Journey for Margaret (1942)

1940. For the better part of the war thus far, New York news correspondent John Davis and his wife Nora Davis have been in the hot spots of western Europe, including Rotterdam and much of ... See full summary »

Directors:

W.S. Van Dyke (as Maj. W.S. Van Dyke II), Herbert Kline (uncredited)

Writers:

David Hertz (screen play), William Ludwig (screen play)

Stars:

Robert Young, Laraine Day, Fay Bainter

4 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Young	...	John Davis
Laraine Day	...	Nora Davis
Fay Bainter	...	Trudy Strauss
Nigel Bruce	...	Herbert V. Allison
Margaret O'Brien	...	Margaret
William Severn	...	Peter Humphries
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Mrs. Bailey
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Barrie
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Mr. Barrie
Heather Thatcher	...	Mrs. Harris
Jill Esmond	...	Susan Fleming
G.P. Huntley	...	'Rugged' (as G.P. Huntley Jr.)
Lisa Golm	...	Frau Weber

Storyline

1940. For the better part of the war thus far, New York news correspondent John Davis and his wife Nora Davis have been in the hot spots of western Europe, including Rotterdam and much of France, which has just fallen to the Nazis. The war has taken a toll on John professionally, as he has closed himself off emotionally in his writing solely to be able to cope. They have decided to move to London where they consider a safer place to start their family, but still within the war zone for John to do his work. A tragic event results in Nora too closing herself off from the war happening around them, she and John who ultimately decide to move back to Connecticut. With Nora having left and John having one more story left to write, things change when that story deeply effects John. That story is about Riswick Children's House run by caring Trudy Strauss, it which takes in children displaced by the war, especially those that have faced some sort of trauma. He especially connects with two ...

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Plot Keywords:

woman wearing a gas mask | toy | singing | gloves | bomber | 

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Taglines:

Great Book! Great Picture!

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The final film of veteran director W.S. Van Dyke. He was dying of cancer while shooting it, and committed suicide not long after its release.

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Goofs

When John Davis is escorting Margaret and Peter to potential foster parents in London, they look at blitz damage out the taxi's window. In the last view of the damage, one shop front has all its signs with reverse lettering, revealing that really they are watching a film that is projected incorrectly.

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Quotes

[John Davis is trying to get other airplane passengers to leave behind their luggage so he can take one of the children on the flight]
Japanese Statesman: Oh, so sorry - but that would mean leaving my confidential files. Also, I must be back in Tokyo by early December.
[the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941]

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Connections

Featured in MGM: When the Lion Roars: The Lion Reigns Supreme (1992)

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Soundtracks

Tannhäuser
(1845) (uncredited)
Written by Richard Wagner
Excerpt from Overture played as background music during the Madame Bornholm sequence

User Reviews

Drawing Tears From The Hard Of Heart

Margaret O'Brien did her first starring role in this film after only a bit part in Babes On Broadway. In fact in Journey For Margaret her troubles during wartime are the whole basis for the film.

She's not alone in her troubles, World War II left a lot of British and other children orphans. Newspaper correspondent Robert Young rescues young Margaret from a bombed out building during the London blitz. But unfortunately the experience leaves her an orphan.

A short time later Young is sent up north to a residence for war orphans and wouldn't you know it he meets up with Margaret along with the woman who runs the home, Fay Bainter. Of course a bond develops between Young and O'Brien.

Young's grieving as well, he and wife Laraine Day lost their unborn child during a bombing attack. Day's also suffered some post traumatic stress as a result and is in real danger of going off the deep end permanently. And still another orphan William Severn also manages to charm Young as well.

If this isn't enough plot ingredients for a real ten towel weeper than you have the soul of Medusa. There was tragedy behind the camera as well because director Woody Van Dyke was dying of cancer as he made this film. He would take his own life after completing Journey For Margaret.

Any committed film-goer knows exactly where this plot is headed. But the players are all capable enough and Journey For Margaret will still draw some tears from the most hard hearted of audiences.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Det kommer en dag

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1