May 21st     
A Canterbury Tale*   
(GB 1944)     
Eagle-Lion/The Archers. 124m. bw

In World War II various travellers towards Canterbury are kept in check by the mysterious mayor of a nearby village, who wants to remind them of the area's historical legacy.
Awkward mixture of documentary propaganda and the Archers emulating Chaucer, rather long but rewarding with its eventual finale. 

Written, Produced and Directed by: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger.
Starring: Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, John Sweet, Dennis Price, Esmond Knight (also narrator), Charles Hawtrey, George Merritt, Edward Rigby, Hay Petrie, Graham Moffatt, Eliot Makeham.
Photography: Erwin Hillier.
Music:  Allan Gray.
Art Direction: Alfred Junge (reconstructing Canterbury Cathedral which was unavailable due to bombing).

+ a 1949 US release version included narration by Raymond Massey plus Kim Hunter as John Sweet's girlfriend

May 15th  
The Fall Guy* (12A)  

(Curzon Colchester)

(US/Australia 2024)
Universal/87 North/360 Entertainment. 126m. Panavision

A stunt man is reluctantly persuaded to come back into the business for the sake of his camera operator ex-girlfriend who is directing her first film.
Lightweight action romantic comedy with a view self-knowing jokes about the film business, only really engaging when the two stars are on screen (sometimes a split screen) together.

Written by: Drew Pearce, based on the TV series by Glen A. Larson.
Producers: Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, Ryan Gosling, Guymon Casady.
Director: David Leitch.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Winston Duke, Stephanie Hsu, Teresa Palmer, Jason Momoa.
Photography: Jonathan Sela.
Music: Dominic Lewis.

+ the film's closing credits include outtakes featuring, naturally, the actual stunt coordinators