The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

Synopsis

The passions and pitfalls of a lifetime in the military are dramatized in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s magnificent epic, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. The film follows the exploits of pristine British soldier Clive Candy (Roger Livesey) as he battles to maintain his honor and proud gentlemanly conduct through romance, three wars, and a changing world. Vibrant and controversial, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is at once a romantic portrait of a career soldier and a pointed investigation into the nature of aging, friendship, and obsolescence.

Cast

Clive Candy	Roger Livesey
Theo Kretschmar-Schuldorff	Anton Walbrook
Edith Hunter, Barbara Wynne, “Johnny” Cannon	Deborah Kerr
Spud Wilson	James McKechnie
Colonel Betteridge	Roland Culver
Major Davies	Harry Welchman
Embassy Counsellor	Arthur Wontner
von Ritter	Albert Lieven
Murdoch	John Laurie

Credits

Director	Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Written, produced, and directed by	Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Cinematography	Georges Perinal
Editing	John Seabourne Sr.
Music	Allan Gray
Conductor	Charles Williams
Sound	C.C. Stevens and Desmond Dew
Costumes designed by	Joseph Bata
Costumes executed by	Matilda Etches
Military advisor	Lieut.-General Sir Douglas Brownrigg
Chief control of color department	Natalie Kalmus
Cameramen	Geoffrey Unsworth, Jack Cardiff and Harold Hayson

Disc Features

New high-definition digital transfer of the British Film Institute’s restoration of the original full-length version of the film
Audio commentary featuring director Michael Powell with Martin Scorsese
Carlton International’s 24-minute video profile, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
A collection of rare behind-the-scenes and production stills
A collection of David Low’s original Colonel Blimp cartoons
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired
Optimal image quality; RSDL dual-layer edition

From the Current

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

by Ronald Haver Oct 21, 2002

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is one of the great works of art in the history of film, and yet, except for some recent television screenings, this British production is largely unknown in the United States. This is primarily due to the obscurity . . .