Emeric Pressburger: Life and Death of a Screenwriter: The Life and Death of a Screenwriter
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A Hungarian Jew who lived and worked in half a dozen European countries before arriving in Britain in 1935, Pressburger’s reputation rests on the series of strikingly original films he made in collaboration with Michael Powell under the banner of The Archers. The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp all bear the unique credit ‘Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’.
Frequently controversial, always experimental, The Archers suffered a long period of neglect before being rediscovered by such prominent admirers as Martin Scorsese, Derek Jarman and Francis Ford Coppola.
Written by his grandson, and containing extracts from private diaries and correspondence, this biography defends the notion of film as a collaborative art and illuminates the adventurous life and work of the film-maker who brought continental grace, with and style to British cinema.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Faber & Faber, Main edition (19 Aug. 1996) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 496 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0571178294 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0571178292 |
| Dimensions | 13.97 x 3.18 x 22.23 cm |
by lexo1941
The thing about the Powell & Pressburger movies is that they were true collaborations, a rare thing in movies. Michael Powell did almost all the direction and had a hand in the writing; Emeric Pressburger did almost all the writing and had a hand in the direction, and they both functioned as producers. Kevin Macdonald’s biography of his grandfather is a miracle of graceful writing, objectivity, clarity and balance, especially when you consider that grandchildren don’t usually write about their own grandparents with anything like these qualities. Pressburger’s strengths as a writer (and weaknesses as a director – he didn’t get to direct much by himself) are clearly brought out.
Pressburger’s craftsmanship, intelligence, very un-English sense of romance and his shrewd outsider’s perspective English (and Scottish) life gave him an edge that many native English scriptwriters lacked, and it’s surely one of the main reasons why Powell & Pressburger’s films endure today while those of their contemporaries remain mostly unwatched and unloved. Powell’s wizardry with the camera had much to do with it, but so did Pressburger’s genius with script. It’s notable that after the partnership ended, Powell made only one unequivocally brilliant film, “Peeping Tom”, and it was so disturbing to its original audience that it held him back for years – and Pressburger’s career more or less ground to a halt. They needed each other. Luckily for them both, there were a good few years when they each realised it, and the result is a crop of magnificent movies that will be watched as long as the medium survives.
by Isi ’85
Kevin MacDonald’s biography of Emeric Pressburger (Imre) is thoughtful and affectionate. MacDonald was the grandson of Imre, and regards his attempt to chronicle his life as benefiting from this relationship. This is true, as Imre was known to be reclusive and private. However MacDonald doesn’t muckrake or over indulge in sentimentality. Instead he treats sections of the book like a journey of discovery, some sections are written in interview format. MacDonald travelled to Hungary and Romania to visit locations and meet people who knew Imre.
MacDonald’s book manages to stand up to Michael Powell’s two-volume autobiography ‘A Life in Movies’ and ‘Million Dollar Movie’ – no mean feet, since both are enjoyable, expansive and detailed texts. Yet Powell’s own description of events is self-serving. He sometimes tells the past as how he would have wanted it to be, and not how it as. In particular the break up of the Archers through the filming of `Ill Met By Moonlight’ (1957) tells a very different tale to Powell’s. MacDonald references Powell’s books frequently, but offers further insights and challenges certain details. This makes for a rich text, a text that is a combination of interviews, memories and even writings of Imre himself.
Imre’s life is a fascinating story, which details much more than 1939-57. Similar to Powell’s accounts of starting in the movie industry in the period 1925-38, this same time period delights with amazing tales of being down and out in Berlin, Paris and London. ‘The Life and Death of a Screenwriter’ is also a book that deals with race, national identity and relationships – all of which Imre explored in his films.
Pressburger is so often neglected, and overshadowed by Powell – this is partly from choice (his reclusive-ness) and from Powell’s egotistical yet enigmatic persona. It is a book that is well worth a read. Imre’s journey to Britain is so like so many other immigrants that fled the Nazis then rejuvenated the British Film Industry. This is a wonderful biography try it!