User reviews

This is a movie I would recommend to my kids. Real people with real lives in a real place- you hardly can find that any more.

The Scotland of the Isles is the real star of this movie- what a beautiful place, moody, misty, and genuine.

I don't know of any other movie the leading lady was in, but she is wonderful in this- headstrong (see previous comment) barely covers it. Yet, she is not so self-involved (despite her self-assurance) that she fails to see the honor and courage and innate goodness of the island folk around her. Eccentric, yes, but the proverbial Salt of the Earth.

And, the whirlpool has to be seen to be appreciated. Filmed at the sight of one of only five actual "Maelstroms" on earth, it is magnificent to see.

If you enjoy movies about real people- no glamor, no special effects, no CG, no exploding cars- I think you will enjoy this one.

The collaborations between Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger represent one of the most respected partnerships in cinema history, the two directors long revered for crafting some of the most enduring pictures ever to come out of the United Kingdom. Pressburger once said of his colleague: "He knows what I am going to say even before I say it — maybe even before I have thought it — and that is very rare. You are lucky if you meet someone like that once in your life." Though I had previously seen and loved 'Peeping Tom (1960)' {Powell's solo effort, a shocking and daring horror/thriller that arguably brought down his career}, I remained keenly interested in seeing my first P&P collaboration, and so I was delighted to find the Criterion Collection DVD of 'I Know Where I'm Going! (1945).' Perhaps it's the extensive on-location photography, or the distinctive local accents, but there's something about this film that sets it apart from Hollywood romances of the era, in the same way that the Ealing Studios comedies of the 1940s and 50s are like nothing ever to come out of the United States.

The first thing you'll notice about 'I Know Where I'm Going!' is the absolutely exquisite cinematography by Erwin Hillier, who captures the Scottish countryside in glorious, crisp black-and-white, shooting the entire film without a light meter. The pristine landscapes are absolutely breathtaking; you can almost feel the soft breeze blowing against your face, the silent shudder of the trees as a storm rolls overhead. This environment is the perfect stage for the events of the film, as ambitious and independent Englishwoman, Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) comes to meet an array of lively and free-spirited locals, representing a simpler lifestyle that she could never have imagined falling in love with. 'I Know Where I'm Going!' is also a miracle of clever editing, considering the male co-star, Roger Livesey, never came within 500 miles of the primary shooting location {having an unavoidable stage commitment in London}. Editor John Seabourne was given the monumental task of seamlessly blending close-up shots of Livesey in the studio with middle-distance shots of the actor's double in Scotland; the result is perfectly deceptive.

Powell and Pressburger, as was typical for their pictures, shared a writing credit for the film, which is a celebration of the "common man", a popular theme of British cinema, I've found, during that time period. Wendy Hiller's heroine, an independent but somewhat conceited woman, is hampered in her attempts to join her older, wealthier fiancé, Sir Robert Bellinger, on the island of Kiloran. Instead, she is left with Torquil MacNeil (Roger Livesey), a humble naval officer on leave from the military. Despite initially feeling foreign and uncomfortable in the unfamiliar lodgings of the locals, Joan eventually comes to appreciate their unashamed simplicity, most noticeable in the stark contrast between the upper-class residents' dull, stuffy bridge game, and the servants' lively and musical birthday celebration for one of their oldest residents. Despite her insistence that she "knows where she's going," Joan also discovers that fate might be nudging her in a completely different direction. Why can't she travel to the island to marry Sir Bellinger? The answer to this question might not have anything to do with the weather at all: perhaps, deep down, she knows that she can do a lot better.

This wonderfully charming film from the Powell and Pressburger team is probably their most underrated great work: the most recent "Sight and Sound Critics Poll" of British films didn't even include this gem in the top 100. If it means anything, "Trainspotting" was in the top 10.

