49th Parallel [2 Discs] [Criterion Collection]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's thoughtful exercise in pro-British World War II propaganda makes its American DVD debut in this richly appointed package from the Criterion Collection. 49th Parallel has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and looks quite good; while the source materials look a bit soft in spots, for the most part the visual quality is excellent, and the location work (shot in Canada by Frederick Young) truly stands out. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, and sounds just fine, as good as any film produced in 1941 is likely to sound. The dialogue is in English (with a smattering of French and German for character color), with no multiple language options included, though the disc does feature optional English language subtitles. The feature include an optional commentary track, in which Bruce Eder discusses the style of the film and shares anecdotes about its production, while the original theatrical trailer is also on board. A bonus disc includes more bonus material, including a BBC television documentary on Powell and Pressburger, audio recordings of Powell discussing (#49th Parallel} as he dictated material for his autobiography (the sound quality is less then pristine, but he's clearly understandable), and The Volunteer, an entertaining 43-minute short ($Powell} directed to promote military recruitment during the war which stars Ralph Richardson. A well-designed booklet featuring an essay by Charles Barr and a transcript of Michael Powell's speech at the film's premiere is the icing on the cake. If 49th Parallel isn't at the top of Powell and Pressberger's list of cinematic accomplishments, it certainly merits a viewing (especially for Laurence Olivier's con brio performance as a Quebecois trapper), and this edition treats the material with tender loving care. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 2
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Encoding: NTSC
• Screen: Black and White
• Features:
  • Disc One: The Film -
  • New, restored high-definition digital transfer
  • Audio commentary by film and music historian Bruce Eder
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Disc Two: The Supplements -
  • The Volunteer, a 1943 Powell and Pressburger war-effort short starring Ralph Richardson
  • Excerpts from Michael Powell's audio dictations for his autobiography
  • A Pretty British Affair, a BBC documentary on the careers of Powell and Pressburger, which considers their World War II - era collaborations and features rare footage of the filmmakers together
  • Plus: A new essay by film scholar Charles Barr and an excerpt from Powell's 1941 speech

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Original Story - 1942 (Emeric Pressburger)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 1942
•     Nominated Best Screenplay - 1942 (Emeric Pressburger, Rodney Ackland)

• National Board of Review

•     Won Best Acting - 1942 (Anton Walbrook, Glynis Johns)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Leslie Howard - Philip Armstrong Scott
       Raymond Massey - Andy Brock
       Laurence Olivier - Johnnie
       Anton Walbrook - Peter
       Glynis Johns - Anna

• Director:

  Michael Powell

• Producer:

  Michael Powell, John Sutro

• Dialogue Writer:

  Rodney Ackland

• Screenwriter:

  Rodney Ackland, Emeric Pressburger

• Cinematographer:

  Freddie Young

• Composer (Music Score):

  Ralph Vaughan Williams

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Muir Mathieson

• Editor:

  David Lean

• Art Director:

  Nugent M. Cloucher, David Rawnsley

• Associate Producer:

  George H. Brown, Roland Gillett

REVIEW:

• This 1941 British war film preached pure propaganda and got away with glowing critical reviews. How did it do it? With riveting suspense, superb writing, good cinematography, and some of the finest actors of the day, including Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard, Raymond Massey, Anton Walbrook, and Eric Portman. When director Michael Powell and producer Emeric Pressburger began planning the motion picture as part of the war effort, they decided to make a propaganda film that was more than patriotic pap. Helping to fire their imaginations were the hard realities of the day: Hitler was on the march, Britain was in peril, and the U.S. had not yet entered the war. Pressburger fashioned a story about Nazis who enter Canada after their submarine sinks off the coast, above the 49th Parallel, and try to make it to the neutral U.S. while authorities are hot on their trail. Portman convincingly portrays the detestable Nazi leader while Olivier, Howard, Walbrook and Massey play patriotic Canadians who resist him and the other invaders. (The Invaders, incidentally, was the title of the film in the U.S.) The movie attempted not only to influence U.S. public opinion but also to solidify Canadian support for the war. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide

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