The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead - 1944 | 115mins | Drama, War | B&W

The Production Team

Director: Carol Reed.
Asst Director: Frank Bevis.
Producer: John Sutro and Norman Walker.
Associate Producer: Stanley Haynes.
Script: Peter Ustinov. (from a story Eric Ambler)
Cinematography: Guy Green and Derick Williams.
Special Effects: Henry Harris and Bill Warrington.
Art Direction: David Rawnsley.
Asst Art Direction: Arthur Lawson.
Editing: Fergus McDonell.
Sound: Desmond Dew, Harry Miller and C.C. Stevens.
Original Music: William Alwyn.
Music Direction: Muir Mathieson.

The Cast

David Niven - Lieutenant Jim Perry
Stanley Holloway - Brewer
James Donald - Lloyd
John Laurie - Luke
Jimmy Hanley - Stainer
William Hartnell - Sergeant Fletcher
Raymond Huntley - Davenport
Leslie Dwyer - Beck
Hugh Burden - Parsons
Reginald Tate - C.O.
Leo Genn - Captain Edwards
Renée Asherson - Marjorie Gillingham
Mary Jerrold - Mrs. Gillingham
Tessie O'Shea - Herself
Raymond Lovell - Mr. Jackson
A.E. Matthews - Colonel Walmsley
Peter Ustinov - Rispoli, the Cafe owner
Jack Watling Marjorie's - Boyfriend
Penelope Dudley-Ward - Mrs. Perry
Trevor Howard - Officer on Ship

Plot Synopsis

The Way Ahead is a Carol Reed flag-waver that still packs the same emotional punch that gripped cinema audiences so strongly during the war's twilight years. Reed's semi-documentary style ensures that a believable grittiness always shines through the lump-in-the-throat heroics.

An excellent cast star in this vivid story of the varying fortunes of a group of motley young civilians from different walks of life as they are moulded into soldiers. The film follows the recruits as they advance through basic training under no-nonsense Sergeant Fletcher, and capable Lieutenant Jim Perry. We eventually see the raw recruits set sail on an unknown voyage for their first taste of battle, they land in North Africa and are plunged into action against the enemy – finally realising the benefit of their hated training.