of Sister Clodagh's flashbacks to her pre-vocational life cut, along with a shot of a nun putting on lipstick and a disclaimer added to the opening statement that the nuns were Anglican. This prevented the Archers from attaining the same stature as Creator/DavidLean or Carol Reed, whose films more or less played as per the director's wishes.

* AllThereInTheManual : His two-part autobiography, ''A Life in Movies / Million Dollar Movie''.

* CreatorProvincialism : Interesting aversion. His best films were set in England and London and had a quintessential English perspective but Powell noted that a lot of this was motivated by ImmigrantPatriotism since a lot of his collaborators tended to be Austrian, German, Hungarian, French, and South African, and in the case of Sabu, Indian. Since he spent much of his life in France and the United States, Powell himself was a thoroughgoing aversion.
* DoingItForTheArt: His general belief and approach to movies. It was also a theme of his post-war films, ''The Red Shoes, The Tales of Hoffmann'' and taken to disturbing tragic depths with ''Peeping Tom''
--> ''"For ten years we had all been told to go out and die for [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII freedom and democracy]]; but now the war was over, The Red Shoes told us to go out and die for art."''
* ExecutiveMeddling: Averted in England where he had AuteurLicense, but the American releases of his films, barring Film/TheRedShoes1948, were released with alternate titles and scenes cut and re-shot. Powell himself [[BerserkButton loathed]] the American title of his film Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath, famously retitled as ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he felt was ComicallyMissingThePoint of the story. ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' lost nearly forty minutes of run-time in its American release, and mind-bogglingly was released ''in black-and-white'' in some markets. ''Film/BlackNarcissus'' had footage of Sister Clodagh's flashbacks to her pre-vocational life cut, along with a shot of a nun putting on lipstick and a disclaimer added to the opening statement that the nuns were Anglican. This prevented the Archers from attaining the same stature as Creator/DavidLean or Carol Reed, whose films more or less played as per the director's wishes.
* JumpedAtTheCall : Cinematographer Jack Cardiff noted that this was Powell's attitude. Unlike directors who tended to [[PrimaDonnaDirector march to their own tune]], Powell listened to bold, interesting suggestions and was more than willing to give them freedom. This made him a gift for talented cinematographers and art directors to work with.

* QuintessentialBritishGentleman : Some of his characters are this, especially those played by actor Roger Livesey.[[note]]Which is ironic, since Livesey himself was [[UsefulNotes/{{Wales}} Welsh]].[[/note]] MichaelPowell was himself this albeit a more adventurous and mischievous type. As per Creator/MartinScorsese, one of the few people who never became more conservative as he aged.
* RealityIsUnrealistic : His films, despite their fantastic quality, were in fact this. ''Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath'' is based on a true story with an accurate neurological basis. ''The Red Shoes'' was based on the real-life story of Sergei Diaghilev and Nijinsky, while ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' was impeccably researched and ''Film/OneOfOurAircraftIsMissing'' was filmed in a naturalistic, pseudo-documentary style.

* SidekickGraduationsStick : Powell worked as an assistant to Rex Ingram and worked on the sets of Creator/AlfredHitchcock's films. As a director, he mentored the young Creator/DavidLean, future Oscar-winning director ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia'' (his editor on ''49th Parallel'' and ''Film/OneOfOurAircraftIsMissing'') and DP Jack Cardiff who became a director in his own right. And later served as TheConsigliere on Scorsese's movies.

* HeroesWantRedheads: Powell's answer to the "Hitchcock blonde": nearly all of his leading ladies are redheads, notably Creator/DeborahKerr, Moira Shearer, Kathleen Byron, and Anna Massey.

* BreakthroughHit: ''Film/{{The Red Shoes|1948}}'' which was a box-office success in America and played in New York for over a year and inspired MGM musicals and Creator/GeneKelly.
* CaliforniaDoubling: Invoked in ''Film/BlackNarcissus''. The story takes place entirely in India, and crew members accepted thinking they'd do some location work there. However the film was shot mostly in Pinewood Studios, with some exteriors done at West Sussex Gardens. According to WordOfGod this was to allow them complete control over the film's colour. After it came out, he received letters from Indian residents claiming to recognise the filming locations.

