Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. They worked together under the name of "The Archers" and produced a series of classic British films, notably The Thief of Bagdad (1940), 49th Parallel (1941), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946, also called Stairway to Heaven), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948). His controversial 1960 film Peeping Tom, however, was so vilified that his career was seriously damaged.
Known For
The Red Shoes
(1948)
Director
The Thief of Bagdad
(1940)
Director
Peeping Tom
(1960)
Director
49th Parallel
(1941)
Director
Black Narcissus
(1947)
Director
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
(1943)
Director
The Battle of the River Plate
(1956)
Director
A Matter of Life and Death
(1946)
Director
Age of Consent
(1969)
Director
The Tales of Hoffmann
(1951)
Director
The Small Back Room
(1949)
Director
A Canterbury Tale
(1944)
Director
Full Filmography
Directing
The Magician
(1926)
Assistant Director
Rynox
(1931)
Director
Two Crowded Hours
(1931)
Director
The Star Reporter
(1931)
Director
His Lordship
(1932)
Director
C.O.D.
(1932)
Director
Hotel Splendide
(1932)
Director
My Friend the King
(1932)
Director
The Rasp
(1932)
Director
Born Lucky
(1933)
Director
Something Always Happens
(1934)
Director
Red Ensign
(1934)
Director
The Fire Raisers
(1934)
Director
The Night of the Party
(1934)
Director
The Phantom Light
(1935)
Director
The Love Test
(1935)
Director
Lazybones
(1935)
Director
Her Last Affaire
(1935)
Director
Crown v. Stevens
(1936)
Director
The Man Behind the Mask
(1936)
Director
The Brown Wallet
(1936)
Director
The Edge of the World
(1937)
Director
The Lion Has Wings
(1939)
Director
The Spy in Black
(1939)
Director
Smith
(1939)
Director
The Thief of Bagdad
(1940)
Director
Contraband
(1940)
Director
49th Parallel
(1941)
Director
An Airman's Letter to His Mother
(1941)
Director
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
(1942)
Director
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
(1943)
Director
A Canterbury Tale
(1944)
Director
The Volunteer
(1944)
Director
I Know Where I'm Going!
(1945)
Director
A Matter of Life and Death
(1946)
Director
Black Narcissus
(1947)
Director
The Red Shoes
(1948)
Director
The Small Back Room
(1949)
Director
Gone to Earth
(1950)
Director
The Elusive Pimpernel
(1950)
Director
The Tales of Hoffmann
(1951)
Director
Oh... Rosalinda!!
(1955)
Director
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
(1955)
Director
The Battle of the River Plate
(1956)
Director
Ill Met by Moonlight
(1957)
Director
Honeymoon
(1959)
Director
Peeping Tom
(1960)
Director
The Queen's Guards
(1961)
Director
Bluebeard's Castle
(1963)
Director
They're a Weird Mob
(1966)
Director
Age of Consent
(1969)
Director
The Boy Who Turned Yellow
(1972)
Director
Return to the Edge of the World
(1978)
Director
Acting
The Magician
(1926)
Man with Balloon at Snake Charming (uncredited)
The Garden of Allah
(1927)
A Tourist
Riviera Revels - Travelaugh No. 1
(1927)
Cicero Baedeker Symp
The Compulsory Husband
(1929)
Man
The Edge of the World
(1937)
Mr. Graham - the Yachtsman (uncredited)
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
(1942)
Despatching Officer
The Volunteer
(1944)
Himself
Honeymoon
(1959)
Guide Describing the Lovers of Teruel (voice) (uncredited)
Peeping Tom
(1960)
Mark's Father - A.N. Lewis (uncredited)
Return to the Edge of the World
(1978)
Self
Picture Business: Michael Powell at Dartmouth
(1980)
A Pretty British Affair
(1981)
Interviewee
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
(1985)
Self
The South Bank Show: Michael Powell
(1986)
Self
Tears
(1986)
Himself
Laughter
(1986)
Himself
Fear
(1986)
Himself
The Scorsese Machine
(1990)
Self
A Very British Psycho
(1997)
Himself
Chaplin Today: 'A Woman of Paris'
(2003)
Self (archive sound)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
(2010)
Self (voice) (archive sound)
Inside Rupert Pupkin
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger
(2024)
Self (archive footage)
Camera
The First Born
(1928)
Still Photographer
Champagne
(1928)
Still Photographer
Blackmail
(1929)
Assistant Camera
Editing
Art
Writing
Blackmail
(1929)
Writer
Caste
(1930)
Writer
77 Park Lane
(1931)
Writer
77, rue Chalgrin
(1931)
Screenplay
Rynox
(1931)
Screenplay
The Rasp
(1932)
Screenplay
Perfect Understanding
(1933)
Screenplay
Red Ensign
(1934)
Writer
The Fire Raisers
(1934)
Story
Oh, Daddy!
(1935)
Scenario Writer
The Edge of the World
(1937)
Writer
Contraband
(1940)
Scenario Writer
An Airman's Letter to His Mother
(1941)
Writer
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
(1942)
Writer
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
(1943)
Writer
A Canterbury Tale
(1944)
Writer
The Volunteer
(1944)
Writer
I Know Where I'm Going!
(1945)
Writer
A Matter of Life and Death
(1946)
Screenplay
Black Narcissus
(1947)
Writer
The Red Shoes
(1948)
Writer
The Small Back Room
(1949)
Writer
Gone to Earth
(1950)
Screenplay
The Elusive Pimpernel
(1950)
Writer
The Tales of Hoffmann
(1951)
Writer
Oh... Rosalinda!!
(1955)
Writer
The Battle of the River Plate
(1956)
Writer
Ill Met by Moonlight
(1957)
Writer
Honeymoon
(1959)
Writer
Production
An Airman's Letter to His Mother
(1941)
Producer
49th Parallel
(1941)
Producer
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
(1942)
Producer
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
(1943)
Producer
The Silver Fleet
(1943)
Producer
A Canterbury Tale
(1944)
Producer
The Volunteer
(1944)
Producer
I Know Where I'm Going!
(1945)
Producer
A Matter of Life and Death
(1946)
Producer
Black Narcissus
(1947)
Producer
The End of the River
(1947)
Producer
The Red Shoes
(1948)
Producer
The Small Back Room
(1949)
Producer
Gone to Earth
(1950)
Producer
The Elusive Pimpernel
(1950)
Producer
The Tales of Hoffmann
(1951)
Producer
Aila – Pohjolan tytär
(1951)
Producer
Oh... Rosalinda!!
(1955)
Producer
The Battle of the River Plate
(1956)
Producer
Ill Met by Moonlight
(1957)
Producer
Peeping Tom
(1960)
Producer
The Queen's Guards
(1961)
Producer
They're a Weird Mob
(1966)
Producer
Sebastian
(1968)
Producer
Age of Consent
(1969)
Producer
Return to the Edge of the World
(1978)
Producer
Crew