The Powell & Pressburger Pages Dedicated to the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and all the other people, both actors and technicians who helped them make those wonderful films. A lot of the documents have been sent to me or have come from other web sites. The name of the web site is given where known. If I have unintentionally included an image or document that is copyrighted or that I shouldn't have done then please email me and I'll remove it. I make no money from this site, it's purely for the love of the films. [Any comments are by me (Steve Crook) and other members of the email list]

Submitted by Mark Fuller

A Canterbury Tale

From: Daily Telegraph
15 April 1944

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So is the photography in "A Canterbury Tale" (Odeon). Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger have presented the English scene with such artistry and charm, such a wealth of fresh and amusing incident, that if the story had been half-way tolerable this would have been a masterpiece.

     It isn't and it's not. The story is silly beyond belief. The effect of a modern pilgrimage to Canterbury on a group of young people - that's promising enough; but as a thread to hang it on, the authors could think of nothing better than a magistrate so keen on soldiers seeing his lantern lectures that he throws glue on the hair of every young woman who might distract them. Whether he also slashes cinema seats in the interests of the Malvern Festival, and snips schoolgirls' hair to remind them of their algebra, we are not informed.

     If you can ignore this nonsense you will enjoy this film for its beauty, for many shrewd and witty touches and some excellent acting by Sgt. John Sweet (U.S. Army), Sheila Sim, Dennis Price, and Eric Portman, the man with the mucilage.

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