The Way to the Stars
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| The Way to the Stars | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Anthony Asquith |
| Produced by | Anatole de Grunwald |
| Written by | Terence Rattigan Anatole de Grunwald Richard Sherman John Pudney (poems) |
| Starring | Michael Redgrave John Mills Rosamund John Stanley Holloway Renée Asherson Felix Aylmer Basil Radford Bonar Colleano David Tomlinson Trevor Howard |
| Music by | Nicholas Brodszky Charles Williams |
| Cinematography | Derrick Williams |
| Editing by | Fergus McDonell |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) |  16 June 1945 15 November 1945 |
| Running time | UK: 109 min USA:87 min |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Way to the Stars, also known as Johnny in the Clouds, is a 1945 war drama film made by Two Cities Films and released by United Artists. It was produced by Anatole de Grunwald and directed by Anthony Asquith. The screenplay was written by Terence Rattigan, based on his play Flare Path. The music score was by Nicholas Brodszky and Charles Williams, the cinematography by Derrick Williams.
The film stars Michael Redgrave, John Mills, Rosamund John with Stanley Holloway, Renée Asherson, Felix Aylmer, Basil Radford, Bonar Colleano, David Tomlinson, Trevor Howard, Joyce Carey, Bill Owen, Anthony Dawson and Jean Simmons in an early role.
Contents |
[edit] Background
The title, The Way to the Stars, is taken from the Latin motto of the Royal Air Force (RAF), Per ardua ad astra. The alternative title, Johnny in the Clouds, is derived from the poem recited in the film as tribute to the dead British airman.
The genesis lay in the RAF experiences of playwright (Flight Lieutenant) Terence Rattigan, which he initially used in his play Flare Path.
[edit] Plot
The setting of the film is a new RAF station called Halfpenny Field (pronounced ha'penny). The action takes place between 1940 and 1944.
Pilot Officer Peter Penrose (John Mills) arrives as a newly posted and very green "fifteen hour sprog" and is assigned to the command of Flight Lieutenant David Archdale (Michael Redgrave). When the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Carter (Trevor Howard, in his first film role) is shot down, Archdale takes over. Whilst Penrose develops into a first-class pilot, he meets Iris Winterton (Renee Asherson), a young girl staying with her aunt at the Golden Lion pub in the nearby village.
Archdale marries Miss Todd (known to all as Toddy, played by Rosamund John) the popular manageress of the hotel, and they have a son, Peter, but a year later, Archdale is shot down.
The squadron is posted overseas, but Penrose stays on as a Controller. A squadron of Americans arrive, including Captain Johnny Hollis (Douglass Montgomery) and Lieutenant Joe Friselli (Bonar Colleano).
Penrose tentatively courts Iris, despite her aunt's stern disapproval, but is then posted away to fly bombers. When he later makes an emergency landing at the base, he meets Iris again, but is reluctant to take up the affair, despite her obvious willingness. This is because he feels that it would not be fair to her, when he could be shot down and killed at any time.
Toddy manages to persuade a very reluctant Penrose to propose to Iris, saying that she did not regret her own marriage in spite of her husband's death. Hollis, who has formed a close but platonic friendship with Toddy, is killed whilst crash-landing a damaged returning bomber, rather than bail out and risk it crashing in the village.
The film also includes Stanley Holloway, Basil Radford and David Tomlinson in fine supporting roles, and also a very young Jean Simmons who makes a brief appearance as a singer.
Poetry supposedly written by Archdale was written by John Pudney.
