Movie Cosmos - The Way Ahead

Description:

A mismatched collection of conscripted civilians find training tough under Lieutenant Jim Perry and Sergeant Ned Fletcher when they are called up to replace an infantry battalion that had suffered casualties at Dunkirk.

Top Cast >

David Niven

As Lieutenant Jim Perry

Stanley Holloway

As Pvt. Ted Brewer

James Donald

As Pvt. Evans Lloyd

John Laurie

As Pvt. Luke

Leslie Dwyer

As Pvt. Sid Beck

Hugh Burden

As Pvt. Bill Parsons

Raymond Huntley

As Pvt. Herbert Davenport

Jimmy Hanley

As Pvt. Geoffrey Stainer

William Hartnell

As Sgt. Ned Fletcher

Reginald Tate

As The Training Company Commanding Officer

Leo Genn

As Captain Edwards

John Ruddock

As Old Chelsea Soldier

A. Bromley Davenport

As Old Chelsea Soldier

Renée Asherson

As Marjorie Gillingham

Mary Jerrold

As Mrs. Gillingham

Raymond Lovell

As Mr. Jackson

Jack Watling

As Sgt. Buster

Peter Ustinov

As Rispoli

Lloyd Pearson

As Sam Thyrtle

Penelope Dudley-Ward

As Mrs. Perry

Esma Cannon

As Mrs. Ted Brewer

Eileen Erskine

As Mrs. Bill Parsons

Grace Arnold

As Mrs. Ned Fletcher

Tessie O'Shea

As Herself

Trevor Howard

As Officer on Ship (uncredited)

George Merritt

As Sergeant Major (uncredited)

Tracy Reed

As Perry's Daughter (uncredited)

A.E. Matthews

As Colonel Walmsley

John Boxer

As Soldier in Pub Talking to the Chelsea Pensioners (uncredited)

Peggy Carlisle

As Minor Role (uncredited)

Alf Goddard

As Instructor (uncredited)

David Hutcheson

As Garage Customer in Car (uncredited)

Benita Lydal

As ENSA Artist (uncredited)

Andreas Malandrinos

As Gendarme in Café (uncredited)

John Salew

As Sam - Friend of Pvt. Lloyd in Pub Scene (uncredited)

Johnnie Schofield

As Lewis Gun Instructor (uncredited)

Winifred Willard

As Minor Role (uncredited)

Ben Williams

As Pessimistic Man Talking to the Chelsea Pensioners (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Carol Reed

Director

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (7/10)

David Niven heads the cast in this engagingly quirky tale that amusingly and poignantly depicts just how the British Army managed to fight during WWII. He is the officer in charge of a collection of men of all ages and from many different backgrounds as they are slowly, but surely, coaxed, cajoled and bullied into a fighting unit that has cohesion, loyalty and friendship. Their training regime would test the best of us, and is carried out with a decent smattering of whinging and groaning, but also with strong senses of humour and of purpose before they are eventually deployed overseas and meet up with bar-owner Peter Ustinov in North Africa as the rout of Rommel's Nazi forces nears it's completion. This has a solid cast - Raymond Huntley, Stanley Holloway, John Laurie, Sam Kidd and Leo Genn to name but a few of the characters who give this much more depth than many of the more propagandist efforts made in the UK (and the USA) during the latter stages of the War. Carol Reed and Eric Ambler have created a great story that showcases perseverance and courage as well as quite a considerable degree of humanity.

2022-06-30