What elevates the film beyond other light-hearted romances is chiefly the impeccable acting and tight screenplay by Emeric Pressburger, probably the greatest English screenwriter to have ever lived. This might be generic laudation to any film, but by no means is Wendy Hiller's performance generic. As the young gold-digger-type woman, Hiller is slightly bewildered at being sidetracked to the Scottish natives, but she is much more fluxed when she realizes she is falling for a common Scotsman, and not the rich lord she envisioned. So what is the reaction to this bafflement? A fierce sense of panic that is very honest in its depiction of desperation. It might be puzzling to the viewer why our heroine should seek royalty so vehemently, but because of Hiller's expert frenzied facial tics, we see her slowly realize her ridiculousness herself. In an age where critics desire constant plausibility and "believability" in romances, Pressburger reminds us that attraction is something that can largely be out of our control. Hiller's character, an obsessive control freak, is the perfect example of one who cannot comprehend this fact.

The perfect foil for Hiller's hysteria, of course, is Rover Livesey's soft-spoken Torquil Macneil. Before Ashton Kucher-like effete twigs came to dominate on-screen masculinity (or Vin Diesel-like muscle-studded goons on the other extreme), the quiet dignity and charisma of a man like Livesey could light up a screen without any histrionics or wrestling moves. Those still looking for romantic realism will recognize that like Hiller's character, Livesey is just as strong-willed, and more importantly, is a match in wits and a counterbalance in earnest, world-weary personality. Their mutual attraction is perfectly played out in the strangely electric silences as much as the dialogue.

But the performances enhance what is already a remarkable script. The very basic premise of the love story can be read by many other astute reviewers on this website who also see the merits of this film. Powell and Pressburger have always been smart enough to embed their love stories with some heavy ideas: in "The Red Shoes," it was love vs. art; in "I Know Where I'm Going!" it is love vs. money. Sounds simple enough, but unlike other romances, these filmmakers can glean insights on the definition of poverty. While primitive (the one phone in town is at the post office) and poor (the staff in charge there can't break change for a pound), the villagers are portrayed affectionately with class, dignity, and culture, especially in a wonderful dance scene that seems to affectionately embody both a small community's close familiarity with one another, as well as the drunken festival spirit. Like Livesey's character says at one point in the film, "They aren't poor, they just haven't got any money." It's a succinct but revealing statement about the human condition in a time where money did not necessarily determine one's social class because of many other admirable factors. Contrast this cultural milieu with a film like "8 Mile," in which the characters are "real" if they are from the "streets" or living with trailer trash parents, and "phony" if they have an education from a private school, and you can see how our self-important attitudes are progressing.

Lastly, I must mention that this is one of the most exquisitely photographed black and white films I have ever seen, and the Criterion remastering does the film ample justice. I have been harping on the merits of the high-mindedness of Pressburger, but the appropriate plaudits must be dealt for Powell's emotionally expressive vistas that equal his achievements in "The Edge of the World." From the craggy peaks of the highest cliffs or the frothy waves of every bank, the film's mystic sense of ambiance is drawn by a foggy mist that pervades most scenes. For once, grand scenery doesn't dwarf the characters; every picturesque shot either captures the characters in the beauty of the element, or is intended as a complement to the characters' emotions. It's a great film.

It's really "It Happened One Night" -- spoiled girl, on the way to wed her rich fiance, is escorted by a younger man and falls in love with him -- but it's so much more. Powell's and Pressburger's imaginations are boundless. They create characters who are lovable eccentrics, but believable. They shift tone effortlessly from comedy to thriller to travelogue to romance and back again. They employ every resource of cinema, without being showy about it: watch the camera tricks in the first ten minutes alone. They fill the movie with diversions that have little to do with the plot but create a beautifully picaresque atmosphere.

I don't know of any other movie that is so inconsequential on the face of it, yet packs such an enormous emotional wallop. Ostensibly an assembly-line romantic comedy, it's really about spiritual growth, opening yourself to all sorts of new experiences and learning to see things from others' points of view. It's whimsical, but not thin. With its moody photography, wonderful musical score, and numerous coups de cinema, it lingers in your memory months after you've seen it. And the ending is one of the most satisfying in all the movies.

