THE JOURNEY
US, 1958, 126 minutes, Colour.
Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Jason Robards Jr, Robert Morley, David Kossoff, E.G. Marshall, Anne Jackson, Ronny Howard, Anouk Aimee, Gerard Oury.
Directed by Anatole Litvak.
The Journey is a sombre story of Eastern Europe in the late 1950s. It was made soon after the Hungarian uprising of 1956. The setting of the film is Hungary, Budapest, the territory between the capital and the Austrian border. The film was made on these locations.
Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner had appeared two years earlier in The King and I. They are joined by Jason Robards Jr. in his first major film. There is an interesting international supporting cast with Robert Morley in his usual style as a British journalist assuming command of the group. E. G. Marshall and Anne Jackson appear as an American couple, are very young Ronny Howard as one of their sons. David Kossoff is a sympathetic Jewish man. Anouk Aimee is a resistance fighter.
The film shows the confusion at the airport when it is closed, travel by bus towards the border, the group being held up by the Russian major, his toying with them, attracted to Deborah Kerr and finally letting them go, even at the expense of his own life.
The film was directed by Anatole Litvak who directed many significant films at Warner Brothers during the 1930s and 1940s. Prior to this film he directed Ingrid Bergman to an Oscar in Anastasia, also with Yul Brynner.
1. A topical film of the mid 1950s? The iron curtain? Communist countries and occupation? Russia? The Hungarian invasion of 1956?
2. The locations, where the events happened? Authentic? The musical score?
3. The title, as real, a symbolic? The mixed group? Men, women, children? The variety of nations?
4. The story of the journey and escape, danger, the pressures on the group?
5. The Airport, the closure, flights canceled, the group, angers and protests? The authorities’?
6. The group organized for the bus, the driver? The interactions? The danger, the resistance? The bus stopped?
7. Deverill and his journalistic background, assuming leadership, raising the issue issues? His knowing Diana from the past? Curiosity? About Peter? The American couple and their children? The businessman and his daughter? The young Frenchman travelling? The woman traveler? Simon Avron and his Jewish background? The range of backgrounds? Compatibility?
8. The stop, major Surov, personality, taking charge, treatment of people, his motivations? The going to the hotel? The host and his hospitality, and part of the resistance? The meals, behavior, music?
9. Diana and her story, in Hungary, separation from her husband, love for Peter? His story, the continued, science, reputation, the resistance, his being wounded? His passport, travelling, in pain, Diane covering for him? Her care, the room, the meals, missing him, the bandages?
10. You'll bring a Yul Brenner, Russian, in Hungary, the occupation, his offices, proud, hard? Bored? His rules? Red tape? The group's reaction, keeping them tense? The attraction to Diana? The others realizing this, the later done denunciation by the American wife? His interrogations, suspicions? Diana's reaction?
11. The resistance group, their fighting, the attack on the bus, allowing the passengers through, RE-appearing in the town, the fight? The young woman and her leadership? The boat, the arrangement for the escape, the timing?
12. The men in the room, the issue of reporting Peter to the major or not?
13. The major, the meals, the music, the inn, his moods, knowing or not knowing what was happening? Taking the passports?
14. Diana, Peter, the boat, hiding, the shooting, caught?
15. The challenge to Diana, about the Mages attraction to her, her going to him, the sexual tension?
16. The major allowing them to go, his motivation, his death? Why?
17. The group going to freedom, Peter and the tensions with the people, the major, escape? Austria?
18. The situation in Eastern Europe at this time?
