By 1939 Michael Powell had been hired as a contract director by Korda on the strength of "The Edge of the World" (1937). Korda set him to work on some projects such as "Burmese Silver" that were subsequently cancelled. Nonetheless, Powell was brought in to save a film that was being made as a vehicle for two of Korda's star players, Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson. The film was "The Spy in Black" (1939), where Powell first met Emeric Pressburger. Korda also produced the comedy "Over the Moon" (1939) and the drama "21 Days" (1939).