Classic British Cinema - Powell and Pressburger Quiz

Answer: Emeric

The name Emeric has its origins in the German language and means leader or ruler. Imre József Pressburger was educated at both Prague and Stuttgart universities before beginning work as a journalist and author. He escaped persecution because of his Jewish heritage and settled in London in 1935.

It was in 1939 that Pressburger was introduced to British director Michael Powell with whom he would go on to produce some of the finest films of the period and, to many minds, some of the finest films ever made.

Answer: Hungary

Pressburger was born at Miskolc in what was then Austria-Hungary in December 1902. Today, the city of Miskolc now lies in the north eastern corner of Hungary proper and is that country's third largest city after Budapest and Debrecen.

Answer: The Archers

Powell and Pressburger founded The Archers production company during 1943, an enterprise that finally came to an end during 1957. It has been said that Pressburger was merely Michael Powell's scriptwriter but this would be to pay him a great disservice.

Many of the films produced through their partnership were from original stories by Emeric Pressburger and, although Michael Powell did much of the directing of these films, Pressburger was responsible for the vast majority of the production and editing.

As an experienced and talented musician, Pressburger also took the lead in the selection and use of their film music.

Answer: Ballet

Taking its name from the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, 'The Red Shoes' tells the tragic story of the relationships between the young and gifted ballerina Vicky Page, played by Moira Shearer, her composer lover Julian Craster and the Svengali-like leader of her dance troupe, Boris Lermontov, played by Marius Goring and Anton Walbrook respectively.

After developing feelings for Vicky Page, despite the fact that she and Julian Craster are married and in love, Lermontov's jealousy gets the better of him.

He belittles Craster's latest work, the ballet based on Andersen's fairy tale, and eventually refuses to stage any further productions in which Craster's work is featured. Lermontov's spiteful plotting eventually leads to the tragic death of his prima ballerina. During the making of this film, Michael Powell did not endear himself to either of his leading ballerinas; both Moira Shearer and Ludmilla Tchérina found working with him a 'terrible ordeal'.

Answer: Jacques Offenbach

Incredibly popular during the latter decades of the 19th century, German born Frenchman Jacques Offenbach was lauded for his music and his operettas. Unfortunately, Offenbach passed away just four months before 'Les contes d'Hoffmann' was due to be premiered in February 1881.

The opera tells the story of Hoffmann, a poet, and his adventures in pursuit of his three loves. These are later revealed to be different facets of Stella, a singer of Hoffmann's acquaintance. The film interpretation of the tale by Powell and Pressburger has also been lauded by modern day directors such as Martin Scorsese and Cecil B. DeMille. Perhaps the most famous piece from the opera is the barcarolle, 'Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour' which British players will recognise as the music used to advertise Bailey's Irish Cream, a mixture of whiskey and cream, during the 1980s.

Answer: Canterbury

It was fitting that this great film should be set in Canterbury as this was the city in which Michael Powell was born, during September 1905, and where he spent much of his youth. 'A Canterbury Tale', inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's great work, is set in the south east of England during the war years and examines the relationships between the local British population and the US soldiers stationed there and the changes through which British society was going through at that time. Somewhat strangely, the crime in question involves the throwing of glue into the hair of the local girls, the justification for this being to distract the local girls from the US servicemen in England at the time whilst their own husbands and boyfriends were away fighting in other theatres of war. Also of interest in this film production is the fact that the US Army sergeant was played by an actual serving member of the US armed forces. Sergeant John Sweet was selected to play the role of Sergeant Bob Johnson by Powell and Pressburger personally.

Much of the film was shot in Canterbury itself and the devastation from the aftermath of what became known as the Baedeker Raids can still be seen.

Answer: Erik and Spangle

Michael Powell's pets, Erik and Spangle, were a couple of golden cocker spaniels. The pair featured in a small number of Powell and Pressburger's films which include 'Contraband' and 'A Matter of Life and Death' produced and released in 1940 and 1946 respectively. Michael Powell took the name Spangle from a joke remark made in a Jean Harlow film. Alas, poor Erik; it was never revealed from where his name was taken.

Answer: Black Narcissus

It was the opinion of Michael Powell himself that 'Black Narcissus' was the most erotic film that he had ever made. 'Black Narcissus' is a beautiful film having, for its day, some excellent and award winning special and cinematographic effects. It tells an intense and emotional story of a group of nuns in an isolated convent school high in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The film, which starred Deborah Kerr and Flora Robson in major roles, came as something of a shock to the cinema going public of the time; they were not used to seeing such vibrant colour on screen.

In the version of the film that was released in the United States, some were also concerned over the portrayal of scenes in flashback of Sister Clodagh's life back in Ireland before she became a nun, so much so, that they were edited out.

Answer: The Battle of the River Plate

This film was released in the United States under the title 'The Pursuit of the Graf Spee' and follows the events that took place near the Uruguayan capital Montevideo between the 13th and 17th of December 1939 . The vessel used to represent the Graf Spee was a US Navy cruiser, the USS Salem.

There appear to be a number of continuity errors in the film but these were beyond the control of Powell and Pressburger. The US Navy would not permit the display of any Nazi insignia aboard their vessels and so, in those scenes where the German naval ensign was raised, these were filmed on board Royal Navy vessels. Disappointingly, 'The Battle of the River Plate' was the penultimate film production by The Archers.

After the release of 'Ill Met by Moonlight' in 1957, Powell and Pressburger dissolved their partnership.

Answer: False

Nothing could be further from the truth. After their working relationship came to an amicable end, Powell and Pressburger remained devoted friends until the death of Pressburger in 1988. Michael Powell passed away in 1990.