They’re able to learn the truth so quickly because they already know for a fact that they are dead: they committed suicide together. The two portray a married couple who are the first to realize that everyone on the ship is dead. The stand-outs here are Paul Henreid and Eleanor Parker. The film is full of incredible talent, and while the level of melodrama sometimes goes overboard (often due to semi-corny dialogue combined with an over-utilized but beautiful score), the performances themselves are solid. The cast is enough to keep the viewer hooked as well. The fact that some characters are in on the truth before others adds to the sense of intrigue, too. While odd, this mix is certainly engrossing. In combination with the slow reveals of each character’s personality and history, it makes for a film that’s difficult to turn away from. It’s melodrama meets spooky exploration of death, with some romance thrown in for good measure, too. It is at times incredibly sentimental, but a certain level of eeriness is also maintained throughout most of the film due to the fact that the entire premise centers around a ship full of deceased people. Vane’s play also served as the basis for the 1930 film Outward Bound, starring Leslie Howard.īetween Two Worlds is a film with some of the strangest mood-mixing I’ve ever seen. ![]() The script was adapted by Daniel Fuchs ( Panic in the Streets) from a play by Sutton Vane. The cast includes John Garfield, Paul Henreid, Eleanor Parker, Sydney Greenstreet and George Tobias. Blatt directs the melodramatic fantasy Between Two Worlds. ( Source)Īs this realization that they have died comes to fruition one by one for the members of the diverse group, each of their life stories is slowly revealed.Įdward A. An “examiner” is on his way to the ship, where he will determine each of their fates. What they don’t yet realize, but will soon discover, is that they were all killed in the air raid and will soon be delivered to either heaven or hell. They were all planning to board ships for America before the air raid occurred, but this is not the ship that they expected to be on. The story remains one of the most engaging explorations of a possible afterlife that I have ever seen.World War II is in full swing, and London is being hit with an air raid attack.Īfter the attack, several people awake on board an odd ship with no knowledge of how they got there or where they’re headed. The second half of the movie is just as powerful as that of the original movie it is immensely moving, thoughtful, and fascinating to watch the ultimate fate of each character. Nevertheless, if I had to choose between this one and the original, I think I would opt for this one, largely due to the presence of two of my favorite actors Sydney Greenstreet is memorable as the Examiner, and Edmund Gwenn is great as Scrubby the Steward. ![]() Though these changes do further deepen the themes of the original, it still doesn’t quite account for the extra length, and the first half of the movie moves a little slower than is strictly necessary. Part of the reason was the updating of the story to take place in London during the blitz, and the addition of an extra character to the mix (a serviceman), which gave it more relevance for its time period. This was a remake of the 1930 movie OUTWARD BOUND, and it runs a solid thirty minutes longer than that one. ![]() Several people find themselves aboard an ocean liner with no crew, and heading for an unknown destination. Featuring Paul Henreid, John Garfield, Sydney Greenstreet
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