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Michael Powell

Known for directing · Born 30 September 1905 · Died 19 February 1990 · aged 84 · Bekesbourne, Kent, England

109 credits

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.

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Known for

Peeping Tom

1960

The Red Shoes

1948

Black Narcissus

1947

A Matter of Life and Death

1946

The Thief of Bagdad

1940

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

1943

I Know Where I'm Going!

1945

A Canterbury Tale

1944

49th Parallel

1941

Blackmail

1929

The Tales of Hoffmann

1951

Age of Consent

1969

Acting (32)

2024Made in England: The Films of Powell and PressburgerSelf (archive footage)Film
2019Churchill and the Movie MogulSelf (archive footage)Film
2014Inside Rupert PupkinSelf (archive footage)Film
2010Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack CardiffSelf (voice) (archive sound)Film
2003Chaplin Today: A Woman of ParisSelf (archive sound)Film
1997A Very British PsychoHimselfFilm
1990The Scorsese MachineSelfFilm
1986TearsHimselfFilm
1986LaughterHimselfFilm
1986FearHimselfFilm
1985The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary StudioSelfFilm
1981A Pretty British AffairIntervieweeFilm
1980Picture Business: Michael Powell at DartmouthFilm
1978Return to the Edge of the WorldSelfFilm
1978The South Bank ShowSeries
1960Peeping TomMark's Father - A.N. Lewis (uncredited)Film
1959HoneymoonGuide Describing the Lovers of Teruel (voice) (uncredited)Film
1944The VolunteerSelfFilm
1942One of Our Aircraft Is MissingDespatching OfficerFilm
1941An Airman's Letter to His MotherReader of Prologue (uncredited)Film
1937The Edge of the WorldMr. Graham - the Yachtsman (uncredited)Film
1932Hotel SplendideBugging Device Engineer (uncredited)Film
1929The Compulsory HusbandManFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 1: Spooky IslandsCicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927The Garden of AllahA TouristFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 10: Fauny BusinessCicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 2: A Nasty JarCicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 6Cicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 11: Scents and NonsenseCicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 9: Cold FeatsCicero Baedeker SympFilm
1927Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 12Cicero Baedeker SympFilm
1926The MagicianMan with Balloon at Snake Charming (uncredited)Film

Art (1)

1928ChampagneSet Designer, Still PhotographerFilm

Camera (2)

1929BlackmailAssistant Camera, WriterFilm
1928The First BornStill PhotographerFilm

Crew (3)

1994The Line, the Cross & the CurveThanksFilm
1992OrlandoThanksFilm
1990I Hired a Contract KillerIn Memory OfFilm

Directing (53)

1978Return to the Edge of the WorldDirector, ProducerFilm
1972The Boy Who Turned YellowDirectorFilm
1969Age of ConsentDirector, ProducerFilm
1966They're a Weird MobDirector, ProducerFilm
1963Bluebeard's CastleDirectorFilm
1963EspionageDirectorSeries
1961The DefendersDirectorSeries
1960Peeping TomDirector, ProducerFilm
1959HoneymoonDirector, WriterFilm
1957Ill Met by MoonlightDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1956The Battle of the River PlateDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1955Oh... Rosalinda!!Director, Writer, ProducerFilm
1955The Sorcerer's ApprenticeDirectorFilm
1951The Tales of HoffmannDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1950Gone to EarthDirector, Producer, ScreenplayFilm
1950The Elusive PimpernelDirector, Producer, WriterFilm
1949The Small Back RoomDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1947Black NarcissusDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1946A Matter of Life and DeathDirector, Screenplay, ProducerFilm
1945I Know Where I'm Going!Director, Producer, WriterFilm
1944A Canterbury TaleDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1943The Life and Death of Colonel BlimpDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1942One of Our Aircraft Is MissingDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
194149th ParallelDirector, ProducerFilm
1941An Airman's Letter to His MotherDirector, Writer, ProducerFilm
1940The Thief of BagdadDirectorFilm
1940ContrabandDirector, Scenario WriterFilm
1939The Spy in BlackDirectorFilm
1939The Lion Has WingsDirectorFilm
1939SmithDirectorFilm
1937The Edge of the WorldDirector, WriterFilm
1936Crown v. StevensDirectorFilm
1936The Man Behind the MaskDirectorFilm
1936The Brown WalletDirectorFilm
1935The Phantom LightDirectorFilm
1935LazybonesDirectorFilm
1935The Love TestDirectorFilm
1935Her Last AffaireDirectorFilm
1935The Price of a SongDirectorFilm
1935The Girl in the CrowdDirectorFilm
1935SomedayDirectorFilm
1934Red EnsignDirector, WriterFilm
1934The Night of the PartyDirectorFilm
1934Something Always HappensDirectorFilm
1933Born LuckyDirectorFilm
1932Hotel SplendideDirectorFilm
1932His LordshipDirectorFilm
1932My Friend the KingDirectorFilm
1932C.O.D.DirectorFilm
1932The RaspDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1931Two Crowded HoursDirectorFilm
1931The Star ReporterDirectorFilm
1926The MagicianAssistant DirectorFilm

Editing (2)

1983Anna PavlovaEditorFilm
1928A Knight in LondonEditorFilm

Production (6)

1968SebastianProducerFilm
1961The Queen's GuardsProducer, DirectorFilm
1951Aila – Pohjolan tytärProducerFilm
1948The Red ShoesProducer, Director, WriterFilm
1947The End of the RiverProducerFilm
1943The Silver FleetProducerFilm

Sound (1)

2025AMR: Dying to Change the WorldSoundFilm

Writing (9)

1948“The Red Shoes” SketchesWriterFilm
1944The VolunteerWriter, Director, ProducerFilm
1935Oh, Daddy!Scenario WriterFilm
1934The Fire RaisersStory, DirectorFilm
1933Perfect UnderstandingScreenplayFilm
1931RynoxScreenplay, DirectorFilm
193177, rue ChalgrinScreenplayFilm
193177 Park LaneWriterFilm
1930CasteWriterFilm