A Canterbury Tale (1944)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Directors:

Michael Powell
Emeric Pressburger

Writers:

Michael Powell (written by) &
Emeric Pressburger (written by)

Release Date:

21 January 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | War

Tagline:

Four modern pilgrims in a story of today - yet away from war.

Plot:

A 'Land Girl', an American GI, and a British soldier find themselves together in a small Kent town on the road to Canterbury...

Plot Keywords:

Glue | Soldier | England | Magistrate | Village

Cast

Eric Portman	...	Thomas Colpeper, JP
Sheila Sim	...	Alison Smith
Dennis Price	...	Peter Gibbs
Sergeant John Sweet	...	Bob Johnson (as Sergt. John Sweet, U.S. Army)
Esmond Knight	...	Narrator (non-US versions) / Seven-Sisters Soldier / Village Idiot
Charles Hawtrey	...	Thomas Duckett
Hay Petrie	...	Woodcock
George Merritt	...	Ned Horton
Edward Rigby	...	Jim Horton
Freda Jackson	...	Prudence Honeywood
Betty Jardine	...	Fee Baker
Eliot Makeham	...	Organist
Harvey Golden	...	Sergt. Roczinsky
Leonard Smith	...	Leslie
James Tamsitt	...	Terry

Runtime:

124 min | USA:95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Spain:7

Filming Locations:

Bridge over Little Stour, Wickhambreaux, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Archers, The

Trivia:

Among the various books and pictures seen in Colpepper's sitting room is a photograph of the Shetland Island of Foula, the location of director Michael Powell's first acclaimed feature film The Edge of the World (1937).

Quotes:

Alison Smith: Did you hear the news about last night Mr. Horton?
Jim Horton: There wasn't nothing on the wireless.
Alison Smith: No I didn't mean that sort of news. I meant what happened here last night.
Ned Horton: We get all our local news at 6 o'clock, Miss.
Bob Johnson: You got a local newspaper?
Ned Horton: No. That's when the pub opens.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Days of Heaven (1978)

A Delightful Gem

Whatever the subject of their films one always knows that the results will be special when Powell and Pressburger are involved. Set in war time England the story follows 4 characters (2 soldiers, a woman and a local magistrate) as they eventually make a modern day pilgrimage to Canterbury. Each has their own personal problem and worry mostly brought on by the war. Their stories intertwine with each other as they become acquainted on their journey. The end results are quite special. The end results were probably dictated by the need for an uplifting movie during the War but the results are neither maudlin or contrived and hold up very well after 50 years. One is tempted to single out individual cast members but this is really an ensemble effort and all, from major to minor roles, are quite simply superb. A real gem.