Undescribable Perfection

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

https://trappedinthecinemablog.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/a- canterbury-tale-1944-%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85/Very loosely inspired by Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales', Powell and Pressburger's wartime drama 'A Canterbury Tale' (1944) was made during one of the most extraordinary consecutive directorial 'runs' ever: 'One of Our Aircraft Is Missing' (1942), 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' (1943), 'A Canterbury Tale' (1944), 'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945), 'A Matter of Life and Death' (1946), 'Black Narcissus' (1947), and 'The Red Shoes' (1948). All seven of them are British classics. And A Canterbury Tale is no different.The film opens with a Chaucerian knight, trekking through a forest on horseback, who lets free a bird of prey. And then, in a truly extraordinary moment of cinema, the swooping bird becomes a WW2 aircraft, and the knight becomes a tank. Technology and people have developed and 600 years of history have past.It is a remarkable moment of both magic and originality. It is also indicative of how under-appreciated Powell and Pressburger are. This scene has been forgotten from the public consciousness – never even remembered in the first place – yet when Stanley Kubrick referenced this moment in '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968) with a bone spinning in mid-air and becoming a spaceship (similarly indicating the passage of time and the development of technology), he is acclaimed as a genius for his originality.The rest of the tale leaves behind any Chaucerian plot, but does keep the tendency for eccentric characters. A small town near Canterbury is being terrorised by "the glueman", a mysterious man who pours glue over women's hair at night. There is probably a reference to a particular Chaucerian character here, which sadly went straight over my head.Into this town arrives a US soldier who gets off at the wrong station, and a British woman from the city who has come to work as a land girl for the war effort. And as they begin to turn their attention to investigating the Scooby Doo-esque glueman, they find themselves caught up and encapsulated in the nature of English rural life.The film is a love letter to the English countryside, landscape, and pastoral life. Characters regularly take walks up hillsides, just to admire the views. The film shows rural life and its traditions in great detail, and with great affection. And we see Canterbury Cathedral, a permanence in the country for so many centuries.The war, meanwhile, is relegated to a mere subplot. This indicates exactly what Powell and Pressburger are trying to say. The war is an incidental feature. It does not obstruct any of the characters' lives. It is a mere passing inconvenience. In one hilltop scene characters discuss a remarkable view, but do not mention the dozens of barrage balloons which litter the sky. P&P – which they should never be referred to as – are telling us that England and English life will continue as it always has done, from 600 years ago in the medieval era, through the present era unaffected by world war, and forever into the future.On a side note, for those worried about their ignorance of Scotland and Scottish life, they dealt with that in their following film, I Know Where I'm Going! And for those worried about their ignorance of Wales and Welsh life, as far as I can tell, they didn't give a sh*t.Perhaps A Canterbury Tale lacks the same magical spark as the greatest of their works, A Matter Of Life Or Death, or The Red Shoes, for instance. But this in no way should be seen as a dismissive comment. A Canterbury Tale still contains some remarkable moments from a pair of remarkable directors, especially the moment that Stanley Kubrick clearly thought so highly of.

