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The Way Ahead

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6.5/10 • 37

1944-06-091h 55m

DramaWar

From Workers — To Warriors

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.

Directors
Carol Reed
Editors
Fergus McDonell

Top Billed Cast

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  1. David Niven

    David Niven

    Lieutenant Jim Perry

  2. Stanley Holloway

    Stanley Holloway

    Pvt. Ted Brewer

  3. James Donald

    James Donald

    Pvt. Evans Lloyd

  4. John Laurie

    John Laurie

    Pvt. Luke

  5. Leslie Dwyer

    Leslie Dwyer

    Pvt. Sid Beck

  6. Hugh Burden

    Hugh Burden

    Pvt. Bill Parsons

  7. Raymond Huntley

    Raymond Huntley

    Pvt. Herbert Davenport

  8. Jimmy Hanley

    Jimmy Hanley

    Pvt. Geoffrey Stainer

  9. William Hartnell

    William Hartnell

    Sgt. Ned Fletcher

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 30, 2022

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.

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  • The Way Ahead poster
  • The Way Ahead poster
  • The Way Ahead poster
  • The Way Ahead poster
  • The Way Ahead poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
flashbackarmy lifeunity