A land girl (Sheila Sim), a US G.I. (Sergt. John Sweet, U.S. Army), and a British soldier (Eric Portman) unravel the mystery of The Chillingbourne Glue Man, before embarking on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, in Powell and Pressburger’s ethereally moving film, which gently progresses from light-hearted romp to something more mystical as its deceptively affecting plot unfolds. Erwin Hillier’s masterful photography captures the blackout like no other, beautifully complementing Powell’s vibrant direction and illuminating Pressburger’s enigmatic screenplay, which is given glorious life by a decidedly fine cast, with Sim, who captures our hearts as a feistily modern land girl, deserving of particular praise.
