tavm Review of Journey Into Fear

Journey Into Fear (1943)

Journey Into Fear was a mostly fine thriller from Orson Welles and company

[8/10 · 5 September 2009]

Having watched The Magnificent Ambersons last night, I decided to watch the next movie that involved Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, and Agnes Moorehead: Journey Into Fear. Let me first address the credits-I'm willing to believe the quote from Welles that he did not direct nor write this movie but simply produced with Norman Foster helming and Cotten himself adapting the screenplay from an Eric Ambler novel. But the beginning pre-credit sequence and some dialogue exchanges certainly have a Wellesian flavor. Overall, while there are indeed some talky sequences that don't always move the story along, there's nothing boring about any of them especially considering the short running time (for a major studio A-picture, anyway). I especially liked Frank Readick's performance as Mathews-a cockney socialist-especially near the end when he says some radical things in front of his wife (Moorehead) to hide something he's planning with Cotten's Howard Graham. Also good is Jack Moss as silent heavyset gunman Peter Banat who's trying to kill Howard because of his occupation. This was Readick and Moss's only film appearance and they were both excellent with what they did with it. I also liked Dolores del Rio and Jack Durant as Josette and Gogo Martel. And Hans Conried-who I'll always fondly remember as the voice of Captain Hook in Walt Disney's Peter Pan-is compelling in his brief role as a swami magician. Cotten himself is fine as Howard constantly tries to avoid getting killed as he goes on ship before the showdown at the hotel parapet. And Welles deliciously chews the scenery as Colonel Haki with whatever foreign accent he chose for his role. If there were some disappointments, well, Ms. Moorehead didn't do much in her role and neither did Ruth Warrick as Howard's wife Stephanie. And, yes, there could have been some cut scenes that could have explained some sequences clearer. Still, I loved the atmosphere that was conveyed throughout and the finale chase was very exciting. So on that note, I highly recommend Journey Into Fear.