This is my favourite film ever. It's perfect on so many levels, from a romance to an insightful commentary on classism as well as patriotism during war. And then there are the metaphorical storytelling details, and the love letter to Scotland. All of it, perfect. Commentaries like yours are great for delving even deeper into why this is a great film.
What you missed is that the film makes a statement about the greed and cowardice of the wealthy in Britain who were making fortunes off the war. They rented huge estates, and even a whole island, in a region where, as Joan Webster puts it, "the war is a million miles away." (Remember that working people in London were getting bombed around this time.) The rich consider the local people not worth knowing and only want to socialize with other wealthy materialists like themselves. In contrast, the Laird of Kiloran is serving in the British Navy and putting himself in peril in defense of his country. It's an early argument against the non-state globalism that is so prevalent today. It also shows the attraction that this materialist lifestyle has in class-conscious Britain and has Joan the gold digger ultimately rejecting it in favor of marriage (one assumes) to a poorer but more patriotic man.
"what you missed" -- No. every movie video ever "misses" 99.9% of the movie. try it yourself and see. the rest of your comment is helpful and interesting.
@@LearningaboutMovies Sorry, I thought you were asking for viewers to comment on what you may have missed. No one would expect you to cover everything. It's a great movie. I own a copy. One of my favorites.
I see. Here I receives many silly negative comments a day, and I couldn't tell if that's where you were going with this. Sounds as if you were responding to the end of the video's call for more commentary. thank you.
This film was screened for new screenwriters at one of the major Hollywood studios as an example of a perfect screenplay. Good summary of a movie that is deceptively simple but is actually a complex film that works on many levels. It’s like opening up a fancy Swiss watch to see how all the moving parts fit together perfectly.
I just watched IKWIG today. Wow! It's now one of my favorite films of all time. I loved the character of Caitriona. I see her as part of the mythology of the film. She is an avatar of the Triple Goddess; Maiden, Mother, Crone. Maiden: her obvious and unrequited love of Torquil. Mother: married, she has two boys off at school. Crone: facilitator of passage from one world to the next, dispenser of wisdom. (There's a hint of Anoba, goddess of the hunt in her first appearance.) Combining Anoba and the Crone, and after assessing the situation between Torquil and Joan, she tells him, "...find a sitting rabbit, take aim, say to yourself, "If I don't shoot this rabbit, I don't eat," and you don't miss." (Spoiler: Torquil doesn't miss.) It's her telling him that Joan is running away from her love for him that sets the resolution in motion. Pamela Brown's acting is incandescent, almost overshadowing everyone in any scene. So much to like with this film. Rewatch!
Pamela Brown was Powell's lifelong love. She suffered from age of 16 with brutal arthritis and was in constant pain. Only in a few movements can we see her flinch in this film. The scene when she first appears with her hounds is one of the great moments in English cinema. Michael Powell said of Pamela - "She was a witch. Women adored her, men feared her, and for the same reason - she fascinated them."
Back in the day, when we would get the Sunday paper for the ads, the comics, and the TV guide, my sister and I would look through the movie listing at the back of the guide to see what movies were going to be on that week. Well, we saw the entry for this movie on Saturday night on PBS, and the summary just said, “The most romantic movie ever made.” We had to watch it after reading that, and they weren’t wrong!
I agree whole heartedly. I've watched this movie dozens of times. It's one of the best. The Laird though obviously respected immensely by his community returns that respect so humbly, very inspiring 👏 as he sets the table.
Martin Scorsese has been quoted as saying : "just when I thought there weren't any more masterpieces to discover, along comes 'I know where I'm going...' Says it all for me - A truly wonderful film on so many levels...
I was already obsessed with Scotland by the time I first saw this film in my teens. This one sent me over the edge, and the scene at the ceilidh sizzles with tension between the protagonists! I swear it's the reason I never married....no Roger Livesey (though I came close once). I love all the quirky characters and Torquil the eagle....I laugh out loud at all those scenes! This and "The Quiet Man" are my 2 favorite films.
❤This movie was my Aunt Jane Ellen’s favorite. She introduced it to me when I was a “wee lass.” We’re McLains, so naturally I’ve shared this beloved film with my children 😊 Looking forward to seeing our ancestral cursed castle someday!
This is a great movie undoubtedly! Wendy Hiller is one of my favorite English classic actresses. And Roger Livsey was my new discovery here! Such a nice and intelligent guy. Reminds me - both physically and mentally - of another great English actor of the era - Robert Donat. And I appreciate your interpretation of the movie's idea.