One minor complaint: Hiller is a tad too steely in the beginning, too crisp, too calculating-actress-playing-calculating-character. As she succumbs to the charms of her surroundings and her leading man, though, she's bewitching. And Livesey has one of the most beautiful speaking voices you'll ever hear. Their chemistry is terrific. And when he recites a Celtic poem ending in, "you're the one for me," and looks right at her, it's quite sexy.

There's no other movie quite like it. And I defy anyone to see it on a date and not fall in love with his/her vis-a-vis.

If I could take only one movie with me to a desert island, this would be it. Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey are so vibrant and every scene is a joy to watch.

Part of the chemistry is that Hiller is assertive and on top of everything and Livesey is more vulnerable and searching -- she resists him and he reaches out to her -- I think of Virginia Woolf's line about how the sexiest thing is if a woman is "man-womanly" and a man is "woman-manly."

My favorite moment comes early on, when Hiller says, about the eccentric colonel, "He's an odd one, isn't he," and Livesey responds, "Who isn't." There's so much feeling and humanity in how he says this -- so much depth -- I fall in love with his character and this movie every time.

I had wanted to see this film for many years; ever since hearing Martin Scorsese say words to the effect that he'd thought he'd seen every great film in existence, until he saw Powell and Pressburger's "I Know Where I'm Going" (1945). A classic of English cinema and a longtime critics' darling, this tale of an English lass who is trapped on the isle of Mull by bad weather whilst en route to be married on another Hebrides isle certainly does have much to offer, but still, I had a major problem with it; namely, the superthick Scotch burrs being sported by most of the characters. To these NYC ears, much of the dialogue in "IKWIG" was extremely hard to decipher, although I was able to acclimate a bit as the film wore on. But when the characters would lapse into the pure Gaelic on occasion...fuggedaboudit! As mentioned, though, there IS much to enjoy here. The b&w photography is extremely beautiful (and nicely captured on this crisp Criterion DVD); Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey make charming leads; there is much Scotch mysticism in the film (not to mention Scotch mist); and we are also treated to one thrilling action sequence, as Hiller and Livesey attempt an escape from the island in the midst of a raging gale and come close to having their small craft wrecked in a whirlpool. For me, this is a film that will most likely improve with repeated viewings. And next time, I'll have looked up the word "ceilidh" before watching this offbeat charmer.

I take this down once a year and watch it as it delights me on so many different levels.

I love the character portrayed by Wendy Hiller, an independent woman, confident of the direction of her life, the wealthy husband she has selected, the wedding just around the corner.

Then her plans start to unravel as an impoverished laird walks into her life and it is never the same again. Roger Livesey is wonderful in this also and the location shooting in Scotland, even though B & W, is breathtaking. The music, particularly "My Nut Brown Maiden" is beautifully done along with the old ceilidh dancing.

Some wonderful bit parts also. Loved Petula Clark as an eccentric child. Trivia lovers: I had read that Roger and Wendy were not physically together throughout the making of this movie. In all of the shots of them together, body doubles and reaction shots were used. I have viewed it in the light of this knowledge and it could be true.

Also, for those of you from across the pond and of an older vintage, Roger Livesey played Doctor Dale for years in the BBC's "Mrs. Dale's Diary".

I gave it a 9 out of 10. Certain movies are just "Satisfying" and this is one of them.

Wendy Hiller is the headstrong bank manager's daughter who during the war engineers a marriage with an older, wealthy man she clearly doesn't love. He's arranged an expensive wedding at his expense on the fictional Scottish island of Killoran where he is awaiting her arrival for the ceremony. On the rail journey north however she encounters a charming middle-aged Scotsman closer to her own age who she learns is actually the laird of the island on leave from army service and who has rented out his home to her waiting fiancé for the rich man's wedding.

However, circumstances bring the laird and the bride-to-be increasingly together where a mutual attraction unsurprisingly develops as well as placing her into situations where she meets, observes and interacts with the island populace and learns that money as well as not being everything in life, certainly can't buy you love. A Highland ceilidh, an old castle curse and a gathering typhoon at sea are important plot points along the way before Hiller's Joan Webster must decide whether to follow her head or heart to find lasting happiness.

