| Eric Portman | ... | Thomas Colpeper, JP | |
| Sheila Sim | ... | Alison Smith | |
| Dennis Price | ... | Peter Gibbs | |
| Sergeant John Sweet | ... | Bob Johnson (as Sergt. John Sweet, U.S. Army) | |
| Esmond Knight | ... | Narrator (non-US versions) / Seven-Sisters Soldier / Village Idiot | |
| Charles Hawtrey | ... | Thomas Duckett | |
| Hay Petrie | ... | Woodcock | |
| George Merritt | ... | Ned Horton | |
| Edward Rigby | ... | Jim Horton | |
| Freda Jackson | ... | Prudence Honeywood | |
| Betty Jardine | ... | Fee Baker | |
| Eliot Makeham | ... | Organist | |
| Harvey Golden | ... | Sergt. Roczinsky | |
| Leonard Smith | ... | Leslie | |
| James Tamsitt | ... | Terry | |
| David Todd | ... | David | |
| Beresford Egan | ... | P.C. Ovenden | |
| Anthony Holles | ... | Sergt. Bassett (as Antony Holles) | |
| Maude Lambert | ... | Miss Grainger | |
| Wallace Bosco | ... | Man A.R.P. Worker (as Wally Bosco) | |
| Charles Paton | ... | Ernie Brooks | |
| Jane Millican | ... | Susanna Foster | |
| John Slater | ... | Sergt. Len | |
| Michael Golden | ... | Sergt. Smale | |
| Graham Moffatt | ... | Sergt. 'Stuffy' | |
| Esma Cannon | ... | Agnes | |
| Mary Line | ... | Leslie's Mother | |
| Winifred Swaffer | ... | Mrs. Horton | |
| Michael Howard | ... | Archie | |
| Judith Furse | ... | Dorothy Bird | |
| Barbara Waring | ... | Polly Finn | |
| Jean Shepeard | ... | Gwladys Swinton | |
| Margaret Scudamore | ... | Mrs. Colpeper | |
| Joss Ambler | ... | Police Inspector | |
| Jessie James | ... | Waitress | |
| Kathleen Lucas | ... | Passer-by | |
| H.F. Maltby | ... | Mr. Portal | |
| Eric Maturin | ... | Geoffrey's Father | |
| Parry Jones Jr. | ... | Arthur (as Parry Jones Jnr.) | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Kim Hunter | ... | Johnson's Girl (US release) | |
| Raymond Massey | ... | Narrator (US version) (voice) | |
| Baby Alder | ... | Baby (uncredited) | |
| David Babcock | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| W. Ballie | ... | Pilgrim: The Friar (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Bird | ... | Pilgrim: The Shipman (uncredited) | |
| Billy Bray | ... | Pilgrim: Sergeant at Law (uncredited) | |
| Derek V. Browne | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Les Brown | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Denis Bugden | ... | Boy in river battle firing canon (uncredited) | |
| Donald Bugden | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Carter | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| John Clark | ... | Boy on wall at blacksmiths (uncredited) | |
| Bill Clover | ... | Bystander at wheelwright's (uncredited) | |
| George Curran | ... | Bandmaster in Army parade entering Cathedral (uncredited) | |
| Miss Dixon | ... | Pilgrim: Second Nun (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Dove | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| Cliff Elvidge | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Roy Fisher | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Dean Fredericks | ... | Bellringer at Church (uncredited) | |
| T. Gilbert | ... | Pilgrim: The Tapister (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Gregory | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| George Hall | ... | Police Superintendent in Mayoral procession entering Cathedral (uncredited) | |
| Mrs. Hendry | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| Jim Holland | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Ben Horton | ... | Bystander at wheelwright's (uncredited) | |
| Eric Horton | ... | Bystander at wheelwright's (in leather jacket) (uncredited) | |
| Neville Horton | ... | Bystander at wheelwright's (working the forge bellows) (uncredited) | |
| A.W. Jennings | ... | Pilgrim: Nun's Priest (uncredited) | |
| G. Keeys | ... | Peasant Girl (uncredited) | |
| Dennis Kennett | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Dick Kerry | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| M. Kirby | ... | Pilgrim: The Dyer (uncredited) | |
