| Journey Together | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | John Boulting |
| Written by | John Boulting Terence Rattigan |
| Produced by | John Boulting |
| Starring | Richard Attenborough Jack Watling Edward G. Robinson John Justin David Tomlinson |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
| Edited by | Reginald Beck |
| Music by | Gordon Jacob |
| Distributed by | RKO Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 95 minutes (UK version) 80 minutes (U.S. version) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Journey Together is a 1945 Britishdramawar film directed byJohn Boulting and starringRichard Attenborough,Jack Watling,John Justin andEdward G. Robinson.[1] It is Boulting's film directorial debut. The film was produced by theRoyal Air Force Film Production Unit. DramatistTerence Rattigan, then aRoyal Air Force Flight Lieutenant, was posted in 1943 to theRAF Film Production Unit to work onThe Way to the Stars andJourney Together.[2]
The story revolves around twoRAF aircrew cadets, Attenborough and Watling, while Robinson and Justin play the instructors for the fledgling pilots. In the story, two Englishmen become friends while serving with theRoyal Air Force, ending with a bombing raid onBerlin. The plot emphasises the importance of team work in a bomber crew and the important role of the navigator.
Two RAF aircrew cadets, David Wilton and John Aynesworth, become friends. A friendly rivalry develops between the two when they both enter pilot training and it ends in a bet over who will become the better pilot. They pass their initial training and are sent to theUnited States for more advanced instruction. Once there, it becomes clear that Wilton, while he is otherwise a good pilot, cannot land a plane properly. Wilton is devastated and the feeling worsens when he sees that Aynesworth is a natural pilot. While Aynesworth proceeds with his pilot's training, Wilton is sent toCanada to be trained as a navigator instead.
Wilton turns out to be a good navigator but he shows no enthusiasm for his training. Then, on a practice flight, the pilot, who is also one of the instructors and is aware of his attitude, secretly simulates an emergency situation to show Wilton the importance of the role of the navigator. After graduating, Wilton is posted to a squadron in Britain but his reputation has followed him. Eventually, he replaces an injured navigator on Aynesworth's flight crew on a bombing operation but their welcome is lukewarm. As they complete the bombing mission, the plane is hit and begins to lose fuel; when they have to ditch in theNorth Sea, Wilton must demonstrate everything he has learned and quickly communicate their position to base. It turns out that he has perfectly calculated their position and the rescue plane easily finds them. The crew decide they would like to keep him.
The opening credits state that the film was "Written, Produced, Directed, Photographed, and Acted by members of the Royal Air Force". The closing cast list also includes otherAllied services personnel.
Richard Attenborough, the picture's lead, was 22 years old at the time of filming.
According toKinematograph Weekly, the film performed well at the British box office in 1945.[4]