Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
A Canterbury Tale
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s beloved classic A Canterbury Tale is a profoundly personal journey to Powell’s bucolic birthplace of Kent, England. Set amid the tumult of the Second World War, yet with a rhythm as delicate as a lullaby, the film follows three modern-day incarnations of Chaucer’s pilgrims—a melancholy “landgirl,” a plainspoken American GI, and a resourceful British sergeant—who are waylaid in the English countryside en route to the mythical town and forced to solve a bizarre village crime. Building to a majestic climax that ranks as one of the filmmaking duo’s finest achievements, the dazzling A Canterbury Tale has acquired a following of devotees passionate enough to qualify as pilgrims themselves.
Special Features
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie
- Excerpts from the American Version, with Kim Hunter
- Interview with actress Sheila Sim
- A Pilgrim’s Return, a documentary about John Sweet, by Nick Burton and Eddie McMillan
- A Canterbury Trail, a new documentary visiting the film locations, by David Thompson
- Listen to Britain, 2001 video installation piece inspired by A Canterbury Tale, by artist Victor Burgin
- Listen to Britain, a 1942 documentary by Humphrey Jennings
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: essays by Graham Fuller, Peter von Bagh, and actor John Sweet
New cover by Cameron Thorp
Special Features
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie
- Excerpts from the American Version, with Kim Hunter
- Interview with actress Sheila Sim
- A Pilgrim’s Return, a documentary about John Sweet, by Nick Burton and Eddie McMillan
- A Canterbury Trail, a new documentary visiting the film locations, by David Thompson
- Listen to Britain, 2001 video installation piece inspired by A Canterbury Tale, by artist Victor Burgin
- Listen to Britain, a 1942 documentary by Humphrey Jennings
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: essays by Graham Fuller, Peter von Bagh, and actor John Sweet
New cover by Cameron Thorp
Cast
- Eric Portman
- Thomas Colpeper
- Sheila Sim
- Alison Smith
- Dennis Price
- Sgt. Peter Gibb
- Sgt. John Sweet
- Sgt. Bob Johnson
- Esmond Knight
- Seven Sisters Soldier/Narrator/Village Idiot
Credits
- Director
- Michael Powell
- Director
- Emeric Pressburger
- Written, produced, and directed by
- Michael Powell
- Written, produced, and directed by
- Emeric Pressburger
- Cinematography
- Erwin Hillier
- Sound
- John Seabourne Sr.
- Music
- Allan Gray
- Conducted by
- Walter Goehr
- Production design
- Alfred Junge