This is a charming, if quaint early production by Powell and Pressburger and even if there is a healthy dollop of cliche and sentimentality in the plotting and some of the characterisations, their joint skills in story-telling, scene-setting, cinematography and coaxing fine performances by their cast carry them through.

I like that neither Hiller or her romantic interest Roger Livesey are in the first flush of youth which helps ground the movie and stops it flying away into greetings card banality. Some of the location shots make too obvious use of back projection work especially during the climactic storm scene but elsewhere the camera catches the Western Isles in all their native, rugged beauty.

Besides Livesey and Hiller's strong leads I liked Pamela Brown as island girl Catriona who is wise beyond her years and 60's music fans should watch out for Petula "Downtown" Clark in one of her early child-actor roles as Cheril. The Archers would go onto even better things from here especially when they added colour to their palette but they too obviously knew where they were going and this likeable film proves it.

I love it that this page is as full as a cornucopia with praise from fans of "I Know Where I'm Going."

In the same way that it is delightful for a movie fan to discover this little-known, black-and-white, Powell and Pressburger romance, it is also delightful to encounter other fans of the movie here.

"I Know Where I'm Going" is a quiet and adorable movie. It gives you a Scotland that really exists; if you aren't lucky enough to visit someday, you can visit by slipping into your jammies, brewing up some tea, putting out all the lights, and watching this movie.

Star Wendy Hiller was memorable, when she was younger, for her Eliza Doolittle, opposite Leslie Howard's Henry Higgins. When she was a bit older, she played Paul Scofield's / St. Thomas More's wife in "A Man for All Seasons."

Here Hiller plays Joan, a driven golddigger who is given pause for thought by a less-than-wealthy but highly noble Scottish Laird, Roger Livesy, whom she can't escape from when a gale postpones her marriage, which was scheduled to occur on an isolated island.

Joan's groom was to be a nouveau riche industrialist, who is renting the island, and who happens to be old enough to be her father. As Joan's scandalized father himself points out.

The DVD notes tell you what this movie had to say about war-time Britain, about Winston Churchill's being kicked out of office, about rationing and the loss of empire.

But ... enough of all that. This is a love story, the love story of the characters on the screen, and the love of its fans for this movie. Watching "I Know Where I'm Going" induces an atmosphere of coziness, tradition, mystery, tartan wool and fierce storms, of both the meteorological *and* cardiac varieties.

Enjoy the love story, the Scottish burrs, the rafter folklore, the golden eagle, the lead couple's first kiss, the wolfhounds silhouetted against the mist.

My only regret is that this film is so short ... I wish I could recommend another film as a double feature to fill in the afterglow this film induces... but what? "Brigadoon," a Hollywood musical about a mystical Scottish village, is too heavy-handed in comparison. Disney's "Thomasina" is sweet, but maybe too sweet.

Let's face it ... they don't make enough movies like "I Know Where I'm Going." Sweet but dry as scotch; scratchy as thistle. Mystical as an ancestral curse but clear-eyed as the first clear day after a storm breaks. How many romantic comedies ask you if you know how to skin a rabbit, and then show you a golden eagle eating one, quite graphically, on camera?

Sigh. All I can say is, I envy those who haven't seen this movie yet. You have a real pleasure ahead of you.

Two things, though, you should watch for:

(1) Our first glimpse of Scotland comes as part of the heroine's queer dream on the train: we see a series of friendly rounded hills, all made out of tartan. It's a lovely image. It's also our first hint that our heroine has even the tiniest bit of romanticism about her. It later takes every force of man and nature in the real Scotland to bring it out.

(2) The locals she stays with are a nice bunch. They're not cloyingly sweet; but Powell and Pressburger don't present us with insularity and narrow-mindedness as if such traits are meant to be endearing, in the way that so many hymns of praise to small communities do. Anyway: watch for the cameo given to Petula Clark, that young girl with glasses. She only gets a few lines, but it's a great part.

