Edge of the World: The Making of a Film

by Michael Powell

This book describes Michael Powell's epic attempt to make his film, Edge of the World, in 1936. Told in the manner of a adventure story, the book gives a vivid impression of the enormous difficulties Powell faced in his attempt to tell the story of how the Outer Isles of Scotland were slowly being depopulated.

Genres: Film

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

The son of Thomas William Powell & Mabel (nee Corbett). Michael Powell was always a self confessed movie addict. He was brought up partly in Canterbury ("The Garden of England") and partly in the South of France (where his parents ran an hotel). Educated at Kings School, Canterbury & Dulwich College he first worked at the National Provincial Bank from 1922 - 1925. In 1925 he joined Rex Ingram making Mare Nostrum (1926). He learnt his craft by working at various jobs in the (then) thriving English studios of Denham & Pinewood, working his way up to producer on a series of "quota quickies" (Short films made to fulfill quota/tariff agreements between Britain & America in between the wars).

Very rarely for the times, Powell had a true "world view" and although in the mould of a classic English Gentleman he was always a citizen of the World. It was therefore very fitting that he should team up with an emigree Hungarian Jew Emeric Pressburger, a foreigner who understood the English better than they did themselves. Between them, under the banner of "The Archers" they shared joint credits for an important series of films through the 1940s & 1950s. Powell went alone to make Peeping Tom (1960) which was so slated by the critics at the time, he couldn't work in England, UK for a very long time. He was "re-discovered" in the late 1960s & after Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese tried to set up joint projects with him. In 1980, he lectured at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. He joined was Senior Director in Residence at Zoetrope studio in 1981. He married Thelma Schoonmaker. He died of cancer back in his beloved England in 1990.
(Steve Crook )

Reviews

[Creolecat]

The Edge of the World (1937)

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really just astonishingly undated in every sense. I'm on a monthly journey since my 40th birthday (I was born in 1980) where I've been spending every month (bar October- which is halloween - and December - which is Christmas - so, a decade a year) on a year going backwards, and (if any of that made any sense) since I'm entering 1937 next month, I'll be watching the movie this book is about. Sometimes I'm not sure whether to save behind the scenes stuff for after the movie but in this case it seemed appropriate, and I'm glad. I think it'll make me appreciate the movie a lot more. In any case, as a book, it's surprisingly funny, just, everything, the tone is unbelievably contemporary. I immediately added his (much later) autobiography, and another more general book about the Powell and Pressburger movies, to next year's reading list…

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched this movie after reading a T Magazine article on the island of Foula in May. I became obsessed with the story of Hirta since I already have another obsession with the 20s and 30s. This book did not disappoint. I especially loved the description of how the logistics came together: express trains to Scotland, express train time tables cancelled, telegrams, telephones, connectivity, flying. They were experiencing an early version of our own age. The descriptions of the island, its fauna, and its inhabitants, not to mention its weather, are not to be beat.

[Tom Newth · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful. wonderful writing, wonderful story. only wish it were longer. one of my very favourites.