A Century in Cinema - 1947 BLACK NARCISSUS

1947 BLACK NARCISSUS

Explicit content warning

03/30/21 • 44 min

A Century in Cinema

Following WW2, British audiences came to terms with losing their colonial influence and that sentiment is reflected in Black Narcissus, from directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. We dive into the complexity of this film's themes, how it utilizes technicolor, and the unfortunate use of black face that still drags it down. We also take a look at why the National Legion of Decency believed Black Narcissus was an affront to religion.

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1946 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (feat. Dan Patterson)

With the veterans of WW2 adjusting to a post-war society, The Best Years of Our Lives captures the mood of America through intimate characters in an epic story, becoming the highest grossing film of the 1940s. In this episode, Arthur and Andrew are joined by Dan Patterson to discuss the career of William Wyler, why this film seems to have slipped from the public's consciousness, and how it compares to Rome, Open City.

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1948 THE RED SHOES

Continuing our discussion of British filmmakers Powell and Pressburger, we take a look at a film that Andrew adores and Arthur does not: The Red Shoes. We discuss its presentation of ballet on film and the art direction as it compares to Black Narcissus.