This is only the second Powell/Pressburger film I've seen (and only the fourth film of Powell's). I'm impressed. Are they all this good?

"Madame de ..." (1953, Max Ophuls) is about the marriage of a woman with a much older man. In "I know where I am going" a woman is about to enter in just such a marriage. Although the marriage has yet to take place, it will certainly happen. After all the bride knows where she is going c.q. what she is doing. The intro of the film showed us some examples of her determination at an early age.

The fun of the rest of the movie is that it shows us that the lady in question is far less sure of her real motivations than she thinks she is. Confronted with the mythical character of Scotland and the headstrong character of the Scots, her initial boldness crumbles down.

The confrontation between the Scots and the prospective bride contains a (not so well) hidden message. The intro of the film showed us not only the determination of the female but also her materialistic attitude. In the confrontation with the much more social (and philosophical) attitudes of the Scots it is obvious where the sympathy of the directors lies.

"I know where I am going" was for Powell and Pressburger an "in between movie" (just like "A Canterbury tale" (1944)), waiting for color filmstock to realise more ambitious projects like "Black narcissus" (1947) and "The red shoes" (1948). Apart from a warning against excessive materialism, "I know where I am going" is also a "love letter" to Scotland (the black and white images are really beautiful), just like "A Canterbury tale" was a love letter to Kent.

It's a shame that so few people have seen this gem of a movie during the last half century, as it is a little masterpiece, perfectly honed and crafted, without an unnecessary scene or line of dialogue. This is the kind of neglected film you dream about discovering, but so rarely do. Of all the celebrated productions given the world by the multi-talented team of Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, this is the one that should stand as their monument.

The story, in its very bare bones is this: a stubborn & headstrong young woman of Manchester travels to Scotland's Inner Hebrides to marry her very rich fiancé on the remote island he's rented. Foul weather strands her on the Isle of Mull where she meets a rather dashing, if somewhat penniless, laird. Then...you'll have to see the rest for yourself. Suffice it to say that the plot includes a ruined castle, an ancient curse, and the terrifying whirlpool of Corryvreckan...

Dame Wendy Hiller & Roger Livesey are perfect as the main characters. The excellent supporting cast includes Walter Hudd as a highly efficient private secretary, Finlay Currie as a craggy old fisherman, Capt. C. W. R. Knight, F.Z.S. as an eccentric English colonel with a passion for raptors, Pamela Brown as a no-nonsense Islander, gentle Jean Cadell as the Tobermory postmistress, Catherine Lacey & Valentine Dyall as a slightly boorish English couple tenanting a large castle, young Petula Clark as their serious little daughter, Nancy Price as an elderly aristocratic Scotswoman with wonderful memories & John Laurie as a boisterous soldier celebrating his parents' Diamond Anniversary.

The splendid Glasgow Orpheus Choir appears as performers at the Campbell Céilidh. The production is greatly enhanced by location filming on Mull, and Erwin Hillier's special photographic effects.

I have rated north of 40,000 movies on the IMDb. Of those, about a thousand have a 10 rating from me. Some caught me in just the right mood; some pushed my particular buttons; some were the first time I saw something done, or done right. A very few of those, probably less than 20, continue to captivate me no matter how many times I see them: Kurosawa's SANJURO; Lang's M; Zinneman's THE DAY OF THE JACKAL; Hill's THE STING... and this movie.

It may not be your perfect movie, and it may not even be a good movie so far as you're concerned, but for me, it's one of those miracles in which everything works, from Allan Gray's peerlessly romantic score, to the telephone booth by the waterfall, a place at the end of the world where two strangers may meet by chance and fall in love, not because they are so attractive or admirable, or lust for each other, or even think the same way, but because they must.

My, that sentence went on! It was way too complicated to take in properly, wasn't it? That's how I feel about this movie. Which is why I can look at it two or three times a year.

