The Journey (1959)

Director:

Anatole Litvak

Writer:

George Tabori (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 March 1959 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Budapest 1956. A group of Westerners try to leave the city when the the Soviets occupys the country...

Plot Keywords:

Hungary | Bus Trip | Revolution | Freedom Fighter | Budapest Hungary

Cast

Deborah Kerr	...	Diana Ashmore
Yul Brynner	...	Major Surov
Jason Robards	...	Paul Kedes (as Jason Robards Jr.)
Robert Morley	...	Hugh Deverill
E.G. Marshall	...	Harold Rhinelander
Anne Jackson	...	Margie Rhinelander
Ron Howard	...	Billy Rhinelander (as Ronny Howard)
Flip Mark	...	Flip Rhinelander
Kurt Kasznar	...	Csepege
David Kossoff	...	Simon Avron
Gérard Oury	...	Teklel Hafouli
Marie Daëms	...	Françoise Hafouli (as Marie Daems)
Anouk Aimée	...	Eva
Barbara von Nady	...	Borbala (as Barbara Von Nady)
Maurice Sarfati	...	Jacques Fabbry

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Vienna, Austria

Company:

Alby Pictures

Trivia:

During filming, Yul Brynner's hand was cut by a former crazed lover who traveled across Europe to find him. There are scenes where Brynner's bandaged hand is not shown on screen and there scenes where he is holding a prop to camouflage the hand.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the final scene, as the camera dollies back from Major Surov's jeep, a camera/equipment shadow is visible on the jeep's right front tire.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Diner (1982)

The major and I

The screenplay borrows more than a fair share from Guy de Maupassant's "Boule de Suif" ,mainly towards the end ,when the tourists start to accuse the heroine:"He wants something from you".No matter if "Boule de Suif" takes place in France after Sedan Deborah Kerr portrays a distinguished English lady (instead of a prostitute ) and Yul Brynner a Russian major (instead of a Prussian officer).

This movie has often been referred to as anti-communist ,but now that we know what the commies have done ,it has become irrelevant .One should remember the director's personal history:a Russian Jew who emigrated to Germany ,then France where he made commendable works ("L'Equipage" "Coeur de Lilas" "Mayerling" ),then Hollywood where he took part in anti-Nazi propaganda ("confession of a Nazi spy") ;after the war he continued in that vein with the stunning "decision at dawn" where a German soldier came back to his country and discovered the damage done.Oddly,three of his last movies were "all thing eastern" : it began with "Anastasia" ,continued with this film and the trilogy ended with the implausible "night of the generals"

In "Journey" ,while updating Maupassant ,introducing a French character (a student played by Maurice Sarfati),using several other French actors (Anouk Aimée as a Hungarian rebel who wants weapons ,not chocolate and Gerard Oury as the inn-keeper:we can wonder why ..),Litvak shows his infatuation with France where he made 6 movies in the thirties and where the action of his (average) "act of love " takes place.

"Journey" suffers from an implausible happy end which comes at the most awkward moment.The tragedy has turned into a Harlequin romance. But there are several good moments (particularly the scenes between Kerr and Brynner who had teamed up two years before and those between the actress and Robards)which deserve your undivided attention.

Like this?try these:

The red Danube George Sidney 1949

Man on a tight rope Elia Kazan 1953

Mademoiselle Fifi Robert Wise 1944 (based on Maupassant's "Boule de Suif" and the eponymous short story)