The Way Ahead (1944)

Director:

Carol Reed

Writers:

Peter Ustinov (screenplay)
Eric Ambler (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

3 June 1945 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Tagline:

A Story of Today---YOU'LL REMEMBER FOREVER! (original ad - several caps)

Plot:

A group of conscripts are called up into the infantry during WWII. At first they appear a hopeless bunch...

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | North Africa | Conscript | Army | Basic Training

Awards:

1 win

Cast

David Niven	...	Lieutenant Jim Perry
Stanley Holloway	...	Pvt. Ted Brewer
James Donald	...	Pvt. Evan Lloyd
John Laurie	...	Pvt. Luke
Leslie Dwyer	...	Pvt. Sid Beck
Hugh Burden	...	Pvt. Bill Parsons
Jimmy Hanley	...	Pvt. Geoffrey Stainer (as Jimmie Hanley)
William Hartnell	...	Sgt. Ned Fletcher (as Billy Hartnell)
Reginald Tate	...	The Training Company Commanding Officer
Leo Genn	...	Captain Edwards
John Ruddock	...	Chelsea Pensioner
A. Bromley Davenport	...	Chelsea Pensioner (as Bromley Davenport)
Renée Asherson	...	Marjorie Gillingham (as Renee Asherson)
Mary Jerrold	...	Mrs. Gillingham
Tessie O'Shea	...	Herself - ENSA Entertainer
Raymond Lovell	...	Mr. Jackson, Garage Owner
A.E. Matthews	...	Colonel Walmsley
Jack Watling	...	Buster, Marjorie's boyfriend
Peter Ustinov	...	Rispoli: Cafe owner
Lloyd Pearson	...	Thyrtle
Raymond Huntley	...	Pvt. Herbert Davenport
Penelope Dudley-Ward	...	Mrs. Perry (as Penelope Ward)
Esma Cannon	...	Mrs. Brewer
Eileen Erskine	...	Mrs. Hilda Parsons
Grace Arnold	...	Mrs. Fletcher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Quentin Reynolds	...	Himself (American version)
John Boxer	...	Soldier in Pub Talking to the Chelsea Pensioners (uncredited)
Peggy Carlisle	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Alf Goddard	...	Instructor (uncredited)
Trevor Howard	...	Officer on Ship (uncredited)
David Hutcheson	...	Garage Customer in Car (uncredited)
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Gendarme in Cafe (uncredited)
George Merritt	...	The Sergeant-Major (uncredited)
Tracy Reed	...	The Perry's Daughter (uncredited)
John Salew	...	Sam, Friend of Pvt Lloyd in Pub Scene (uncredited)
Johnnie Schofield	...	Lewis Gun Instructor (uncredited)
Winifred Willard	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ben Williams	...	Pessimistic Man Talking to the Chelsea Pensioners (uncredited)

Directed by
Carol Reed

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Eric Ambler		screenplay
Eric Ambler		story
Peter Ustinov		screenplay

Produced by
Stanley Haynes	....	associate producer
John Sutro	....	producer
Norman Walker	....	producer
Herbert Smith	....	executive producer in charge of production (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Alwyn

Cinematography by
Guy Green		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Fergus McDonell
Clive Donner		(uncredited)

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
David Rawnsley

Production Management
Norman Spencer	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Bevis	....	assistant director
Mark Evans	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Arthur Lawson	....	associate art director
Elven Webb	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Desmond Dew	....	sound recordist
Harry Miller	....	sound effects
C.C. Stevens	....	sound recordist
Walter R. Day	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
John Dennis	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Stanley Lambourne	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Gus Lloyd	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
George Paternoster	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Winston Ryder	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
Alan Thorne	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Alan Whatley	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Harris	....	special effects
Bill Warrington	....	special effects
George Blackwell	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Derick Williams	....	fire scenes photographed by
Peter Allwork	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Wally Fairweather	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Freddie Ford Jr.	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Norman Warwick	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ed Fitz	....	editor: US version
Clive Donner	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
R. Fellowes	....	military advisor (as Captain R. Fellowes - Rifle Brigade)
Brian Mayfield	....	military advisor (as Lt. Colonel B. Mayfield - Scots Guards)

Production Companies

• Two Cities Films (as A Two Cities Film)

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1944) (UK) (theatrical)
• Gaumont British Distributors (1945) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1945) (USA) (theatrical)
• Eagle-Lion Distributors Limited (1949) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1956) (USA) (TV)
• Státní Pujcovna Filmu (194?) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Carlton Visual Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Video Collection International (1986) (UK)

Other Companies

• Encyclopedia Britannica  explanation: 'An Army'

Also Known As:

"The Immortal Battalion" - USA (cut version)

Runtime:

115 min | USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:U

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

David Niven reports in his autobiography that the film was shown for many years for training at Sandhurst (the British Army's officer training school).

Goofs:

Continuity: Following some energetic army training, Private Bill Parsons is seen sitting on the grass at the top of a cliff, with his colleagues, exhausted. However, the action then cuts to him being helped up the cliff.

Quotes:

Pvt. Ted Brewer:Only one good man ever got into Parliament.
Pvt. Herbert Davenport:Oh really? Who?
Pvt. Ted Brewer:Bleedin' Guy Fawkes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Future Memories (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Lily of Laguna

Stars' war service

Ubercommando compares 'J Wayne and H Bogart' unfavourably with the cast of this film who were actually serving in the British forces. Well, what about Clark Gable, James Stewart, Tyrone Power, Alan Ladd, Robert Ryan...there is a long list of top American stars who saw active service. On the other hand many British stars saw fit to stick with the acting. To suggest that, in general, American actors were shirkers while the British were sterling fellows is offensive and untrue. It's also worth pointing out that many actors who wanted to join up were specifically asked not to on the basis their propaganda value was greater than their value as individual servicemen, so we shouldn't rush to judgment (and those of us born after the war have no business making judgments anyway.) As to the film, I found it an engrossing account of how men are turned into soldiers. It has much in common with the early episodes of Band of Brothers, although naturally it did not dwell on the horrors of war; after all, the war was still going on and they didn't want to send potential recruits running for the hills. I recommend it warmly but recognize that it will have little appeal for a lot of people.