* CreatorProvincialism : Interesting aversion. His best films were set in England and London and had a quintessential English perspective but Powell noted that a lot of this was motivated by ImmigrantPatriotism since a lot of his collaborators tended to be Austrian, German, Hungarian, French and South African, and in the case of Sabu, Indian. Since he spent much of his life in France and the United States, Powell himself was a thoroughgoing aversion.
* DoingItForTheArt : His general belief and approach to movies. It was also a theme of his post-war films, ''The Red Shoes, The Tales of Hoffmann'' and taken to disturbing tragic depths with ''Peeping Tom''

* ExecutiveMeddling : Averted in England where he had AuteurLicense, but the American releases of his films, barring Film/TheRedShoes1948, were released with alternate titles and scenes cut and re-shot. Powell himself [[BerserkButton loathed]] the American title of his film Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath, famously retitled as ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he felt was ComicallyMissingThePoint of the story. ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' lost nearly forty minutes of run-time in its American release, and mind-bogglingly was released ''in black-and-white'' in some markets. ''Film/BlackNarcissus'' had footage of Sister Clodagh's flashbacks to her pre-vocational life cut, along with a shot of a nun putting on lipstick and a disclaimer added to the opening stating that the nuns were Anglican. This prevented the Archers from attaining the same stature as Creator/DavidLean or Carol Reed, whose films more or less played as per the director's wishes.
* HeroesWantRedheads: Powell's answer to the "Hitchcock blonde": nearly all of his leading ladies are redheads, notably Creator/DeborahKerr, Moira Shearer, Kathleen Byron and Anna Massey.

** The films made by the Archers tended to be highly controversial even in the 1940s. In his last credit, ''Return to the Edge of the World'', Powell quoted this trope noting that his real chances came from Americans and Hungarians. Also, the only English film-maker who never made a film in Hollywood, unlike Creator/CharlieChaplin, Carol Reed, Creator/DavidLean and Hitchcock, and unlike them he did not receive a knighthood. [[DudeWheresMyRespect That's loyalty]].
** Also while some English critics supported him in the late 60s and 70s, Raymond Durgnat and Ian Christie especially, Powell returned to former glory thanks to his popularity as a cult director among the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood with Creator/MartinScorsese, Creator/FrancisFordCoppola, Creator/GeorgeARomero and Creator/StevenSpielberg counting as fans.

* SidekickGraduationsStick : Powell worked as an assistant to Rex Ingram and worked on the sets of Creator/AlfredHitchcock's films. As a director, he mentored the young Creator/DavidLean, future Oscar winning director ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia'' (his editor on ''49th Parallel'' and ''Film/OneOfOurAircraftIsMissing'') and DP Jack Cardiff who became a director in his own right. And later served as TheConsigliere on Scorsese's movies.

Powell's career began early. In the 1920s he worked with the legendary Rex Ingram (who'd directed Rudolph Valentino to stardom in ''Film/TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse'') at his famous Nice studio. He later worked as a stills photographer on English films, including Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/{{Blackmail|1929}}''. The pair became friends and Powell was the one to suggest the climax in the British Museum, starting the trend of Hitchcock's films leaning towards MonumentalDamage. [[note]] Hitchcock in turn suggested actress Kim Hunter for ''Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath''.[[/note]] Powell worked in the film industry for several years as a director of ''quota quickies'', which were the British equivalent of the BMovie. His first real picture, as per his autobiography, is ''The Edge of the World'' (1937), an anthropological examination of a Scottish Island as it undergoes modernization.

** Also while some English critics supported him in the late 60s and 70s, Raymond Durgnat and Ian Christie especially, Powell returned to former glory thanks to his popularity as a cult director among the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood with Creator/MartinScorsese, Creator/FrancisFordCoppola, Creator/GeorgeARomero and Creator/StevenSpielberg counting as {{Big Name Fan}}s.

* ''Film/BlackNarcissus'' (1949)

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Towards the end of his life, several projects he initiated never came off because of health and the stigma of his ''Film/PeepingTom'' release. One of them was an adaptation of Creator/UrsulaKLeGuin's Literature/AWizardOfEarthsea made in collaboration with the author. And another was an adaptation of ''Theatre/TheTempest'' with James Mason. Also, ''Film/TheChargeOfTheLightBrigade'' evidently originated as one of his projects before his preferred screenwriter died, and Tony Richardson took over the project.

* ExecutiveMeddling : Averted in England where he had AuteurLicense, but the American releases of his films, barring Film/TheRedShoes1948, were released with alternate titles and scenes cut and re-shot. Powell himself [[BerserkButton loathed]] the American title of his film Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath, famously retitled as ''Stairway to Heaven'' which he felt was ComicallyMissingThePoint of the story. ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp'' lost nearly forty minutes of run-time in its American release, and mind-bogglingly was released ''in black-and-white'' in some markets. This prevented the Archers from attaining the same stature as Creator/DavidLean or Carol Reed, whose films more or less played as per the director's wishes.