I love old movies, old British movies, movies with Wendy Hiller...but this one isn't all it's cracked up to be. The set-up is fun and the direction is good, but Wendy Hiller is charmless and shrill. She also seems about ten years too old for her role, which is a problem since other characters are supposedly looking askance at her marrying an older man. I didn't sense any chemistry between her and the leading man, who was charming, which made the whole romance rather mystifying. It seems taken for granted that he's supposed to fall in love with her, because...why? There are other more fetching female characters in the story--ones that aren't materialistic, arrogant, selfish...

Whenever I am asked what my favorite movie of all time is, I laugh and say it's an impossible question, but if pressed, I usually say it's I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING. I never, ever tire of watching this movie. It is a beautiful picture in every way. On the one hand, it is perfectly crafted with extraordinary visuals ("a new visual trick every minute," said Powell), and on the other, the story is a gem of romanticism.

The movie is ultimately about Wendy Hiller's character coming to terms with her emotions, with her romanticism, with the idea that love is something one cannot and should not control, and that the greatest thing about love is allowing it to wash over you and transform you. Hiller is transformed, and the process is a miraculous sight to behold. You will be transformed, too. The movie gets you to experience the process of falling in love, and it does so through a magnificent story and acting, and directing choices which especially use the Hebrides landscape to sort of cast a spell on the characters and on you. The landscape is one of the most special elements of this picture. See how carefully Hiller's train journey is presented..... it's like she's being transported to another world, a powerful world of romanticism and emotion.

On the surface, there is not much "plot" to this picture. But underneath, there is so much going on that the movie is tremendously engaging on an emotional level. It also contains what I think is the greatest, most joyous movie wedding of all time!

This film is a lot of fun. Made in 1945 it concerns a young woman who decides to marry a very wealthy man, who is also a lot older than her, on a remote island in the Western Isles of Scotland. However on the way she is stranded by bad weather in a remote Scottish village.

It's a film which you kind of know already how it's going to end, but is made with such charm that it doesn't matter. The Scottish scenery is beautiful and the whole thing is directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a brilliantly light touch. Some of the actors don't really convince as Scots, but that's a small gripe. There are also a few too many Scottish stereotypes, but again that doesn't really matter. The film is fun and charming and has some great scenes, especially the whirlpool sequences.

It may have been a time-filler project for Powell and Pressburger, who were waiting for access to Technicolor cameras they needed for A Matter of Life and Death, but "I Know Where I'm Going!" is no throwaway quickie. In fact, it's an important step in their evolution from crafters of taut wartime thrillers to creators of fantastical dream worlds. Here, they broaden their horizons by actually inventing their own legends as a backdrop for a standard, yet very tender romance.

One of the reasons the Archers made such consistently strong pictures was that both Powell and Pressburger absolutely understood each other's roles. Although Pressburger was the writer and Powell the director, they dabbled enough in each other's work to give themselves joint credit. Powell understood, in ways some other directors fail to, that his job was to serve the screenplay and bring out the essence of the story without overshadowing the material with "director's ego". Powell was by his nature a showy director, and this actually spoils some of his pre-Archers material. By now he had learnt to rein in his visual razzmatazz in a little, and employ it where it would be most effective.

In this film, the more obtrusive end of Powell's directorial style is mostly confined to the introductory scenes. As the script calls for a voice-over to introduce the heroine of the story, Powell's camera also "speaks" directly to the audience with some attention-grabbing whip-pans, drawing us towards the subject. Later, once the story proper begins in Scotland, the simplicity of the natural beauty and subtle love story are allowed to takeover. Once or twice Powell does go too far however, for example surrounding Wendy Hiller with a whirlpool of superimposed images – portraying her turmoil in a far too literal way. Powell was quite capable of getting the same effect from framing and staging, not to mention the abilities of the actors.

When Powell relies upon more straightforward constructions he is superb. After the introduction has bluntly revealed to us that Hiller's character is confident and headstrong – the story then proceeds to reverse that image and show her a fish out of water amongst the earthy highland folk. This is not directly conveyed in the script, but Powell shows it by framing her separately in group scenes, or sometimes dwarfed amongst them. He deftly shows the blossoming romance between Hiller and Livesy by first showing them in mid-shot, then gradually introducing a few well-timed close-ups and expressive lighting as their feelings grow. Pressburger's characters tend to speak the bare facts without revealing their thoughts. It is up to Powell and the cast to supply the true emotional content.

