''Desperate Journey'' is a 1942 American

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

and

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...

film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

and Ronald Reagan. The supporting cast includes Raymond Massey,

Alan Hale Sr. Alan Hale Sr. (born Rufus Edward Mackahan; February 10, 1892 – January 22, 1950) was an American actor and director. He is best remembered for his many character roles, in particular as a frequent sidekick of Errol Flynn, as well as f ...

, and Arthur Kennedy. The melodramatic film featured a group of downed

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

airmen making their way out of the Third Reich, often with their fists. Director Raoul Walsh called it "a war comedy spiced with enough tragedy to give it reality... beyond doubt the forerunner for '' Hogan's Heroes''."

Plot

Assigned to bomb a critical German railway junction at Schneidemühl, Flight Lt. Terrence Forbes presses home an attack at low altitude, and his bomber is shot down near the former Polish border. The five survivors—Forbes, American Flying Officer Johnny Hammond, Flight Sgt. Kirk Edwards, Flying Officer Jed Forrest, and the injured Flight Sgt. Lloyd Hollis—are quickly captured by the Germans. Interviewed by Major Otto Baumeister, Hammond creates a distraction by pretending to explain their bomber's technology in

technobabble Technobabble (a portmanteau of ''technology'' and ''babble''), also called technospeak, is a type of nonsense that consists of buzzwords, esoteric language, or technical jargon. It is common in science fiction. See also * Academese * Bullshi ...

double-talk Double-talk is a form of speech in which inappropriate, invented, or nonsense words are interpolated into normal speech to give the appearance of knowledge, and thus confuse or amuse the audience. Vaudevillian Cliff Nazarro, for instance, would s ...

; then he suddenly knocks the major unconscious. Forbes then subdues the other soldiers and the group searches the major's office. They find papers showing a hidden Messerschmitt aircraft factory, and determine to get them to England. Setting out on their dangerous trip across enemy territory, they attack a patrol to obtain German uniforms, then sneak onto a hospital train heading for

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. Conveniently, Reichsmarschall Göring's private car is in the train, being transported for maintenance; they hide in the empty car, helping themselves to luxuries. Just before reaching Berlin, they are found in the car and thrown off the train; but this enables them to avoid Baumeister, who has traveled by air to overtake it. They hide in an abandoned Berlin building, but while scouting for food, they see an important chemical plant and decide to sabotage it so they will do some damage to the enemy even if they cannot get the documents to England. As they are getting away, there is a gun battle and Hollis is wounded again. They happen on a member of the underground, Kaethe Brahms, who takes them to a doctor, but Hollis dies. Brahms advises the crew to cross the country to

Münster Münster (; nds, Mönster) is an independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a state di ...

, where her parents are also resistance members and can help them escape Germany. With Baumeister on their trail, the men reach the Brahms house, but it is a trap: Kaethe's parents have been captured and Gestapo members are impersonating them. When Kaethe arrives, the ruse is exposed. The crew members manage to escape over the roofs, but Edwards is shot and falls to his death. Kaethe rejects an offer to accompany the men to England; the underground has more work to do. The others steal Baumeister's car and cross into the

German-occupied Netherlands Despite Dutch neutrality, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 as part of Fall Gelb (Case Yellow). On 15 May 1940, one day after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch forces surrendered. The Dutch government and the royal family re ...

as he pursues in another car. Finally they run out of petrol, but when they see a petrol tanker stop nearby, they find a captured British Hudson bomber, concealed there, that is being prepared for an attack on England. They overpower the flight crew and steal it, but Forrest is shot. They use the airplane's guns to blast their way past the soldiers on the ground, killing many of them, including Baumeister. After takeoff, on their way to the English Channel, Hammond releases the bomb aboard, destroying a German base. As they reach safety, Forbes and Hammond learn that Forrest will recover from his wounds.

