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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

Play trailer Poster for The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 1943 2h 43m Drama War Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
General Candy (Roger Livesey), who's overseeing an English squad in 1943, is a veteran leader who doesn't have the respect of the men he's training and is considered out-of-touch with what's needed to win the war. But it wasn't always this way. Flashing back to his early career in the Boer War and World War I, we see a dashing young officer whose life has been shaped by three different women (all played by Deborah Kerr), and by a lasting friendship with a German soldier.
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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

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Critics Consensus

A moving evocation of both British values and the passage of time, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is an epic portrait of a singular character by Powell and Pressburger.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian May 17, 2012
5/5
This glorious film is about the greatest mystery of all: how old people were once young, and how young people are in the process of becoming old. Go to Full Review Wally Hammond Little White Lies May 17, 2012
5/5
Staggering and heartbreaking. Still. Go to Full Review Alan Morrison Empire Magazine May 14, 2012
5/5
A wonderful salute to British decency and a touching portrait of a friendship that bridges national boundaries. Go to Full Review Lisa Laman Culturess Feb 28, 2025
Substance and style work in perfect harmony in this Powell & Pressburger masterpiece. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Oct 21, 2024
... one of the most beloved British films of all time. Go to Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm Jul 15, 2024
3/4
... occasionally demonstrates the charm, flair, and flourish of other Archers' pictures... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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bruce F @bruce999 Aug 14, 2026 the movie seems to go nowhere, for me. interesting characters though, and the movie makes you think. See more Lars N @movie_douche Oct 16, 2025 It has a grand story to tell about the passage of time and youth. An old epic but told on a small scale. I liked it but it didn't blow me away See more Jim P @RT08384096 Jul 12, 2024 This is an outstanding movie about… the energy of youth and the wisdom of age. Brilliant! See more W. W. W @Witt2k9 Jun 30, 2024 What a strange NAME which has nothing to do with the movie. See more Gertrude F @RT21740944 Jun 13, 2024 A wondrous triumph of a film that surpassed my expectations completely. The film manages to touch on so much of the endless list of thoughts, emotions, and experiences that plague a life, in a remarkably natural way. One of my new favourites. See more Alec B @Alec97 Jan 9, 2024 A deeply complex epic that avoids the often cheep romanticizing you get from similar films made during WWII. Certain sequences (i.e. the duel) are way ahead of anything else being made at this time. See more Read all reviews
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

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Cast & Crew

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Michael Powell

Director

Emeric Pressburger

Director

Roger Livesey

Clive Candy

Deborah Kerr

Edith Hunter

Anton Walbrook

Theo Kretschmar-Schuldorff

John Laurie

Murdoch

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The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis General Candy (Roger Livesey), who's overseeing an English squad in 1943, is a veteran leader who doesn't have the respect of the men he's training and is considered out-of-touch with what's needed to win the war. But it wasn't always this way. Flashing back to his early career in the Boer War and World War I, we see a dashing young officer whose life has been shaped by three different women (all played by Deborah Kerr), and by a lasting friendship with a German soldier.
Director
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Producer
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Screenwriter
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Production Co
The Archers, Independent Producers
Genre
Drama, War, Romance
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 10, 1943, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 4, 1945
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 8, 2017
Runtime
2h 43m
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