BS: What is this movie?

Subject: BS: What is this old b/w movie?
From: GUEST,Ian Pittaway
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 05:51 AM

I am looking for an old black and white movie I saw many, many moons ago, but I cannot remember what it called or who is in it! The premise is that a group of passengers on a ship are lost and apparently sailing adrift in thick fog. They are, unknown to them, set a series of tasks to test their character. The gentle person who seems to have the job of overseeing all these folks is a minister of religion. In the end we discover that they have all died before the main action of the film started. The minister is presumably, God, and the ship is, presumably, purgatory. This, maybe, doesn't sound such a great film put like this, but I fondly remember the gentleness and charm of the film and would love to track it down. Any clues, anyone?

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Torctgyd
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 08:48 AM

It's not the Hitchcock film Lifeboat is it? If I have seen it, it was a long time ago and can't remember if they all turned out to be dead>

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Grimmy
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 09:13 AM

It definitely sounds like Hitchcock's Lifeboat

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 10:15 AM

There are certain similarities between the film that Ian Pittaway describes and the Hitchcock film, but they are definitely not the same film. In the Hitchcock film, the leader is not a minister and not gentle, the hardships are not meant by him as a test of character, and the people are not dead (at the beginning). It's a grim realistic war film, not a charming fantasy.

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has a neat feature called a keyword search. You can search for a word such as "lifeboat" or "purgatory" and it comes up with a list of films that have that as a plot theme. You might try this.

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Torctgyd
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 10:36 AM

Tried that but nothing obvious came up, of the 19 references to lifeboat only 2 might fit the bill Eight Bells and Seven Waves Away

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 10:48 AM

I'm pretty sure it was by one of the Italian surrealists, but I can't name it. Good movie, though.

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 11:03 AM

One of may dear old Dad's favorites: Outward Bound.

As IMDb puts it:

Massive stage hit was an early talkie starring Leslie Howard as a man who finds himself on a ship that is "outward bound." Stunning dialog and beautiful cinematography help this allegorical tale of passengers stranded onboard a mysterious ship. A huge stage hit in London and New York, Outward Bound was am ambitious talkie for 1930 and features some wonderful performances (a bit stagy, but wonderful) from Howard as well as the great and underrated Alison Skipworth. Also good are Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Beryl Mercer, Helen Chandler, Alec P. Francis, Dudley Digges, and Montagu Love. Lyonel Watts is a bit much as the vicar. This was remade in the late 40s as Between Two Worlds, starring John Garfield and Eleanor Parker.

Leslie Howard always seemed to be wasted in blah film roles and its nice to see him here in a worthy role. And Skipworth is a total delight in any film you can catch her in...... Here she plays a most unusual part, and plays it beautifully. All her little hmmms and gutteral sounds add fathoms to the dialog. And note her first name is misspelled in the opening credits.

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: GUEST,Ian Pittaway
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 01:54 PM

Thanks all, I really appreciate it. I have just looked on Amazon for Outward Bound and Between Two Worlds. Neither of them appear to be available on DVD or video. Unless, of course, you know different ...

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 02:22 PM

I couldn't find them on DVD either but, if it helps, you can view the theatrical trailers for both films at Turner Classic Movies (tcm.com). Use the "multimedia search": function to locate them. Then at least you'll know which one you're looking for!

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 02:29 PM

Oops! I meant turnerclassicmovies.com (here).

Sorry about that! Must be more careful.

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 04:13 PM

Leslie Howard was quite a heart-throb in his day.

Thanks for the link to Turner. I never remember to look at the day's listings, and they're celebrating Irene Dunne today. I missed I Remember Mama, which I'd like to tape, but I see that Theodora Goes Wild comes on this evening.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: What is this movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 04:19 PM

And Dyan Cannon was quite a c##k-throb in her day.

And now *shudder*... what the hell did she do to herself? These cosmetic surgeons need some leashes.