A Life in Movies

Michael Powell's prolific life as a filmmaker stretched over half a century, almost from the very beginnings of popular cinema. In this, the first volume of his autobiography, Powell captures the startling momentum of his early career, which began while he was still in his teens when a serendipitous meeting with the great silent filmmaker Rex Ingram garnered him a job at Victorine Studios. From there he went on to apprentice with Alfred Hitchcock and then to Alexander Korda's studio, where he would meet Emeric Pressburger, his principal collaborator for many years. With wit and candor Powell recalls their astounding work together on such classics as Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes -- all of this narrated in his inimitable prose.

But A Life in Movies is more than just one man's story. Full of politics, intrigue, glamour, and grit, it's a fast-paced, atmospheric ride that sheds new light on the early days of the film business.