Riviera Revels Travelaugh No 12: That Son of a Sheik. 1927. France/USA. Directed by Harry Lachman. With Michael Powell. 4K DCP courtesy BFI National Archive. US premiere. Silent. 8 min.
After serving an apprenticeship with the American director Rex Ingram at his studio in Nice, a very young Michael Powell stepped out on his own with a series of silent shorts, shot in and around the Cote d’Azur. Directed by Harry Lachman (who himself would become a feature director of some standing), the “Travelaughs” featured a group of English tourists on a tour of the region’s natural wonders, punctuated by comic bits from the most eccentric member of the group, a befuddled birdwatcher named Cicero Simp (played with aplomb by Powell himself). The Red Shoes these are not, but they each illustrate Powell’s fascination with the cinema and his nearly fantastic dedication to it—as demonstrated by the mad stunts he undertakes without the evident aid of a double. The BFI has restored seven films from the series, which will be shown with Powell’s early “quota quickie” features.
Something Always Happens. 1934. Great Britain. Directed by Michael Powell. Screenplay by Brock Williams. With Ian Hunter, Nancy O’Neil, John Singer. 4K DCP courtesy BFI National Archive. US Premiere. 66 min.
“After three films at Gaumont-British, Powell returned to quota productions with this sprightly comedy about a freeloading charmer who romances the daughter of a wealthy petrol station owner, before conflict ensues when he takes a job with a rival. No surprise if that sounds like a Hollywood screwball: the story was lifted from the script library of Warner Bros’ American offices” (BFI).