***Good review from drednm ("Dennis Price in His First Starring Role", drednm from United States, 10 June 2013). Also, jeremy corbett's review ("'What I wouldn't give to grow old in a place like this'", jeremy corbett UK, 10 April 2006) has spoilers, but is also worthwhile.***"A Canterbury Tale (1944, Michael Powell​ and Emeric Pressburger​) is a traditional, quintessentially English film that works on many levels. While gentle in its approach, it is transcendent, producing a feeling of ecstasy at the conclusion. Despite serving as a propaganda statement for war-weary Britons, "Canterbury Tale" is a timeless source of inspiration.Set on the eve of D-Day, a spirited "Land Girl" named Alison Smith (Sheila Sim), an American GI named Bob Johnson (real-life Yankee GI John Sweet) and British soldier Peter Gibbs (Dennis Price) are train passengers who wind up stranded at night in a small Kent town on the road to fabled Canterbury, UK​. As the three walk to the village in the dark, Alison is attacked by a uniformed figure that the townsfolk have named "The Glue Man." During the brief encounter, the Glue Man applies the irritating sticky stuff to Alison's hair, just as he has done to nearly a dozen other young women. After trying unsuccessfully to remove the irksome contamination, fiery Alison first convinces Bob, and later Peter, to help her expose the identity of the culprit to the village. The investigation invariably leads to Thomas Colpeper, Jr. (Eric Portman), who the three met the night of the incident. He is a bachelor, farmer, magistrate, historian, lecturer and a pillar of the community.Most of the situations that follow concern ordinary life in a small English town. The central mystery is just a device that allows Powell and Pressburger to include a slew of memorable British characters, all of which are given ample opportunity to breathe. At the same time, scenes unfold briskly, with rapid-fire dialog throughout. It is hard to imagine any improvement in the story telling; and each scene is magnificent to look at.When sharing a cart on the road to Canterbury, former London shop girl Alison and slow-talking, small town-reared Bob appear to be heading for a romance. Temptation rises when we learn that Bob's girl back in the States hasn't written him in nearly two months. Also, Alison's boyfriend is MIA and is regarded as a war casualty. However, the work obligations of both force them to part ways. Later, Alison and Peter are reunited on a country road when she and her horse-drawn cart are surrounded by tanks that Peter and his company are training with. Alison is furious at the display of force being directed against her (and her hard-working equine). Her frustration mirrors the theme expressed by the narrator in the film's beginning; i.e., the British countryside which remained largely unchanged since the days of Geoffrey Chaucer​ is suddenly being overridden by soldiers and their war machines. While outwardly patriotic, "Canterbury Tale" contains anti-war sentiments, particularly when we see the tanks callously run over non-combatant foliage.When the four pilgrims finally reach Canterbury, cinematic magic occurs. Adhering to legend, the famous cathedral is where the four can expect to "receive blessings or do penance." Without revealing too much, penance is tasked to the man who opens his heart only to have it broken.With one exception, the entire cast is mesmerizing. This includes the children who play at war. Sheila Sim, Dennis Price and Eric Portman all possess very sonorous voices that are exquisite to listen to. The narrator, Esmond Knight, has two other roles: He is the soldier during the lecture who befriends Bob; and also the stuttering, drunken town fool. The only actor who is a little unconvincing is US Army Sergeant John Sweet, who was not an actor (and never appears again in a film). Sweet does tend to annoy at times with his overly nasal speaking qualities and callow manner. Considering how sexually fearless Sheila Sim's Alison seems to be, Sweet seems to be out of his league when paired with her in the same scene.Powell and Pressburger serve up one exquisite Black and White image after another. There are plenty of visual gags; but you need to detect them quickly before the next image arrives. Fans of endearing British cinema and/or those who draw inspiration from ancient traditions should not miss this unusual film that restores faith. Many of us certainly could use a reversal of fortune, from whatever source.

The first word that comes to mind re: this movie is -- gentle. First, a look at Miss Sim (once Jane Alexander's ma-in-law). She was a busy actress, but that sweet face and those lovely expressions seemed tailor made for this movie.As for the sarge, discovered while touring in an Army production of "Our Town," he was as perfect as Pressburger and Powell had predicted when they signed him up his only acting experience. When he was discharged he went back to work as a teacher, possibly in his hometown of Minneapolis. Anyone know where he is now? The movie is warm and beautiful. The Glue Man plot is interesting, but the stars, the scenery, the low-key approach are what makes this movie extra special.I'll be glad to check it out at least once a year. It is like relaxing in a comfy easy chair while you ignore the surrounding turmoil.I gave it a 9. I change my mind. Give it a 10 -- plus.

As a huge fan of The Archers, my favourite being 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943),' I must confess that 'A Canterbury Tale' is an odd little customer. Of course, it is exquisitely made, capturing with grace and delicacy the simple beauty of the British countryside, peaceful despite being scarred by the war raging nearby. Powell and Pressburger manage to replicate - in that subtle, indefinable manner unique to them - the feel of the highland breeze pressing gently against one's face, imbuing it with something otherwordly, almost magical. The film's prologue, set in the Middle-Ages, segues into the main story with the extraordinary match-cut of a hunting falcon with a WWII fighter-plane (predating the famous bone/satellite transition in '2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)'). But it took a long time for me to work out where the story was going.Much of the film concerns itself with a somewhat amiable mystery, as three visiting "pilgrims" – an American soldier (John Sweet), a farm girl (Sheila Sim), and a London man (Dennis Price) – attempt to identify the notorious "Glue Man", a peculiar local criminal who attacks women with glue. There is only ever one suspect, and their conclusion is never in doubt. So just where is the film going with this? It seems remarkably quaint that, as the world flounders in the midst of conflict, these three people should become so interested in catching such a small fish. It isn't until the final act that Powell and Pressburger reveal their true intentions, and the final few minutes are among the most hauntingly reverent I've ever seen, comparable to 'Andrei Rublev (1969)' in their religious fervour.