| R. Kirby | ... | Pilgrim: The Manciple (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Klaiber | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| Victor Large | ... | Pilgrim: The Ploughman (uncredited) | |
| Charles Lefèvre | ... | Alderman in Mayoral procession entering Cathedral (uncredited) | |
| J. Lomas | ... | Pilgrim: The Monk (uncredited) | |
| Miss Marr | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| Mike Martin | ... | Carpenter in wheelwright's workshop (uncredited) | |
| Jack May | ... | Pilgrim: The Cook (uncredited) | |
| H. Michael | ... | Pilgrim: The Pardoner (uncredited) | |
| George Miller | ... | Pilgrim: The Reeve (uncredited) | |
| G. Moore | ... | Peasant Girl (uncredited) | |
| Link Neal | ... | Pilgrim: The Franklyn (uncredited) | |
| A. Noble | ... | Pilgrim: The Miller (uncredited) | |
| Reg Pattenden | ... | Drum Major in Army parade entering Cathedral (uncredited) | |
| H. Pearce | ... | Pilgrim: The Summoner (uncredited) | |
| Ralph Poole | ... | Pedlar (uncredited) | |
| C. Pucinelli | ... | Pilgrim: Squire's Yeoman (uncredited) | |
| Sid Pullman | ... | Drummer boy and bugler in Army parade entering Cathedral (uncredited) | |
| J. Purchase | ... | Pilgrim: The Weaver (uncredited) | |
| Mila Raymanova | ... | Pilgrim: Wife of Bath (uncredited) | |
| Glyn Rolands | ... | Pilgrim: Doctor of Physic (uncredited) | |
| Vincent Russel | ... | Pointing Policeman at West Gate, Canterbury (uncredited) | |
| James Sadler | ... | Pilgrim: The Squire and 1944 soldier watching spitfire (uncredited) | |
| Roy Samson | ... | Boy in river battle, lookout (uncredited) | |
| G.R. Schjelderup | ... | Pilgrim: Chaucer (uncredited) | |
| C. Semphill | ... | Pilgrim: The Goldsmith (uncredited) | |
| F. Sequin | ... | Pilgrim: The Haberdasher (uncredited) | |
| John Shuggs | ... | Water Carrier (uncredited) | |
| Martin Smith | ... | Pilgrim: Clerk of Oxford (uncredited) | |
| C. Spencer | ... | Pilgrim: The Prioress (uncredited) | |
| Mr. Stone | ... | Peasant (uncredited) | |
| Charlie Tamsitt | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Brian Todd | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Ben Tragett | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Robert Tragett | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| Timothy Tragett | ... | Boy in river battle (uncredited) | |
| H. Walter | ... | Pilgrim: The Merchant (uncredited) | |
| Eric Waters | ... | Water Carrier (uncredited) | |
| Billy Wells | ... | Pilgrim: The Knight (uncredited) | |
| William Wood | ... | Bystander at wheelwright's - Cleetus (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Michael Powell | |||
| Emeric Pressburger | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Michael Powell | (written by) & | |
| Emeric Pressburger | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| Jock Laurence | .... | producer: additional scenes in US version | |
| Michael Powell | .... | producer | |
| Emeric Pressburger | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Allan Gray | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Erwin Hillier | (photographed by) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| John Seabourne Sr. | (as John Seabourne) | ||
Production Design by | |||
| Alfred Junge | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| George Blackler | .... | makeup artist (uncredited) | |
| Ernest Gasser | .... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) | |
| Hilda Sheardown-Course | .... | hair stylist (uncredited) | |
Production Management | |||
| George Maynard | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| George R. Busby | .... | assistant director (as George Busby) | |
| George Aldersley | .... | second assistant director (uncredited) | |
| John Arnold | .... | second assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Parry Jones Jr. | .... | third assistant director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| Harold Batchelor | .... | construction manager (uncredited) | |
| A. Hetherington | .... | stand-by props (uncredited) | |
| Arthur Hetherington | .... | props (uncredited) | |
| Harold Hurdell | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| Miss Johnstone | .... | set dresser (uncredited) | |