Interesting. Roger Livesey has always reminded me of Alan Rickman. Such beautiful, stage-trained voices. The thing that has struck me about this film from the start, though, is what Alan Cumming called its “mystical ooey ooey magicalness.” It truly is a magical film.
@@rebeccar50 I didn't know that Alan Cumming said that. I agree wholeheartedly. My favorite Joan and Torquil scene is where they're on the ladder at the Ceilidh, listening to the guests sing, "McAfee, Turn the Cattle." I can't count how many times I've watched just that scene.
I've known about this movie for oh 2 or 3 years now. I've watched it multiple times. It's a GREAT movie and quickly becoming one of my favorites. Wendy Hiller is incredible in this movie as is the lead actor who plays opposite her...oh ok...let me pause for a moment and look up his name...Roger Livesay who's great as well. It's such a joy to find movies, especially older movies that you've never seen and then are blown away. It leaves you scratching your head as to why this movie isn't a well known classic as such. I suspect in England it is well known and of course to many movie buffs it is. But I must say, I've always considered myself a movie buff & yet I wasn't aware of it. Well I am now. The movie has SO many elements: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Music, Suspense. I mean the whole "curse" part of the story is well integrated and an example (as you stated in your review) of how the movie weaves smaller stories within the overall framework of the movie. To my mind this movie should be referred to as a CLASSIC. And again, Wendy Hiller is phenomenal. What a great actress. You can see in her face a thousand different reactions in the course of the movie, the way a person would react, but she does it naturally, not overblown or the opposite not delivering any shading at all. This movie has it all. The great montage sequences, the London crowded nightclub scene, the storm at sea scene, the Scotland landscape, local color...OMG...it's amazing! Thank you for your review. The ONLY slight quibble I might interject is the notion that this is somehow a "data" movie...which, while, yes I could see that, I would hate to think that your average guy would think this is a "chick" movie. It's so much more than that and there is plenty of the male perspective in this movie. Anyway, thanks for alerting the public to this CLASSIC, yes I said it, treasure.
I found this movie years ago and it has become sn annual tradition. Love everything about it!: the dream sequences, the tradition , the Gaelic, the accent snd of course the romance. Petulia Clatk plays a favorite character. Started following Dame Wendy Hiller after this! She played in one of the Anne of Green Gables sequels.
Just seeing the cover of IKWIG brings a tear to the eye and a clutch in the throat.. I've watched it dozens of times and it never grows old. I've given a copy to many friends who feel similarly once they've seen it. Other favorites: "Paths of Glory" with Kirk Douglas, and" Kind Hearts and Coronets" with Alec Guinness in nine roles, both male and female.
I love this movie, whether it was supposed to be propaganda or not. In fact, I love all of the Archers' WWII films. But this is my favorite. Any time a character comes to a realization that requires huge and immediate change, it's a great story. And like you, I love the highlighting of Scottish culture.
"I Know Where I'm Going" is one of my favorite movies and it introduced me to Roger Livesey. The irony is in the title. Joan Webster actually doesn't know where she's going! Not at all. I love hearing your analysis of what makes this movie special.
As a child of the last half of the last century and a baby boomer, I like that it was an era when my parents were youngsters and contemporaries of the lead characters and also that they were raised in a country and farming region, West Texas when times were very hard and very basic, but grew to be amazing strong and determined individuals! And raised four children with the same general direction in mind! My parents were decendents of these same good people, the Scot-Irish who settled and populated North America and Australia! Where I became aware of my roots! Texas had maybe 200 of them at the Alamo including Davy Crockett! So this is not propaganda at all to me but truth repeated over and over throughout history but with the notion that of course that love conquers all and authenticity is to be highly appreciated. I enjoyed it so much and was totally taken by surprise because I have always known where I was going and where I come from!
I have loved this film my whole life. Please don't forget the presence of Captain Knight and Mr Ramshaw his golden eagle. Look them up - their real life story is remarkable and utterly unique. As is the story of Knight's nephew, Esmond Knight, who was also a falconer. Blinded in WW2 he continued as an actor despite that - he plays the village idiot, the American sergeant and more in A Canterbury Tale, and Chorus in Olivier's Henry V - and was also a lead in the best sporting film you will ever see, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, a murder mystery from the book by Leonard Gribble and based on a real life football team. Starring the wonderful Leslie Banks (whose facial injuries from WW1 meant he insisted on being filmed from one profile when a goodie, the other side when playing a baddie) who played the legendary investigating detective Inspector Slade, hero of a series of crime novels. Which should lead you on nicely to the glorious Cottage To Let....John Mills in an unusual role, Alistair Sim as a very scary agent, and George Cole in his first schoolboy film role. Find and enjoy!
