I have previously written the profound impact the films of Powell and Pressburger have had on me. Michael Powell is the filmmaker I most think of most as a magician, using tricks and sleight of hand to create rich worlds and transport his audiences to wondrous places. With their brand new release of Michael Powell: Early Works, the BFI are giving audiences the chance to watch Powell hone his craft on a number of ‘quota quickies’ in the 1930’s; small-scale films which were made on an insanely quick shooting schedule. This is Powell before Pressburger, before The Archers and before he had enough of a budget to create Heaven and Earth. The BFI have lovingly resorted five of his rare films; Rynox (1931), Hotel Splendide (1932), The Night of the Party (1935), Her Last Affaire (1935), and an abridged reissue version of The Man Behind The Mask (1944), with the original 1935 version believed to be lost.
I have always loved the opportunity to watch a director’s formative films and to see them grow as a filmmaker as their sensitivity evolves. In Rynox, Powell’s earliest film which hasn’t been lost, it’s clear that he is still finding his feet. He was a devoted student of cinema, having travelled around Europe as the protege of director Rex Ingram, and you can feel Powell’s voice emerge throughout the patchy whodunnit with a mix of German Expression influence and a keen interest in trying to use interesting camera angles.
Hotel Splendide, a farcical comedy about a man who inherits a rundown hotel, has the first sign of that Michael Powell magic I fell in love with — Mason’s daydream of his ideal hotel literally melts into the disappointing reality upon his arrival. The execution isn’t perfect, but it shows that Powell was already dreaming far beyond his means. Hotel Splendide also has the first example of Powell cutting into some location shooting in order to bring his studio work to life. This is something he would go onto perfect throughout this career and I loved finding evidence of how important it was to him, even when the schedule was so tight and most would’ve deemed it an unnecessary luxury. There’s also a gorgeous sequence in The Night of the Party with flashing lights which silhouette forlorn lovers that stands out so dramatically from the rest of the film that I had to watch it twice. It’s clear that Powell was not happy to just shoot the scripts, he was always looking for an opportunity to create something wholly cinematic.
This is the kind of project I feel passionate about supporting, one that continues to preserve our rich history of British cinema and introduce new audiences to films that were once thought lost.
What’s particularly satisfying about the set is watching Powell’s work with actors improve in each film. Rynox and Hotel Splendide have some good performances (and some ropey ones), but by 1935 he was casting a better calibre of actor and it lifts the later films. The Night of the Party stars the wonderful Leslie Banks (The Man Who Knew Too Much), The Man Behind The Mask boasts George Meritt (A Canterbury Tale) and Her Last Affaire has the best ensemble of the early Powell films: Francis L. Sullivan (Oliver Twist). Hugh Williams (Wuthering Heights) and Googie Withers (Dead of Night) make up a really solid cast and the strength of performances shines brightly above the earlier films in the set. Crucially, Her Last Affaire is one of Powell’s first collaborations with future regular John Laurie, who goes on to become a comforting, reliable and commanding presence in Powell’s filmography. It was a joy to see, not only the origins of Powell, but of John Laurie, whose performance in Powell’s The Edge of the World (1937) is magnificent.
I think this set is a marvel. The restoration work is exceptional and I am in awe of the hard work that has been undertaken to rescue and distribute these gems from the past. These five films probably aren’t outstanding, but the opportunity to watch a master craftsman learn his trade and develop his voice feels unbelievably important. This is the kind of project I feel passionate about supporting, one that continues to preserve our rich history of British cinema and introduce new audiences to films that were once thought lost. Each film in the collection is worth watching for those moments of magic and for those brief sequences that suggest the work of someone who will eventually be one of our greatest filmmakers of all time.
The Special Features are packed full of goods, including a standout feature headed by Thelma Schoonmaker, which discusses all of Powell’s projects that he wanted to make but was unable to get funded after the failure of Peeping Tom. It’s a truly bittersweet experience hearing about all of the wonderful movies we could have had. There are brand new commentaries for all of the films, two comedy travelogues starring Powell during the 1920’s and a home movie shot by Emeric Pressburger about Powell and an international film star entourage at an Argentinian Film Festival.
Michael Powell: Early Works is out now on BFI Blu Ray
Jimmy’s Archive – Michael Powell: Early Works
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