Le voyage

"The Journey" is a romantic version of the cold war. It's about an English woman (Deborah Kerr) trying to smuggle her former love, a Hungarian scientist (Jason Robards, Jr.), out of Hungary during the Hungary Revolt in 1956. She's on board a bus with thirteen other international people who are trying to get out of Hungary through the Austrian border.

Of course, the bus gets stopped by the Russians for a security check. The Russian officer-in-charge (Yul Brynner) becomes attracted to the English woman (Deborah Kerr)and delays the trip. Of course, the Russian officer knows the truth about the Hungarian scientist posing as a British citizen, but he decides not to arrest the scientist because he is waiting for the English woman to come to him. Of course, this all sounds absurd, but it is a fun movie to watch. Despite the romantic flow of dialogue between Mr. Brynner and Ms. Kerr, which seems inappropriate in the situation that they are in, the movie becomes suspenseful and interesting. The good acting overrides some of the silly dialogue. Perhaps, some people involved in the Hungarian Revolt would not appreciate this movie; they would consider it a piece of fluff.

This is my favorite Yul Brynner role. He speaks with his own, masculine voice and is very attractive, especially when he becomes vulnerable. This is Deborah Kerr's second time working with Yul Brynner since they made "The King and I" in 1956. They make a very attractive couple. Too bad they never worked again. This was the second sexy role Ms. Kerr took since "From Here to Eternity". Despite the fact that Ms. Kerr was wearing heavy winter clothes throughout the movie, she was very beautiful and sensual.

The fine supporting cast was headed by Jason Robards, Jr., in his first film role. Some of the international cast were recognizable, like for instance, Robert Morley from England. However, the rest of the actors, I have never seen before or since, were just great in the movie. In the background, it was fun to see Senta Berger, as one of the maids, speak a few lines of Hungarian. A few years later in 1966, she was in a movie, "Cast a Giant Shadow", with Yul Brynner as his leading lady. She is still working today.

I originally spotted this on TCM, and when I started watching, thought it would be a fairly typical technicolor star-studed vehicle common in hollywood of the 50s and 60s.

It is that, surely, but it's also something better. It's got that poetic, "writers' dialogue" that comes from literature and plays, where the characters expound on life. Often that sort of thing gets clunky and pained, but here it works. Another minor delight -- the detailed direction of how people act, making sure to fill in all the details of how real people behave in common situations, like soldiers serving their booze to their major who intrudes in their barracks revelry, and many others. Or how often the numerous russian soldiers and occupiers speak without translation, because, with the audience in the shoes of the foreign tourists, we wouldn't understand Russian dialogue either.

Yes, it's undeniable -- yul brynner's character of the war-weary russian major with the heart of gold is treated like a necessity, and despite how strongly acted and overacted, it weakens the tone of menacing discomfort of cold war life for foreigners accused of violations against the state. Hence, all the suspected prisoners are treated with kid gloves, even the proven revolutionary played by newcomer jason robards is treated like a gentleman from another mythical era where foreign spies are not abused.

Visually, it's beautiful and bright with no shortage of gray weather common to the Hungary-ish locales of Vienna and nearby Austria.

This movie isn't a classic nor must-see. But it's better than most might suspect, and a fun yet thoughtful spy adventure romp on a cold gray afternoon on the couch. Have a shot of vodka while you watch it, since almost everyone in the movie do. And please try to remember that much of the smirk-worthy dialogue about political events was no laughing matter in 1959.

Whatever the inspiration for this story (the aforementioned Blixen reference is fascinating), as a movie it's maybe the best Cold War drama I've ever seen. Like "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," "The Journey" transcends its genre. The basic plot is about the personal empathy between men and women, some ordinary, some extraordinary, and how it prevails when confronted by political hostility and cultural dislocation. Nevertheless, this is a tragedy, with a final irony that is completely unexpected.

