Johnny in the Clouds (1945)
"The Way to the Stars" (original title)

Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain, to the arrival of the Americans, who join in the bomber offensive. The film centres... See full summary »

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writers:

Terence Rattigan (story), Anatole de Grunwald (story),

Stars:

Michael Redgrave, John Mills, Rosamund John

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Redgrave	...	David Archdale
John Mills	...	Peter Penrose
Rosamund John	...	Miss Todd
Douglass Montgomery	...	Johnny Hollis
Renée Asherson	...	Iris Winterton (as Renee Asherson)
Stanley Holloway	...	Mr Palmer
Basil Radford	...	Tiny Williams
Felix Aylmer	...	Rev. Charles Moss
Bonar Colleano	...	Joe Friselli (as Bonar Colleano Jnr)
Joyce Carey	...	Miss Winterton
Trevor Howard	...	Sq / Leader Carter
Nicholas Stuart	...	Col. Rogers (as Tryon Nichol)
Bill Owen	...	'Nobby' Clarke (as Bill Rowbotham)
Grant Miller	...	Wally Becker
Jean Simmons	...	A Singer

Storyline

Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain, to the arrival of the Americans, who join in the bomber offensive. The film centres around Pilot Officer Peter Penrose, fresh out of a training unit, who joins the squadron, and quickly discovers about life during war time. He falls for Iris, a young girl who lives at the local hotel, but he becomes disillusioned about marriage, when the squadron commander dies in a raid, and leaves his wife, the hotel manageress, with a young son to bring up. As the war progresses, Penross comes to terms that he has survived, while others have been killed.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | squadron | pilot | hotel manageress | bomber | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 June 1945 (UK)

Also Known As:

Johnny in the Clouds

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Islington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Two Cities Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The poem recited by John Mills is titled "For Johnny". It is an ode to RAF pilots written by John Pudney (1909-1977).

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Goofs

As the American pilot alights to join the first US bombers leaving to bomb the Nazis on "Aug. 17" (1942) his Mae West is visibly stenciled: "Insp 5/3/44" .

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Quotes

Johnny Hollis: [mocking army issue instruction manuals] One scotch and soda, large, officer, for the use of.

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Connections

Featured in War Stories (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Down by the Old Mill Stream"
(uncredited)
Written by Tell Taylor

User Reviews

A film that deserves to be better known

Curiously enough, I first came across this film in Halliwell's Film Guide. Idly leafing through the pages, I came across this comment: "..One of the few films which instantly bring back the atmosphere of the war in Britain for anyone who was involved." While the Second World War ended many years before I was born, it sounded interesting and I made a mental note that it might be a good film to watch if ever I had the chance.

Months later, I was looking through my local tv guide in the list of movies that were on. I noticed "The Way to the Stars", and some little bell in the recesses of my memory began to toll. I looked up the movie in my film guide -- and decided that I had to see it.

As it turned out, that was a very happy decision. Others of the Second World War generation might be able to identify with the people and the setting of the film. I cannot, but I loved this movie for all the other reasons -- it really is a wonderful movie, a sad (and heroic) story of people during the war. Critics might provide an analysis of plot, characterisation etc, as a reason why it's such a good movie. I won't bother. I'll merely give this summary: It's one of my favourite films, it deserves to be better known, and you should see it if you get the chance.