Four people uprooted by the war are drawn towards Canterbury and discover what they couldn't find in peacetime. A suggestive and profound study of Englishness that draws from a number of sources, not least Chaucer. There are strange depths to this pastoral piece though and 'the glueman' prefigures the darker side of Powell's work that was to find voice in Peeping Tom.
I was born in March 1942 at the Dane John Nursing Home in Canterbury, within the City walls. The nursing home was bombed shortly after my birth and my mother (Alexande... more >
I was born in March 1942 at the Dane John Nursing Home in Canterbury, within the City walls. The nursing home was bombed shortly after my birth and my mother (Alexander May Hastings)and I went home to my two sisters and a brother. We lived at the centre of Hawks Lane in heart of the City. (Unfortunately I cannot remember the number).
I seem to remember air raids (I was very young and these may be memories remembered through others' reminiscences)but they seem very real. I do know both ends of Hawks Lane were hit, but by some miracle we remained safe. As yet I have not seen the complete film, but the small snatches I have seen of it feel very familiar. I shall make a point of seeing the film, as I hope all other Canterbury people of a similar age will, and see what nearly devastated our beautiful city. < less
Matthew Jarron on 22nd June 2001
One of the most extraordinary films made in wartime Britain, A Canterbury Tale focuses not on the conflict itself but on the psychology underlying it ? the reasons for... more >
One of the most extraordinary films made in wartime Britain, A Canterbury Tale focuses not on the conflict itself but on the psychology underlying it ? the reasons for fighting it and the future it would bring. Set in a small village on the old pilgrim road to Canterbury, what little plot the film has concerns a local squire pouring glue on girls' hair at night to stop them going out with soldiers. But narrative, as usual, is one of Powell's least concerns, and the film's real motives lie in exploring the beauty of Britain ? its land, its people and its history. At the centre of it all is a belief in sacred places ? centres of faith like Canterbury where miracles really can happen. The contrast between Powell (a native of Kent) and Pressburger (a Hungarian Jew) ensures that the film's portrayal of the local people is both a quirky and insightful one, seen from both inside and out. Beautiful, lyrical and deeply moving, this is a truly magical piece of cinema. < less