I have seen several Yul Brynner films--yet this is his best performance as the camera captures his emotions in close up as he snarls, smiles, and laughs. Brynner might have been equally arresting in Ten Commandments, Taras Bulba, The Magnificent Seven, The Brother Karamazov and the Mad Woman of Chaillot but none of these films have captured his range of talent in close ups as in this one. He is arresting and tantalizing to watch in every shot.

Equally fascinating and sexy, without removing her clothes, is Deborah Kerr. The script allows her to exude a sensuality that is not visual but suggestive--she reprised this sort of role years later in The Night of Iguana. The film does not suggest that she slept with anyone to help with the release of the group from the clutches of the Russians in fact she is shown as running away from the Russian Major (in contrast to the Maupassant story or the Isak Denisen story). Yet the film bursts with suggested but real physical allure of the Kerr character.

Kerr can never be classified as a beautiful actress in my view, but she is a superb actress. She puts her soul into dignifying the characters that she portrays, which often clashes with the spirit of the character. It is this contradiction that makes her roles in The journey, Quo Vadis, and The Night of Iguana memorable.

Why is this an unusual film? It is not easy in Hollywood to see Russian characters portrayed as good people--Dr Zhivago was an exception. Brynner's Romance of a Horse Thief was again great cinema by Abraham Polonsky but never acknowledged as such because of the intolerance towards Leftists in the post-McCarthy era.

The film is also unusual in its casting--great French actors Gerard Oury and Anouk Aimee--rub shoulders with Jason Robards Jr and British actor Robert Morley. In many ways the film is international than American. All four are great actors and add to the entertainment.

Those who have read Maupassant and Denisen's works will find the film is not true to either work. Yet the film can stand on its own as its sanitized (censored?) version has a dignified charm of its own--provided by the reality of the night that led to the release of the group. I think Litvak deserves to have the last laugh in providing an interesting and plausible twist to the tales that led to the making of the film, while entwining bits of both written tales (e.g. the last bus ride and the final kiss)

But I do have one grouse--why do Hollywood never acknowledge the sources that inspire the stories? Only recently (e.g., Insomnia) have the original works begun to be mentioned prominently in the credits.

The Hungarian Rebellion of 1956, fostered partly by bellicose rhetoric from the USA about 'rolling back the red tide' started and was left to wither without any support at all from the west, other than taking in refugees. I remember my third grade class taking in one such during the mid year. The satellite countries of Eastern Europe would have to wait until the Soviet Union collapsed for liberation. Then we always did not get what we'd like, for reference look at the former Yugoslavia.

The Journey is a film about a group of foreigners trapped within Hungary and seeking a way out. After being stuck in the Budapest Airport for a few days, the group is informed the Russians will provide transport to the Austrian border by bus. But one of the foreigners, a titled Englishwoman played by Deborah Kerr is traveling with Jason Robards, Jr., who is under an assumed name. Robards is Hungarian, a scientist and a supporter of the revolution.

They are stopped again near the border and detained in Kurt Kaszner's hotel while the Russians check on the passengers. Robards arouses Russian Major Yul Brynner's suspicions, but his hormones are aroused by Deborah Kerr.

Anatole Litvak who was Hungarian when he was handling the politics was on firm ground in The Journey. When he got into the romantic, sad to say he was hearkening back to his days in Hollywood when he directed a lot of romantic schmaltz. Try as I might I could not believe that Yul would be deterred in his duty, his character is a lot like Bounine the man he played in Anastasia, also directed by Litvak.

The characters of the passengers of the travelers is also interesting. Robert Morley was not playing for laughs as he does not do a John Bull type Englishman, but he's caring confidante for Kerr. I did like Anne Jackson, pregnant with two children traveling with her and her husband E.G. Marshall. Anne's character has a practical turn of mind and everyone should have been listening to her. Anouk Aimee is also good as a humorless and resolute Hungarian rebel.

And this review is dedicated to Veronica Laszlo wherever she is, the little girl who joined my third grade class way back in the day, when she fled Hungary. I hope she had a good life in America.