Cast

as Flight Lt. Terrence Forbes * Ronald Reagan as Flying Officer Johnny Hammond *

Nancy Coleman Nancy Coleman (December 30, 1912 – January 18, 2000) was an American film, stage, television and radio actress. After working on radio and appearing on the Broadway stage, Nancy Coleman moved to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. studios. Ea ...

as Kaethe Brahms * Raymond Massey as Major Otto Baumeister *

as Flight Sgt. Kirk Edwards * Arthur Kennedy as Flying Officer Jed Forrest *

Ronald Sinclair Ronald Sinclair (21 January 1924 – 22 November 1992), born Richard Arthur Hould and sometimes credited as Ra Hould or Ron Sinclair, was a child actor from New Zealand, turned film editor. Early years Sinclair was the son of Arthur Hould and ...

as Flight Sgt. Lloyd Hollis II *

Albert Bassermann Albert Bassermann (7 September 1867 – 15 May 1952) was a German stage and screen actor. He was considered to be one of the greatest German-speaking actors of his generation and received the famous Iffland-Ring. He was married to Elsa Sch ...

as Dr. Mather *

Sig Ruman Siegfried Carl Alban Rumann (October 11, 1884 – February 14, 1967), billed as Sig Ruman and Sig Rumann, was a German-American character actor known for his portrayals of pompous and often stereotypically Teutonic officials or villains i ...

as Preuss *

Patrick O'Moore Patrick O'Moore (1909–1983) was an Irish actor who appeared in a variety of American films and television shows. Keaney p.445 A character actor, he appeared in a number of Hollywood's British-themed films during the 1940s and 1950s. Selected fi ...

as Squadron Leader Lane-Ferris *

Felix Basch Felix Basch (1885–1944) was an American-Austrian actor, screenwriter and film director. He first acted in Vienna, and he was a producer and director for the German film production company UFA GmbH, U. F. A. Following the Nazi takeover of powe ...

as Hermann Brahms *

Ilka Grüning Ilka Grüning (born Ilka Henriette Grunzweig; 4 September 1876 – 11 November 1964) was an Austrian-Hungarian actress. Born in Vienna in the old Austrian-Hungarian Empire, she was one of many Jewish actors and actresses that were forced to fle ...

as Frau Brahms *

Elsa Bassermann Elsa Bassermann (born Elsa Sarah Schiff; January 14, 1878 – May 30, 1961) was a German screenwriter, stage and film actress. She was married to Albert Bassermann and often acted with him. As she was Jewish the couple had to leave Nazi Germa ...

as Frau Raeder * Charles Irwin as Captain Coswick * Richard Fraser as Squadron Leader Clark * Robert O. Davis as Kruse *

Henry Victor Henry Victor (2 October 1892 – 15 March 1945) was an English-born character actor who had his highest profile in the film silent era, he appeared in numerous film roles in Britain, before emigrating to the US in 1939 where he continued ...

as Heinrich Schwarzmueller *

Bruce Lester Bruce Lester (6 June 1912 – 13 June 2008) was a South African-born English film actor with over 60 screen appearances to his credit between 1934 and his retirement from acting in 1958. Lester's career divided into two distinct periods. Betwe ...

as English Officer *

Lester Matthews Arthur Lester Matthews (6 June 1900 – 5 June 1975) was an English actor. In his career, the handsome Englishman made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was erroneously credited in later years as Les Matthews. Matthews pla ...

as Wing Commander *

Ludwig Hardt Ludwig Hardt (16 January 1886 – 6 March 1947) was a German actor. Private life In 1913 he became the second husband of the painter Emmy Gotzmann. Filmography References External links 1886 births 1947 deaths German male ac ...

as Pharmacist (uncredited)

Production

The film was originally known as ''Forced Landing''. It was written by Arthur Horman, who had done some uncredited work on the script for '' 49th Parallel'' (1941), notably scenes with Raymond Massey and Laurence Olivier. While there he came up with the idea for a film about six English pilots escaping through occupied Europe, the reverse situation of ''49th Parallel''.