This is Tilda Swinton's alltime favourite movie,she said in an interview, which is how i heard of it. I just finished watching and i loved it . The scene where Joan comes walking down the dirt road behind the 3 bagpipe players , with Torquil watching from above in the castle is just magical ! I have a question tho.... Why do Torquil and Catriona kiss eachother hello and goodbye, twice during the movie, on the mouth ? Looks a bit too passionate for friendship to me
B/c of this movie, we visited the Isle of Mull and the Western Isles Hotel, where many of the scenes for the film were shot. We were there in the mid 1990s, still a time when if you mentioned the movie, I Know Where I'm Going, the locals would know why you had come.
Love this movie. Yes, we don't know if Roger Livesey survives he has to go back to the war. My mother saw this film in 1945 when her husband my father was in the Pacific Theater (he did not come home until the fall of 1946). She loved this movie. The Gaelic dialogue and music of course is very authentic as well. Great allusions to WWII the RAF the RN and Scottish history and culture. You are right that it is a strongly British Unionist film. My family was strongly Pro-British and Unionist in WWI and WW2 and they loved ONE OF OUR AIRCRAFT IS MISSING the 49th Parallel IN WHICH WE SERVE Canterbury Tale and A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH with David Niven and Kim Hunter. My sister made a movie with Kim Hunter and got to meet her. She also dated an APE from the PLANET OF THE APES (I saw his ape mask!).
Thank you for featuring one of my favourite films. This is a fabulous romantic/atmospheric film - with local Scottish highland authenticity! The acting of the two leads is sublime. It helps that they get a screenplay that is witty and intelligent. This is a film you can watch over and over as I have.
You analysis of this is terrific and spot-on. THANK YOU. (except for calling it "bumpkin" culture.") This is the only full-length film that I've ever seen that has local people from the Western Isles speaking Scottish Gaelic, shows a ceilidh, etc. Very sensitive presentation of this culture.
Michael Powell, the British Frank Capra. His love of life, his basic faith in human nature, his love of dogs!, his sense of the human comedy, shine through this film, probably because his entire cast also seems to genuinely share his vision. Whenever you feel down in the dumps, watch this wonderful film.
I love this film. A think I’ve just learnt is that Roger Livesey never actually went on location to Scotland. He stayed in London for a play he was doing. They used a body double, but I don’t think they realised people would one day watch on iPads and take a screen shot. Plainly not Roger Livesey on location. But who cares. Great film.
It is a great film. Good to hear a review. I think you are right it is art, and a story of Joan's inner growth - from false to real life. Kiloran is really Colonsay. Kiloran Bay is on Colonsay. Colonsay is a beautiful island; you should go there. 'Laird of Kiloran' by the way.
@@coloraturaElise Almost certainly just to drive the plot. Although Colonsay only acquired a steamer pier quite recently (1980s) it would have been served by MacBrayne's steamers from Oban, using a tender to transfer to the island. Of course that might have been changed by the war, but the war isn't really relevant to this film, except as a minor aspect of the backdrop, and perhaps to explain why Kiloran's time is limited.
Not sure if it is urban legend, but was it the case that Livesey was appearing on stage in London at the same time as filming - so his scenes are all on set, whilst location scenes shot at a distance with a double. Love this film, especially the opening sequence
I have watched this movie over and over again, the plot , the setting, the actors , even the music all combine to make this movie one of the best black and white movies ever
Difficult for me to choose a favorite Powell & Pressburger film but this one is close to the top of my list. Your review of it is right on the mark. Thanks.
I see this as very much a romance of place. The standout "character" in the film is the bleak beauty of the island landscape coupled with the sea. The scene of the whirlpool, clearly symbolic of the dangerous emotional state of the two main characters, is nevertheless one of the most wonderful pieces of scenic film-making ever, and has stuck in my memory since I was a child. Even the wind (which I normally hate) seduces you in this film. Maybe there is an implication of the marriage of two cultures, but I think it's subsumed in the romanticism of what Powell and Pressburger would have seen as part of traditional Britain. For no other film-makers seem to have loved the idea of Britain more than they did. Side-note: one commenter describes the music as "authentic". It was actually an art house interpretation of real traditional music. But it was beautiful and apposite all the same.