* NeverAcceptedInHisHometown : The films made by the Archers tended to be highly controversial even in the 1940s. In his last credit, ''Return to the Edge of the World'', Powell quoted this trope noting that his real chances came from Americans and Hungarians. Also, the only English film-maker who never made a film in Hollywood, unlike Creator/CharlieChaplin, Carol Reed, Creator/DavidLean and Hitchcock, and unlike them he did not receive a knighthood. [[DudeWheresMyRespect That's loyalty]].

* RomanceOnTheSet: With Creator/DeborahKerr while filming ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp''. Though their affair only lasted about a year, Powell admits in his autobiography that Kerr was the love of his life.

In between, Powell directed solo efforts. He collaborated with cryptographer Leo Marks on ''Film/PeepingTom'' and ''Film/AgeOfConsent''. The critical reaction was so negative that it almost [[CreatorKiller destroyed Powell's career]]. Over the next two decades, Powell (and Pressburger) fell into obscurity. Fortunately, Creator/MartinScorsese and Creator/FrancisFordCoppola were fans and they worked to make Powell's films available to the general public. Many of his films are part of Creator/TheCriterionCollection.

In between, Powell directed solo efforts. He collaborated with cryptographer Leo Marks on ''Film/PeepingTom'' and ''Age of Consent'', the latter starring Creator/JamesMason and a [[YoungFutureFamousPeople young]] Creator/HelenMirren. The critical reaction was so negative that it almost [[CreatorKiller destroyed Powell's career]]. Over the next two decades, Powell (and Pressburger) fell into obscurity. Fortunately, Creator/MartinScorsese and Creator/FrancisFordCoppola were fans and they worked to make Powell's films available to the general public. Many of his films are part of Creator/TheCriterionCollection.

In between, Powell directed solo efforts. He collaborated with cryptographer Leo Marks on ''Film/PeepingTom'' and ''Age of Consent'' (the latter starring Creator/JamesMason and a [[YoungFutureFamousPeople young]] Creator/HelenMirren). The critical reaction was so negative that it almost [[CreatorKiller destroyed Powell's career]]. Over the next two decades, Powell (and Pressburger) fell into obscurity. Fortunately, Creator/MartinScorsese and Creator/FrancisFordCoppola were fans and they worked to make Powell's films available to the general public. Many of his films are part of Creator/TheCriterionCollection.

* ''The Small Back Room'' (1949)

* ''The Edge of the World'' (1937) - his directorial debut.

Powell's career began early. In the 1920s he worked with the legendary Rex Ingram (who'd directed Rudolph Valentino to stardom in ''Film/TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse'') at his famous Nice studio. He later worked as a stills photographer on English films, including Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Blackmail''. They became friends and Powell was the one to suggest the climax in the British Museum starting the trend of Hitchcock's films to lean towards MonumentalDamage. [[note]] Hitchcock in turn suggested actress Kim Hunter for ''Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath''.[[/note]] Powell worked in the film industry for several years as a director of ''quota quickies'', which were the British equivalent of the BMovie. His first real picture, as per his autobiography, is ''The Edge of the World'' (1937), an anthropological examination of a Scottish Island as it undergoes modernization.

Powell's career began early. In the 1920s he worked with the legendary Rex Ingram (who'd directed Rudolph Valentino to stardom in ''Film/TheFourHorsemenOfTheApocalypse'') at his famous Nice studio. He later worked as a stills photographer on English films, including Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Blackmail''. They became friends and Powell was the one to suggest the climax in the British Museum starting the trend of Hitchcock's films to lean towards MonumentalDamage. [[note]] Hitchcock in turn suggested actress Kim Hunter for ''Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath''.[[/note]] Powell worked in the film industry for several years as a director of ''quota quickies'', which were the British equivalent of the BMovie. His first real picture, as per his autobiography, is ''The Edge of the World'', an anthropological examination of a Scottish Island as it undergoes modernization.