Vincent Sherman Vincent Sherman (born Abraham Orovitz, July 16, 1906 – June 18, 2006) was an American director and actor who worked in Hollywood. His movies include ''Mr. Skeffington'' (1944), ''Nora Prentiss'' (1947), and '' The Young Philadelphians'' (1959). ...

was considered to direct; he wrote to

Hal Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing ''Casablanca'' (1942), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and '' True Grit'' (1969), along wi ...

saying he loved the central concept and thought the basic idea was good but "its greatest weakness was it didn't have a story...once the men make their first escape you could very easily leave out every following sequence and simply go to the end without losing anything in so far as story is concerned". Sherman was replaced as director by Raoul Walsh and the title changed to ''Desperate Journey''.

was meant to make '' Gentleman Jim'' for the studio but they postponed it so he could star in ''Desperate Journey'' instead. The movie was rushed into production in order to take advantage of America's recent entry into the war, which meant the problems in the script identified by Sherman were never really fixed. Prior to and during filming, uncredited work on the script was done by Julius and Philip Epstein. Director Raoul Walsh said "they have added a little zip to the script" and asked for them to keep working on it from a memo from Raoul Walsh to Hal Wallis dated February 13, 1942. Principal photography on ''Desperate Journey'' took place from late January-early April 1942, filmed at the Warner Bros. studio, Lake Sherwood (

Point Mugu Point Mugu (, Chumash: ''Muwu'') is a cape or promontory within Point Mugu State Park on the Pacific Coast in Ventura County, near the city of Port Hueneme and the city of Oxnard. The name is believed to be derived from the Chumash Indian term ...

and

Point Hueneme Point Hueneme Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the southeast entrance to the Santa Barbara Channel, in Ventura County, CaliforniaUSCG.html" ;"title="Paul J. Pelz, USCG">Paul J. Pelz, USCG photo Point Hueneme Light is a , buff-colored 1940 Art Deco ...

) and Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California backlots. Flying scenes were shot at the Van Nuys Metropolitan Airport. Warner Bros. was located in close proximity to the Lockheed aircraft plant, and was able to "borrow" a production

Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and p ...

bomber for the film that was already destined for RAF use. The other aircraft that is featured prominently in the film, mainly through a mock-up (shot on Warner's Sound Stage 16) and in model work, is the contemporary United States and RAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Ronald Reagan, an air force reservist before World War II, received his call for active service while the film was in production. While Warners lobbied the government for a 30-day extension, the US Army was only willing to offer two weeks, forcing Walsh to shoot scenes with Reagan out of sequence, and to use a double for some scenes. After beginning his film career, Reagan called himself the " B movie Errol Flynn", but in ''Desperate Journey'', he shared top billing with Flynn. He made the most out of the film's showcase scene, his fast-paced doubletalk in the interrogation by Massey. Flynn also lobbied intensely to get the scene but despite a closed-door shouting match with director Walsh, the producer insisted that no changes to the script would be accepted.Steinberg, Jay S
"Articles: 'Desperate Journey' (1942)".
''Turner Classic Movies.'' Retrieved: October 23, 2022. Fresh from his acclaimed effort in ''

Kings Row ''Kings Row'' is a 1942 film starring Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Field that tells a story of young people growing up in a small American town at the turn of the twentieth century. The picture was directed by Sam Wood ...

'' (1942), Reagan was at the high point of his career, making the transition from supporting to lead actor in studio features, and about to sign a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. In post-war years, Reagan's Hollywood career would never regain the same momentum before he was called up for duty. During production, Flynn's February 1942 draft board physical revealed the presence of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

in his right lung. Unwilling to face an extended unpaid layoff, Flynn hid his condition from Warners. Between his illness and Walsh's exacting schedule, as the shoot progressed, Flynn dropped to 165 pounds. His wardrobe first was refitted, and then ultimately padded. Due to illness, Flynn was often late.

