​Made in England: Powell/Pressburger documentary hits the bullseye

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

Essential viewing for cinephiles of any generation, director David Hinton’s engrossing documentary, “Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger,” celebrates one of cinema’s most fruitful partnerships. Hosted by on-screen narrator Martin Scorsese, whose personal relationship with Powell is addressed in the film, “Made in England” is a heartfelt tribute to the uncompromising vision of a pair of remarkable artists. Like previous Scorsese passion projects that highlight the inspirations and influences that helped to shape the directorial style admired by thousands of wannabe auteurs, Hinton’s study assembles an incredible array of clips (often shown side-by-side or in sequence with Scorsese’s direct homages) and wonderful archival material to make the case that the Archers deserve to be recognized as the most fabulous duo in British film history.

In the way that Scorsese hits the bullseye by carefully balancing a fan’s devotion with keen critical observations, “Made in England” mirrors previous compendia like “A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies” (1995) and “My Voyage to Italy” (1999). Using the divisive “Peeping Tom” (1960) as the turning point that negatively affected Powell’s career before critical rehabilitation many years later, Hinton organizes the movie with superb insight. In collaboration with editors Margarida Cartaxo and Stuart Davidson, Hinton covers a massive amount of territory. Only the most hardened superfans might complain that certain titles or signposts need more in-depth treatment, but given the 131-minute running time, nothing feels out of place or shortchanged.

The only possible exception to the argument above is not particularly surprising: Emeric Pressburger, like so many times before, is frequently presented as the lesser of two equals. Fortunately, Hinton exerts genuine effort to explicate just what made the partnership work and what each man contributed that the other needed. In this sense, the less celebrated of the principal Archers receives some juicy moments, including a few sharp and witty quips that typify a wonderful collaboration and a real kinship. The exposition tips in favor of Powell, whose apprenticeship under Rex Ingram would leave a lasting impression in terms of the most fantastic and otherworldly possibilities afforded only by the magic of the cinema.

Thanks to Alexander Korda, the Powell and Pressburger team-up took wing, initially with “The Spy in Black” in 1939, but really taking off with the commercial success of “49th Parallel” in 1941. Soon after, a run of miracle projects would later be acknowledged as a special set. Among them: “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp,” “A Canterbury Tale,” “I Know Where I’m Going!,” “A Matter of Life and Death,” “Black Narcissus,” and “The Red Shoes.”

Hinton recognizes that the unique contours of “The Red Shoes” demand extra attention. This section of the documentary, powerful enough to merit a feature of its very own, sees Scorsese at his most laudatory — fully embracing the particular ways that Powell and Pressburger innovated and transformed filmmaking through approach and technique.

Equally as rewarding are the comments on stuff like “The Small Back Room” and “Gone to Earth,” with both Hinton and Scorsese making a strong case for closer looks. Near the beginning of the documentary, Scorsese recounts the oft-told tale of how his childhood asthma necessitated indoor hours watching and rewatching titles screened on television as part of “Million Dollar Movie.” The eye-popping special effects on display in the 1940 fantasy “The Thief of Bagdad,” produced by Korda and co-directed by Powell, made a huge impact on the young Scorsese, just as the spectacles of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (infamously dismissed by the filmmaker) might be laying the groundwork for a future storyteller.