The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
(Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, UK 1943, 163 min., 35mm)
Not only is The Life of Death of Colonel Blimp sometimes considered the greatest British film ever made, but it is also among the most loved ones – the two characteristics that do not often coincide. A blend of war epic, romance, and satire, it is, among other things, a strong social and political statement. Made in the midst of WWII, Blimp is a commentary on the rules and ethics of war – that is if war has rules and ethics in the first place. Production was closely monitored by Winston Churchill who suspected the film of being a satire on his life and career. It may also be considered a statement on love, as all three women in the life of the protagonist are played by the same actress (Deborah Kerr, who became an international star exactly after the success of Blimp). The film is widely praised for the acting of Kerr, Roger Livesey and Anton Walbrook. The first of Powell and Pressburger’s Technicolor films, it is a masterpiece of color cinematography. Hopefully, we would be able to appreciate that in this brand new 35mm print made specially for the George Eastman Museum and never screened before.
Post-screening discussion with Senior Curator Peter Bagrov.