Prior to the production of the 1943 film The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, a cartoon strip in the U.K. newspaper, The Daily Express had sparked controversy through the depiction of the main character of Colonel Blimp. The film, made by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger continued the controversy, by showing the main character of Clive Candy as old fashioned, and set in his ways. Showing senior members of the British military as bumbling buffoons, and a perceived sympathetic view of German characters led to British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill attempting to stop production of the film.
Before production of The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp could begin, writing and directing team Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were forced under wartime rules to submit a script to the British Ministry of Information. Only films following the propaganda rules of the British government were awarded government assistance during World War II. The script of Colonel Blimp was seen as a problem for the Ministry of Information who denied the production any military equipment or personnel assistance. Laurence Olivier was not permitted leave from his military position to take the lead role of Clive Candy and Roger Livesey went on to play the part.
Powell and Pressburger previously created the popular British propaganda film One of Our Aircraft is Missing, released in 1942. British government propaganda rules required artists to show the British military and her World War II allies as the best, most heroic military force in the world. Officials at the Ministry of Information worried the characters of Colonel Blimp showed too many flaws in the military, and cast British military leaders as out of touch with the requirements of warfare in the 20th century.
Colonel Clive Candy is shown from his early days in the British Army when he is highly decorated for his role in the Boer War of the late 19th century, through to his old age during the Second World War. During the film, Candy moves from being opposed to the ruling officers of the British army to becoming the kind of officer he fights against during his younger days. A young Army officer uses tactics not seen by Candy as having any part in the rules of warfare during the films opening, the argument of the movie being that Britain's enemies will use any tactics they can to win.
The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp was accused at the time of release in 1943 in the U.K. of being sympathetic to its main German characters. The character if Theo, played by Anton Walbrook, acts throughout as the moral center of the film despite being a refugee in the World War II scenes of the movie. Propaganda rules required all German characters in British movies to be shown as untrustworthy gangsters, Theo goes against this rule by advising Candy on how he can adapt to take part in World War II. The character of Theo is also shown as being respected and liked by government officials in the U.K.
Upon its release in the U.K., critics and audiences largely ignored the film, in some instances because its depiction of life in London's blitz was seen as too lifelike. The British government, under the influence of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, refused the film an export license until after the end of World War II. An export ban meant a U.S. premiere could not be held until 1946, by which time audiences were tired of war movies and wished to see escapist stories.
Restoration of Colonel Blimp was first completed in the latter half of the 20th century leading to a critical revision of the movie. The technicolor film is now seen as a masterpiece of the British cinema, with the original version lasting 163 minutes now restored.
Paul Cartmell - Paul Cartmell is a freelance journalist with experience in film production, film criticism, and news writing.
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