His collaboration with Pressburger began with ''The Spy in Black''. Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who had worked in the Weimar German film industry in Berlin (alongside Creator/BillyWilder and Robert Siodmak) and fled the country when the Nazis came. He came to England, and together with Powell they formed a collaboration in the '40s, sharing a unique credit of ''Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger''. In actual fact, Powell was the one who did most of the directing, interacting with the crew, working with the actors, deciding the distinct look of the Archers films, while Pressburger did the writing, producing and the editing. They had a complete rapport with each other and remained friends even after their amicable parting of ways; they would reunite for two later films, ''They're a Weird Mob'' (1966) and ''The Boy Who Turned Yellow'' (1972).

In between, Powell directed solo efforts. He collaborated with cryptographer Leo Marks on the 1960's ''Film/PeepingTom'' and ''Age of Consent'' with Creator/JamesMason and a [[YoungFutureFamousPeople young]] Creator/HelenMirren. The critical reaction was so negative that it almost [[CreatorKiller destroyed Powell's career]]. Over the next two decades, Powell (and Pressburger) fell into obscurity. Fortunately, Creator/MartinScorsese and Creator/FrancisFordCoppola were fans and they worked to make Powell's films available to the general public. Many of his films are part of Creator/TheCriterionCollection.

* ''Film/TheSpyInBlack'' (his first collaboration with Pressburger)
* ''Film/FortyNinthParallel''
* ''Film/OneOfOurAircraftIsMissing''
* ''Film/TheLifeAndDeathOfColonelBlimp''
* ''Film/ACanterburyTale''
* ''Film/IKnowWhereImGoing''
* ''Film/AMatterOfLifeAndDeath''
* ''Film/BlackNarcissus''
* ''Film/TheRedShoes1948''
* ''The Small Back Room''
* ''Theatre/TheTalesOfHoffmann''

* ''The Edge of the World''
* ''Film/{{The Thief of Bagdad|1940}}'' (1940) - One of six directors.
* ''Film/PeepingTom''
* ''Film/AgeOfConsent'' - The first major film role for Creator/HelenMirren.

!! Some tropes relating to Powell's Life and Work

His collaboration with Pressburger began with ''The Spy in Black''. Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who had worked in the Weimar German film industry in Berlin (alongside Creator/BillyWilder and Robert Siodmak) and fled the country when the Nazis came. He came to England, and together with Powell they formed a collaboration in the '40s, sharing a unique credit of ''Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger''. In actual fact, Powell was the one who did most of the directing, interacting with the crew, working with the actors, deciding the distinct look of the Archers films, while Pressburger did the writing, producing and the editing. They had a complete rapport with each other and remained friends even after their amicable parting of ways (they would reunite for two later films, ''They're A Weird Mob'' and ''The Boy Who Turned Yellow''.)

His collaboration with Pressburger began with ''The Spy in Black''. Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who had worked in the Weimar German film industry in Berlin (alongside Creator/BillyWilder and Robert Siodmak) and fled the country when the Nazis came. He came to England, and together with Powell they formed a collaboration in the 40s, sharing a unique credit of ''Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger''. In actual fact, Powell was the one who did most of the directing, interacting with the crew, working with the actors, deciding the distinct look of the Archers films, while Pressburger did the writing, producing and the editing. They had a complete rapport with each other and remained friends even after their amicable parting of ways (they would reunite for two later films, ''They're A Weird Mob'' and ''The Boy Who Turned Yellow''.)

His collaboration with Pressburger began with ''The Spy in Black''. Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who had worked in the Weimar film industry in Berlin (alongside Creator/BillyWilder and Robert Siodmak) and fled the country when the Nazis came. He came to England, and together with Powell they formed a collaboration in the 40s, sharing a unique credit of ''Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger''. In actual fact, Powell was the one who did most of the directing, interacting with the crew, working with the actors, deciding the distinct look of the Archers films, while Pressburger did the writing, producing and the editing. They had a complete rapport with each other and remained friends even after their amicable parting of ways (they would reunite for two later films, ''They're A Weird Mob'' and ''The Boy Who Turned Yellow''.)

His collaboration with Pressburger began with ''The Spy in Black''. Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian Jew who had worked in the Berlin Film Industry(alongside Creator/BillyWilder and Robert Siodmak) who fled Berlin when the Nazis came. He came to England, and together with Powell they formed a collaboration in the 40s, sharing a unique credit of ''Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger''. In actual fact, Powell was the one who did most of the directing, interacting with the crew, working with the actors, deciding the distinct look of the Archers films, while Pressburger did the writing, producing and the editing. They had a complete rapport with each other and remained friends even after their amicable parting of ways (they would reunite for two later films, ''They're A Weird Mob'' and ''The Boy Who Turned Yellow''.)

[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/michael_powell.jpg]]