Speaking of cast, another strength of the Archers partnership was that in virtually all their pictures there is no a weak link among the performers. They seem to have selected actors for what they could uniquely bring to a role, often casting against type to give a fresh feel to what were very often stock characters. The players, perhaps grateful for the change, tended to turn in good performances as a result. Powell also had a talent for spotting the lead actor in the bit player, and the supporting actor in the non-professional – an example of that here being Esmond Knight's uncle and real-life falconer as Colonel Barnstaple. The real standout however is Pamela Brown who brings the necessary depth to her small yet pivotal role.

Somewhere along the line the script for "I Know Where I'm Going!" ended up at Paramount studios where it was used as an example to struggling writers of a perfect screenplay. And it really is that rare thing. By creating its own mythology – the Corryvreckan legend and the Curse of the MacNeils – it enhances the fairytale aspect of the romance, without totally divorcing it from reality. It's a fairly short film because there is no unnecessary material, and the structure is expertly balanced. Furthermore it allows for directorial interpretation without being too vague. A smaller, less colourful entry in the Archers' canon, yet nevertheless one of their best.

I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING has lots of Scottish atmosphere so that you can almost feel the cold dampness of the highlands, the mists, the wind, the raging surf, the cosy inns before the fire--yes, all that is present but the plot is a slight thread of a romance between a headstrong girl (WENDY HILLER) and a handsome sea captain (ROGER LIVESEY). Their romance is kindled when she's unable to cross the sea to an island where she's supposed to meet her fiancé, a wealthy older man whom she's arranged to wed.

Unfortunately, Hiller's character is rather prim, proper and headstrong, trying hard not to be conflicted about her marriage plans when she realizes she's attracted the eye of Livesey, a genial man who obviously enjoys her company and doesn't mind being stranded during what appears to be a squall that never ends. I kept thinking how much more enjoyable the film would have been with someone like DEBORAH KERR in Hiller's role, for although Hiller is a good character actress she lacks the warmth one would expect to come through at least midway through the story.

Livesey is charming enough in a romantic role but Hiller's character makes it unlikely that such a man is going to fall instantly in love with the dour girl who seems to be rebuffing all his advances until the very end.

I have to confess I missed much of the dialog, what with the Scottish or Gaelic accents being on the heavy side. I was hoping TCM would show it with subtitles so I could catch every word, but this was not the case for a film that really needed some captioning.

At any rate, having heard so much advance word about this one I was expecting a bit more in the way of satisfying romance or comedy/drama. Instead, I was annoyed by the male supporting characters (among them, FINLAY CURRIE) who added ethnic atmosphere but seemed to have no actual bearing on what little plot there was. PAMELA BROWN does a nice understated job as an inn owner and PETULA CLARK can be seen briefly as the rather precocious young girl with the glasses. All in all, a disappointment, considering that it comes from Powell and Pressburger.

If atmosphere is all it takes for you to enjoy a slender romance, this has it in spades.

Underneath its frothy 40's dialogue and old fashioned manners lies a seething mass of sexual tension symbolized by the natural elements within the film. The sea, the wind, animals and magic are all used to turn a traditional romance into something far more intriguing. Animals are regularly seen in human situations, dogs are found in armchairs and an eagle gouges a fox in a sitting room. The weather constantly interferes with communication the whole story is a journey halted by weather, even the one telephone in the village is positioned next to a deafening waterfall. For many reasons its a natural precursor to Black Narcissus and its wild howling wind reflecting female sexual frustration.

A really beautiful and individual film.

This was a surprising film with beautiful scenery and special effects that are ahead of its time. This movie will have you longing for a visit to Scotland and its charming people. The only draw back is that the film can be a bit preachy at times but it still works overall.