The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SUGAR CANDY Retitled to: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP Screenplay written by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger Based on the cartoon character created by David Lowe Pre & Production Draft June 1942 Contains Revisions using square brackets [[ ]] & [ ] Copyright (c) 1994 The Estates of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger All rights reserved THE RESURRECTION OF 'BLIMP' A NOTE ON THE SCRIPT AND FILM Michael Powell believed that 'Emeric's screenplay for Colonel Blimp should be in every film archive, in every film library.'* The question is, however, in what form? The text printed here attempts something that is still rare in the publication of screenplays and scripts. Usually these are transcripts of what finally appeared on screen, based either on the approved release script or simply on a description of the dialogue and action. Occasionally an 'original' script is published, although this is more common in cases where that script has not been filmed and is therefore offered as 'literature'. The inevitable differences between script and finished film are due to many factors, some creative, others practical and circumstantial. A comparison of the original and the result would therefore often be of little interest, without a lengthy commentary on the production itself. In a few cases, however, script and film remain relatively close and the reasons for variation are interesting and comprehensible. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is one such case.