Review of 49th Parallel (1941) by Russell P — 19 Dec 2009
An extraordinary film, produced under the guise of propaganda (as were so many Powell and Pressburger films of this era), but in fact pure art. Yes, there are stereotypical characters, and yes, there are some cheesy moments.
But in-between, the panoply of Canadian life, so rich and so diverse, gradually grinds away until the very last Nazi gets a punch in the kisser from Raymond Massey -- ironically, the only actual Canadian in the film.
The score by Vaughan Williams is one of the richest of all time, and the whole adds up to much much more than its parts. My vote for a film to be kept on a desert island (presuming the desert island has a DVD player).
This review of 49th Parallel (1941) was written by Russell P on 19 Dec 2009.
49th Parallel has generally received positive reviews.
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