The Films of Michael Powell

Distinguished British filmmaker Michael Powell is well-represented in this two-disc set, which pairs a genuine classic from his peak period, 1946's A Matter of Life and Death (also known as Stairway to Heaven), with one of his last directorial efforts, 1969's Age of Consent. Written, produced, and directed by Powell in conjunction with longtime collaborator Emeric Pressburger, A Matter of Life and Death stars debonair David Niven as a British pilot shot down and killed during World War II, who believes his death is a mistake and pleads his case with heavenly jurists to allow him to return to Earth and resume his romance with American WAC Kim Hunter. A dreamy, utterly disarming blend of wartime drama and airy fantasy, A Matter of Life and Death is superb in both the aesthetic and technical senses, and is indisputably one of the best films by the Powell-Pressburger team. Not quite as meritorious but no less interesting is Age of Consent, a solo Powell production featuring James Mason (entering the twilight of his distinguished career) as an aging, dissatisfied artist who moves to Australia and reinvigorates himself with the aid of a vivacious, uninhibited young muse, played by a twentysomething Helen Mirren. Although it falls short of its companion film, Age of Consent does reflect Powell's latter-day willingness to challenge his own assumptions, both thematically and stylistically, while also confronting the gradual diminution of his own artistic inspiration. DVD extras include introductions for both films by Martin Scorsese (one of Powell's biggest fans and a tireless crusader for the preservation of his entire oeuvre), audio commentaries, and featurettes (including a new interview with Mirren). Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)