A Canterbury Tale
Time Out says
Michael Powell's extraordinary film proceeds from the faintly bizarre story of three characters (a land girl, a British sergeant and a US sergeant) who, arriving by the same train in a small Kent village, make friends and set out to unmask the mysterious 'glue man' who pours glue on to the hair of girls out late at night with servicemen. But the film shows a sharp awareness of the tensions underlying a country community in wartime - from rural resentment of the influx of outsiders to more long-term fears of the decay of a traditional social order. An assertion of stability to counterbalance these is provided by Powell's almost mystical sense of historical continuity, epitomised by Canterbury Cathedral and the Pilgrims' Way as captured in Erwin Hillier's lyrical photography. Though infuriatingly difficult to categorise, the film is bold, inventive, stimulating and extremely entertaining.Author: AS
Release details
UK release:
1944
Duration:
124 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast:
George Merritt, Charles Hawtrey, Esmond Knight, Dennis Price, John Sweet, Sheila Sim, Eric Portman, Edward Rigby
Music:
Production Designer:
Editor:
Cinematography:
Screenwriter:
Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell
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