Just saw this, as I was trying to track down this movie...I first saw this movie a good 30 years ago, and absolutely fell in love with it...always have loved Wendy Hiller, but Richard Livesly (sp?) was new to me...so tried to track down purchasing it,but it was always in the $60 dollar range, and just couldn’t justify it when I was younger, but I have access to purchase it now, (for a less expensive price), and will do so...it always seemed the perfect romantic movie with no pretensions, just a great cast, and great storyline...next on my list is Hobson’s Choice...have a great day🌹
Great review! I just watched "I Know Where I'm Going", and found your review fleshed out some the details that hadn't been obvious on a first showing. One thing though - the Laird (rather than the Lord) of Kiloran was not a soldier. He was a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve lieutenant. Sailors are not soldiers - soldiers only serve in the Army, and they are not found in either the Navy or the Air Force.
Thanks for this enthusiastic review of a movie I love very much. I hope people watch your smart and informative video review and then go on that date and see and love it.
My first time on your page: I think your telling of the storyline is secondarily important to why the movie is so great. I was expecting more commentary about Powell and Pressburger's MO with their films as well as commentary about the cinematography, lighting, and staging and more detailed interaction in the script and the actors' portrayal of the roles they are playing, I really like the idea of what you are doing, but I think you could go much deeper into what makes the movie great: the actual techiniques utilized in the making of the film as opposed to telling the story line. Check out Rick Beato's "what makes this song great' series. Looking fwd to seeing more in depth breakdown of great old films from you like "M" or "Rebecca" or "A Canterbury Tale '" or even some silents like "Nosferatu" or "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". I would think most people who turn to a channel entitled "Learning about Movies" have already seen the movie and are looking for a more in-depth deconstruction of what makes movies great. Just a thought.
Beato doesn't always go that deep. Sometimes, maybe most of the time, he just describes the song and emotes about it. Nothing wrong with that -- the audience on TH-cam is general and worldwide. This has seemed to work alright in the last 16 months, and I just use what I have learned in the college classroom as an approach to college students. btw, the channel has intro videos on film techniques and a few shot-by-shot analyses of various scenes.
mocking the nouveaux riche, up-holding the status quo\ wisdom and meaning in simple living, a young woman's lifelong ambitions are challenged when she meets a stranger. All around brRRRilliant cast, Scottish accents, funny dream sequence, storm at sea, bagpipes dispel an ancient curse, to know ones self, honestly, free of superstition, reveals blessings. great old movie.
Interesting and informative review. I've watched 'I Know Where I'm Going!' several times over the years, most recently on TH-cam yesterday. I love this film, it is a delightful romantic comedy, which gives a glimpse of a bygone era.
I adore this film. I never knew it was supposed to be pro-British war propaganda. It is art. It is suffused with characters, ethnicity and wackiness. It is one of my favorite and one of the best movies I have seen.
Great analysis - enjoyed your thoughts. This is my #1 favorite movie - and has been for many years. Yes - top of my list! I think I’ve probably watched it more than 30 times and will continue to do so throughout my life. While I appreciated the propaganda/political angle discussed here - I think it is just a damn good, beautiful love story and very moving. Of course, I’m a fan-boy and biased (I’ve been to several of the Scottish locations filmed in the movie - including Moy Castle - and I attribute part of my affection for this film to my love of the Scottish land & people). I believe several other Powell & Pressburger films achieve the same level of excellence. BTW - if you like this film, then I’m confident you’ll also enjoy Local Hero by Bill Forsyth.
Just watched this film as I’ve just been to the Western Isles Hotel on Mull where this was filmed. Love your analysis! I found parts of it a bit slow, but if I consider it’s over 79 years old. It holds up well!
Much of the movie takes place on the Isle of Mull because they mention Tobermory several times which is on Mull and the Western Isles Hotel which is real and still exists. Although Kiloran does not exist, the Isle of Coll substitutes somewhat for Kiloran. I love the movie because there is dome dialog of them speaking Scots Gaelic which was and still is quire prevalent on the west coast of Scotland in the the Hebrides in particular. I Know where I'm Goings truly is one of those little know jewels of a movie. My wife and I have been to Mull and we love the movie.
