One should probably view "Outward Bound" before reading reviews of it, because unlike its remake, "Between Two Worlds" (1944), it does withhold its premise for a brief period. These films would've been better, too, had they not resolved themselves as bluntly as a sermon. The best part of this adaptation is that it has some foggy and dreamlike atmosphere that's eerie at first, with passengers on a ship seemingly confused and suffering memory loss, which almost lifts this project from its origins as a stage play. The aged speckling and occasional audio deterioration on the surviving print I saw on the Turner Classic Movies TV channel may even add to this.
The staginess is announced from the beginning with three unnecessary and long-winded title cards describing the play's success. Additionally, as the filmed play unfolds, with its confined settings and plentiful dialogue, the limitations of "Outward Bound" being an early talkie become more apparent. What editing there is contains poor match cuts and even one or more jump cuts. The 1944 remake does a bit better with a brisker pacing, more camera movement and a musical score, but still largely succumbs to looking like a filmed play, as well. By the end of "Outward Bound," the camera lingers, static, on the actors, as they do all the work. I counted at least three shots that each last nearly two to three minutes each. Approximately, the film's overall average shot length is a languid 12.8 seconds by my count. "Between Two Worlds," by contrast, is only about 9 seconds on average despite containing several moving long takes.
The staginess is announced from the beginning with three unnecessary and long-winded title cards describing the play's success. Additionally, as the filmed play unfolds, with its confined settings and plentiful dialogue, the limitations of "Outward Bound" being an early talkie become more apparent. What editing there is contains poor match cuts and even one or more jump cuts. The 1944 remake does a bit better with a brisker pacing, more camera movement and a musical score, but still largely succumbs to looking like a filmed play, as well. By the end of "Outward Bound," the camera lingers, static, on the actors, as they do all the work. I counted at least three shots that each last nearly two to three minutes each. Approximately, the film's overall average shot length is a languid 12.8 seconds by my count. "Between Two Worlds," by contrast, is only about 9 seconds on average despite containing several moving long takes.