Sunday 27 March 2016

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943 Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger)

Last seen 12 October 2013 - after some persuasion my wife finally relented to watch it - then was immediately reminded how damn good it is. Halfway through I realised I was wearing Turnbull and Asser boxer shorts - an undergarment of a suitably high quality to match the film. Brilliantly written by Pressburger ("speaking fluent double German") subject matter on politics of war just as timely as ever, though in their case it was an extremely brave thing to pull off in the midst of one.

Scorsese is a big fan - "Every time I revisit the Life and Death of Colonel Blimp it becomes richer, bigger, more moving and more profound". I would add "funnier" as well.

Had to stop myself from repeatedly saying 'This is a brilliant scene' because it applied to every scene.

Evocative music (by Allan Gray) from big band army stuff to love theme (Deborah Kerr's theme). When you consider Gray aka Josef Zmigrod and Pressburger hailed from Austria-Hungary, Alfred Junge from Germany, Walbrook from Austria, and Périnal France, it's an international production indeed.


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