Outward Bound (1930)

Later remade as "Between Two Worlds."

Director:

Robert Milton

Writers:

Sutton Vane (by), J. Grubb Alexander (screen play)

Stars:

Leslie Howard, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Beryl Mercer

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Leslie Howard	...	Tom Prior
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Henry
Beryl Mercer	...	Mrs. Midget
Dudley Digges	...	Thompson - the Examiner (as Dudley Diggs)
Helen Chandler	...	Ann
Alec B. Francis	...	Scrubby
Montagu Love	...	Mr. Lingley
Lyonel Watts	...	Rev. William Duke
Alison Skipworth	...	Mrs. Cliveden-Banks (as Allison Skipworth)

Storyline

Henry and Ann are a young loving couple who have made a secret pact which they plan on executing at midnight. It involves stowing away on a passenger ship and leaving behind their beloved dog Laddy, a move they consider bittersweet. They seem somewhat apprehensive concerning their pact. Aboard the ship, a young man named Tom Prior, who seems to like his booze a little too much, has a feeling that something about the sailing is rather queer as everyone to who he speaks seems not to remember with who they are meeting or where they are going. The only exception is elderly socialite Mrs. Cliveden-Banks, who is off to meet her husband, Bunny. The only other passengers aboard are Catholic priest Reverend William Duke, wealthy business owner Mr. Lingley for who Tom used to work, and an uneducated working class elderly woman named Mrs. Midget. The only crew member is Scrubby, the steward. Tom eventually deciphers the nature of their trip, quicker than most that have taken it before have done....

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Plot Keywords:

examiner | suicide | allegory | alcoholic | clergyman | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 November 1930 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Vitaphone Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The play opened in New York on 7 January 1924 and in London on 17 September 1925.

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Connections

Remade as Between Two Worlds (1944)

User Reviews

Early Talkie

After seeing "Between Two Worlds" the 1944 remake of this movie, it is safe to say that both have their own merits. This film, made early in the talkie era reflects the effects of transitioning to sound from silents. The acting is stagey, overdone and very overdramatic. The players seems ill at ease probably due to the presence of the microphone and also from the fact that some were stage actors where the exaggerated gesture was appropriate. The story, adapted from the stage play, looks like what it is....a stage play. But the cinematography is wonderful, light and dark clearly deliniated; shadows which give it a very eerie look. It has such a great story line....passengers on a ship going to Heaven or Hell without their knowledge....that it holds interest in spite of some of the emoting that takes place. Leslie Howard goes over the edge in the scene where he realizes what is happening and it borders on comedic. Frankly, he is just not very good in this part. John Garfield plays in much more realistically in the 1944 film. Montagu Love, as the business man of shady reputation can't hold a candle to the wonderful George Colouris who played that part in the remake. The less said about Doug Jr. and Helen Chandler as the young lovers the better. One has to remember that this is a very early movie and those of us who love early cinema are prepared for the mannered acting that was often seen during this time in movie history. It is worth seeing; in fact, see this one and then see the remake. You might like the remake better but give the original a chance. You may like it.