The Way to the Stars (1945)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writers:

John Pudney (poems)
Terence Rattigan (scenario)

Release Date:

16 June 1945 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain...

Plot Keywords:

Bomber | RAF | Usaaf | WWII | Boeing B 17

Cast

Michael Redgrave	...	Flight Lt. David Archdale
John Mills	...	Pilot Officer Peter Penrose
Rosamund John	...	Miss 'Toddy' Todd
Douglass Montgomery	...	Johnny Hollis
Renée Asherson	...	Iris Winterton (as Renee Asherson)
Stanley Holloway	...	Mr. Palmer
Basil Radford	...	Tiny Williams
Felix Aylmer	...	Rev. Charles Moss
Bonar Colleano	...	Joe Friselli (as Bonar Colleano Jnr)
Joyce Carey	...	Miss Winterton
Trevor Howard	...	Squadron Leader Carter
Nicholas Stuart	...	Col. Rogers (as Tryon Nichol)
Bill Owen	...	Sgt. 'Nobby' Clarke (as Bill Rowbotham)
Grant Miller	...	Wally Becker
Jean Simmons	...	A Singer

Also Known As:

Johnny in the Clouds (USA)

Runtime:

USA:87 min | UK:109 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Bedale, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

The poem "For Johnny" read by John Mills is as follows: "Do not despair, For Johnny-head-in-air; He sleeps as sound, As Johnny underground. Fetch out no shroud, For Johnny-in-the-cloud; And keep your tears, For him in after years. Better by far, For Johnny-the-bright-star, To keep your head, And see his children fed."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: As the American pilot alights to join the first US bombers leaving to bomb the Nazis on "Aug. 17" (1942) his Mae West is visibly stenciled: "Insp 5/3/44" .

Quotes:

'Tinker' Bell: I say, by the way, I found out what that awful brown stuff they put on the tables at dinner is. It's peanut butter.
Tiny Williams: Made from peanuts, I suppose ?
'Tinker' Bell: I imagine so. I've tried it. It's revolting.

Movie Connections:

Featured in War Stories (2006) (TV)

Life around a WWII air base shared by US and British airmen.

The story is set around an English bomber air base during WWII, which subsequently becomes host to the US 8th air force. The principle characters frequent the local inn, run by 'Toddy', the wife of Flight Lieut. David Archdale.

There is an ensemble of emotions, but the theme concentrates on stiff upper lip stoicism as bomber aircrew are faced with terrible odds of survival, and friends and loved ones make the best of the situation.

The movie was obviously made as a morale booster at the end of the war in Europe and features an outstanding poem that serves as an epitaph to airmen killed in action. The poem is a parody on one written by Heinrich Hoffman, the title translating to `The Story of Johnny Head-In-Air' [1844].

For Johnny

Do not despair for Johnny head-in-air; he sleeps as sound as Johnny underground. Fetch out no shroud for Johnny-in-the-cloud; and keep your tears for him in after years. Better by far for Johnny-the-bright-star, to keep your head and see his children fed. [John Purdey (RAF 1941-1945)]