| William Kellner | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| William Leather | .... | location constructor (uncredited) | |
| Mike Martin | .... | master carpenter (uncredited) | |
| Frederick Morgan | .... | stagehand (uncredited) | |
| Harry Parr | .... | buyer (uncredited) | |
| Elliot Scott | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| Bill Shaw | .... | stand-by carpenter (uncredited) | |
| E. Thompson | .... | property manager (uncredited) | |
| H. Westbrook | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
| Herbert Westbrook | .... | draughtsman (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Desmond Dew | .... | sound recordist | |
| C.C. Stevens | .... | sound recordist | |
| Alan Whatley | .... | sound recordist: exteriors | |
| L.A.C. Collic | .... | boom operator (uncredited) | |
| Peter Davies | .... | sound camera (US version) (uncredited) | |
| Roy Day | .... | sound maintenance (uncredited) | |
| Sidney Hayers | .... | sound camera operator: exteriors (uncredited) | |
| Sidney Hayers | .... | sound maintenance: interiors (uncredited) | |
| J.H. Kay | .... | sound recordist (uncredited) | |
| Gus Lloyd | .... | assistant boom operator (uncredited) | |
| P. Lloyd | .... | assistant boom operator (uncredited) | |
| Gordon K. McCallum | .... | boom operator: interiors (uncredited) | |
| George Paternoster | .... | boom operator: exteriors (uncredited) | |
| Winston Ryder | .... | sound camera operator: interiors (uncredited) | |
| J. Stirton | .... | sound maintenance: interiors (uncredited) | |
| Alan Thorne | .... | sound assistant (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| W. Percy Day | .... | models (uncredited) | |
| Charles Staffell | .... | back projection (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Eric Besche | .... | assistant camera (uncredited) | |
| Jim Body | .... | clapper loader (uncredited) | |
| Derek V. Browne | .... | camera loader (uncredited) | |
| Cecil R. Cooney | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Fred Daniels | .... | still photographer: portraits (uncredited) | |
| J. Demaine | .... | clapper loader (uncredited) | |
| Desmond Dickinson | .... | second camera operator (uncredited) | |
| Ian Gibson-Smith | .... | still photographer (uncredited) | |
| William Leach | .... | grip (uncredited) | |
| E. Pockney | .... | electrician (uncredited) | |
| S. Shrimpton | .... | clapper loader (uncredited) | |
| George Stretton | .... | second camera operator (uncredited) | |
| A.G. Stunt | .... | electrician (uncredited) | |
Casting Department | |||
| A. Raymond | .... | casting: small parts and crowd (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Arthur Breton | .... | wardrobe: men (uncredited) | |
| Dorothy Edwards | .... | wardrobe: women (uncredited) | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Roger Cherrill | .... | assistant editor (uncredited) | |
| Jim Pople | .... | second assistant editor (uncredited) | |
| David Powell | .... | assistant editor (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Walter Goehr | .... | conductor | |
Transportation Department | |||
| William Leather | .... | driver: camera car (uncredited) | |
| Bert Woodcock | .... | driver (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| Herbert Norris | .... | period advisor | |
| Jean Able | .... | continuity assistant (uncredited) | |
| Paddy Arnold | .... | continuity (uncredited) | |
| Sheila Bell | .... | understudy: Sheila Sim (uncredited) | |
| Betty Curtis | .... | production company secretary (uncredited) | |
| Walter R. Day | .... | maintenance (uncredited) | |
| Alex Devore | .... | cashier (uncredited) | |
| Parry Jones | .... | production runner (uncredited) | |
| Captain C.W.R. Knight | .... | falconer (uncredited) | |
| Vivienne Knight | .... | publicist (uncredited) | |
| David Laing | .... | understudy: Eric Portman (uncredited) | |
| Joan Page | .... | production company secretary (uncredited) | |
| Bill Paton | .... | assistant: Mr Powell (uncredited) | |
| Harold Plaister | .... | publicist (uncredited) | |
