Available from the Criterion Collection

Overview: During the Second World War, three travelers meet at an inn just outside of Canterbury, England, following an attack by a mysterious anti-social, “the Glue Man,” whose modus operandi is to dump glue- or some other sticky substance- on local girls in the company of soldiers passing through the town. Alison Smith, the most recent victim of the Glue Man, sets herself to discover his true identity, with the help of American G.I. Bob Johnson and English Sergeant Peter Gibbs.

While on the hunt for the Glue Man, each character in this tale finds himself or herself in search of a blessing or miracle on the road to Canterbury; Bob pines away, waiting to hear word from his girl back in the States, Alison connects herself to Canterbury from long ago after receiving news that her own fiancé was killed in a far-off skirmish and Peter tries to find a greater calling than a lowly theatre organist once his military discharge comes through.    

Features: Disc one: New, restored high-definition digital transfer, audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie, excerpts from the American version, with Kim Hunter and optional English subtitles for the hard of hearing.

Disc two: New video interview with actress Sheila Sim, A Pilgrim’s Return, a documentary visiting the film locations by David Thompson, Listen to Britain, a 2001 video-installation piece inspired by A Canturbury Tale by artist Victor Burgin and Listen to Britain, a 1942 documentary by Humphrey Jennings.

Additional materials: A booklet featuring essays by Graham Fuller, Peter von Bagh and actor John Sweet.

Final Word: Films like A Canterbury Tale don’t seem to be produced quite as often these days. Characters are more than often one-dimensional, stories flaccid, plots weak, so on and so forth. The camerawork behind this movie was as artistic as it was intriguing. In one scene toward the end, Town Squire Thomas Colpeper suggests that divine work might lay in Gibbs’ future because of his pilgrimage to Canterbury, to which he replies, “I’ll believe that when I see a halo around my head.” Unknown to him, but obvious to the viewer, Gibbs’ face darkens on camera while the sky around him suddenly explodes with light, creating the very halo he never saw coming. This classic tale is worth seeing by anyone infatuated with older movies.

DVD: 5 of 5

Film: 5 of 5

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