Reception

The film had its world premiere in Libertyville, Illinois, in a special screening to raise money for war bonds.

Box office

''Desperate Journey'' went on to gross $2 million for Warners Bros., the third Flynn film of that year to reach that coveted mark, according to ''Variety''. Studio bosses were aware the film was being screened during Flynn's rape trial, yet the negative publicity actually enhanced ticket sales.Thomas et al. 1969, p. 114. According to Warner Bros records, the film earned $2,029,000 domestically and $1,951,000 foreign.

Critical reaction

Despite its popularity at the box office, critical reviews were not positive.

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' characterized the plot as basically similar to other, much better recent films, ''

Target for Tonight ''Target for Tonight'' (or ''Target for To-Night'') is a 1941 British World War II documentary film billed as filmed and acted by the Royal Air Force, all during wartime operations. It was directed by Harry Watt for the Crown Film Unit. The fi ...

'' (1941) and '' Man Hunt'' (1941).Orriss 1994, p. 57. His review centered on the frenzy of the action. "And such hair-raising, side-splitting adventures as they have in a wild-goose trek across Germany — such slugging of guards and Raymond Massey, such chases and incidental sabotage you'll not see this side of the comics, or possibly an old-time Western film." ''Filmink'' magazine said that "It’s all done very much in Biggles mode, making the war seem like a game (several of the crew die, but it’s similar to losing points in a video game)."

Awards

''Desperate Journey'' was nominated for the

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for Best Special Effects (

Byron Haskin Byron Conrad Haskin (April 22, 1899 – April 16, 1984) was an American film and television director, special effects creator and cinematographer. He is best known for directing '' The War of the Worlds'' (1953), one of many films where he ...

and

Nathan Levinson Nathan Levinson (July 15, 1888 – October 18, 1952) was an American sound engineer. He won an Oscar in the category Sound Recording for the film ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' and was nominated for 16 more in the same category. He was also nominat ...

) at the

15th Academy Awards The 15th Academy Awards was held in the Cocoanut Grove at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on March 4, 1943, honoring the films of 1942. The ceremony is most famous for the speech by Greer Garson; accepting the award for Best Actress, Gar ...

."Nominees and Winners: The 15th Academy Awards (1943)."
''oscars.org,'' May 22, 2013.

Home media

''Desperate Journey'' was released on VHS Home Video in 1994. In the USA, the film is issued as part of the ''TCM Spotlight: Errol Flynn Adventures Collection'', Volume 2 (2010).Hasan, Mark R

''DVDs on Film'', 2010. Retrieved: July 14, 2014. In 2020, a new, separate DVD release was done under the Warner Bros. Archive Collection series.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Aylesworth, Thomas G. ''The Best of Warner Bros.'' London: Bison Books, 1986. . * Beck, Simon D. ''The Aircraft-Spotter's Film and Television Companion''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, 2016. . * Behlmer, Rudy. ''Inside Warner Brothers, 1935-51''. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1987. . * Maltin, Leonard. ''Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia''. New York: Dutton, 1994. . * McClelland, Doug. ''The Golden Age of B Movies''. New York: Bonanza Publishing, 1978. . * Orriss, Bruce. ''When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II''. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. . * Reagan, Ronald. ''An American Life: The Autobiography''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990. . * Thomas, Tony, Rudy Behlmer and Clifford McCarty. ''The Films of Errol Flynn''. New York: Citadel Press, 1969. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

*
Desperate Journey
at

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of At ...

* *
Review
at Variety {{Raoul Walsh 1942 films American war drama films 1940s war drama films American aviation films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films scored by Max Steiner Films about Nazi Germany Films about shot-down aviators Films directed by Raoul Walsh Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Films set in England Films set in Germany Warner Bros. films World War II aviation films World War II films made in wartime 1942 drama films