| Pat Smith | .... | production secretary (uncredited) | |
| Anthony Swaine | .... | liaison: Canterbury Cathedral (uncredited) | |
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| The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | Giant | Die Blechtrommel | Suspicion | The Land Girls |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Drama section | IMDb UK section | Add this title to MyMovies |
The major disadvantage when recommending this film to someone is that it's practically impossible to describe! It's easy enough to say what it *isn't*: it's not a detective story and it's certainly not a thriller, despite the fact that it nominally revolves around an unsolved crime. It's not a war-story, despite the fact that it is set immediately before D-Day and the main characters are intimately involved in the war effort. It's not a romance, despite the fact that two of the characters have an unhappy love-story. And it's not the Chaucerian epic one might be led to expect by the title and the opening scene - although by the end, the pilgrimage allusions turn out to be rather more strangely apt then they at first appear.
The only word I can find to give a flavour of this story is that it is above all English - as English as Ealing comedy (without the comedy), as Miss Marple (without the murder), as Elizabeth Goudge (without the magic)... and yet again I find myself defining it by what it *isn't*! It's English in a way that is quietly, deeply antithetical to the frenetic posturing of 'Cool Britannia'. It is as English as the haze over the long grass beneath the trees of a summer meadow; as polished brass and a whiff of steam as the express pulls up at a country halt; as church bells drifting in snatches on a lazy breeze, and the taste of blackberries in the sun.
It's almost impossible now to comprehend that the 1940s countryside in which this film is set was *really there*; that it was not the Second World War but its crippling aftermath that industrialised farms, banished the horse-drawn vehicles from the wheelwright's, and exchanged towering hay-wains for silage towers. Britain was determined never to starve again - and so the world that had once differed so little from that of Chaucer's time was swept away beyond recall. When it was made, this film was no more a rustic period piece than 'Passport to Pimlico', a few years later, was an urban social documentary. Subsequent events have preserved both in mute evidence of contemporary communities that are almost unbelievable today.
It is perhaps fair, therefore, to assume that the type of viewer who will watch 'Battlefield Earth' is unlikely to find this film anything other than silly, parochial and ultimately dull! Very little actually happens. The story is on occasion both humorous and poignant, but what we at first assume to be the central plot turns out not to be the point at all. The triple denouement is set up so gently and skilfully that we, too, are taken by miraculous surprise, with the true shape of the film only evident in retrospect.
It is, ultimately, a story about faith, and miracles, and pilgrimages, even in the then-modern world of shopgirls, lumbermen and cinema organists - and if that idea in itself sounds enough to put you off, as I confess it would have done for me before I watched it myself, then I will gladly add that it is a film about beauty, and hope, and unexpected friendship and laughter; and technically very accomplished to boot. The use of black and white is glorious, ranging from the glimmer in the obscurest of shadows to sun-drenched hillside, and the totally unselfconscious reference to Chaucer in the opening sequence is in these days worth the price of admission alone.
If you like gentle films - sweet-natured films - films with a deep affection for their subject - films that make you laugh and cry, but always smile - then I urge you not on any account to miss this one. If, for the moment, you require thrills, spills, forbidden passions and last-minute rescues, then pass it by and let it go on its tranquil way. When you are old and grey and full of sleep, this unassuming classic will still be there, waiting...