Films / October 16

The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943) / A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) / Jassy (1947) / Blanche Fury (1948) / Twelve O'Clock High (1949) / The Trap (1966) / Cast A Dark Shadow (1955)

The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943) A veteran accountant at Rank Org bitterly told me that no Archers movie made a profit and wasted so much money. We should be thankful the creatives allowed Powell & Pressburger to make such a string of classics, including this thrilling, comic and moving epic.

A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) An elegy to love and loss, a political reflection of the bonds between allies, a sumptuous creation of pure cinema. Beautifully designed and shot, Powell & Pressburger's sublime fantasy remains vital and affecting, both technically and emotionally.

Jassy (1947) Technicolor glories are surprisingly muted in Gainsborough's final costume drama, which lacks the frenzied, dark flights of fantasy and passion that liberated wartime British cinema. Overstuffed with plot, some individual performances and overall design are scant compensation.

Blanche Fury (1948) Driven by Valerie Hobson's eponymous heroine, who evolves from steely and calculating to passionate and caring, a superbly, evocatively photographed and designed melodrama. It builds a heady, noirish atmosphere as murder is planned before resolving with brute tragedy.

Twelve O'Clock High (1949) Strong production values and performances provide the bedrock of a surprisingly interior drama that peels away stoicism to reveal the severe stress of bomber pilots in WW2. Particularly impressive is the portrayal of Gregory Peck's psychological snap.

The Trap (1966) Spectacular landscapes, and Robert Krasker's powerful visuals, combine with Ron Goodwin's head-on score to muscular effect. Oliver Reed's French-Canadian trapper and Rita Tushingham's mute wilderness survivor combine well and the wolf attack is savagely thrilling.

Cast A Dark Shadow (1955) Curiously cold and bleak study of Dirk Bogarde's amoral killer, moodily realised by Lewis Gilbert without truly building an effective, propulsive narrative. Some smart dialogue, noir visuals and solid performances maintain interest amid the class conscious cynicism.