Original at
Glasgow University
An investigation of the Archers
The production company behind the success of
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
The 'Archers' was the name of an independent production company, formed
during the second world war which was the brain child of film-makers Michael
Powell and Emeric Pressburger. In the peculiar atmosphere of the time when
British film studios were being turned over to producing propaganda, J.
Arthur Rank took over as the biggest producer of films in the country once
Britain's first movie mogul Alexander Korda left for Hollywood in 1940.
Director Michael Powell and writer Emeric Pressburger had been put together
as a team by Korda for the film The Spy in Black. The affinity they
found for one another and the success of the film persuaded them that they
should work together again. After another film for Korda they made film,
49th Parallel was made outside the British Studio system and was
initially financed by the Ministry of Information. So began their career
as independent producers. J. Arthur Rank, recognising the finacial success
of movies whose final cut resided with the film-makers themselves established
an arm of his production and exhibition network to fund a number of independent
production companies. The Archers was one such company.
Powell and Pressburger were by this time sharing the 'written, produced
and directed by' credits on all their films. The collaboration didn't end
there however. The creative input of the artists, cameramen, craftsmen and
musicians who were employed by the partners was richly encouraged.