Kiloran is clearly Colonsay, not Coll. The harbour used is Carsaig on the south of Mull which would be a perfectly reasonably place to get a ferry to Colonsay, "Kiloran" is a village on the west coat of Colonsay and the map of "Kiloran" on the wall is a map of Colonsay with a different name. The only difference is that you cannot walk from end to end of Colonsay in an hour and a half, but then you can't do that on Coll either. A boat to Coll would have left from Tobermory, by the way.
Thanks for your review, nice. My favourite P&P film: generally it’s hold on pace and control of drama, sweet restrained romance and tight character writing are for the 40’s or even much later pretty perfect. Young folks might think the acting over the top but this isn’t very! Powell couldn’t find colour film… Damn! They’d have nailed the light and it would have been ethereally beautiful too.
I like this movie but cannot articulate exactly why. It may be Pamela Browns stunning widows peak, filming on a spectacular location during WW11, Livesys unusual voice, or just the story itself. It seems to get better each time I happen to catch it.
If you like this film, Go to Mull, where it was filmed. You can find the phone box, the stone jetty where much of the action takes place, and the lobby of the Great Western Hotel pays homage to the film, cuz that's where the cast and crew stayed during filming.
I've known the song for all of my life, and I never knew where it came from until i asked on a FB site! I'm 62 yrs old and finally i get to know where it came from!! I've known these words forever and didn't know a thing about it!!
I agree. Great movie. The colonel friend is a real falconer. Also any shot that is a long shot or non-studio is a double of Roger Livesey bc he was obligated to a play and could not travel to Scotland for shooting. You forgot the friend who owns the home that had the RAF staying and really messed up her home. It’s near the end of the war, so there is D-Day and Market Garden to come.
Pamela Brown, the love of Michael Powell's life, makes this movie great. Just that first shot of her like the Goddess Diana with her hunting dogs around her... sublime. From the age of 16 she had constant arthritic pain and I don't know how she made a great namet on stage. In this film I can only see her wince two times s. She left her husband who cheated on her and because she was a Catholic would not remarry while he was still alive. She lived the rest of her life with Michael Powell who adored her.
What a fantastic movie. Such great acting and warmth generated by the locals. Did I say the movie was fantastic? How old was Wendy Hiller when she made this movie......sometimes the camera makes her look older than 25.
Yes, this rings true also for me and my husband in the time of our courtship also in the historic time of the tragic loss of Pres. Kennedy 1963 another "turning point historic year and thank you for this great commentary.
I wouldn't like to think what winter would be like in this setting, but the action of the film clearly takes place in the spring of 1945, in other words just a few weeks before the war ends. It's not likely the Laird will be killed, and the film makes several references suggesting the war will end soon. Anyway, one of the great films not only of the 1940s but of all time.
IF you read about the 'land struggles in the isle of Lewis' The Hebridean island was bought from the two Scottish traders- Jardine and Mathieson ( who built up South China ports) bought by Lord Lever, of Lever products. When the Scottish men returned home from war, they found out the they land was not going to be given to them, but they would remain tithed to the land by landowners. This was not received well. There is a nod to this in the conversation about the CEO who has rented the island. By the way Britain fought against the Nazis.
Your comment about this film being propaganda from the 'English' government is incorrect as it was the 'British ' government. An easy and oft made mistake. However, 70 years on, 'Westminster' propaganda is still aimed at Scotland. Plus ça change....
Great film, wouldn't work in colour. She has been dreaming about getting to Kiloran, she has pored over maps, she was really excited to see the map of Kiloran in Catriona's house. She eventually realises that Torquil is Kiloran and never actually reaches the island.
Although it's a marvelous movie there are basically two layers within it, upon of each other and at odds with each other. First the primary English one of the one country, dismissive of the nouveau riches, etc., and then the secondary Scottish one of love for the nation and Celtic heritage.
I think you are right, and since this is a WW2-era movie, the film tries to forge the two together for the sake of national unity during a time of national crisis. That's exactly the kind of thing you'll find in a lot of wartime art.
@@LearningaboutMovies Yes, but behind the movie there's also so much more. It's honestly a real stepping stone to more. Celtic Church, conservation of birds, etc. I'll keep it short. Perhaps it's all about Powell's love for Scotland too. Funny but it feels like that most of the principle characters, including Torquil, are more set into an English mold. But it just takes indeed a step further, more into the present, have a look there and discover much, much more.
Seen this movie a lot. It’s perfect and if you’re accepting, not very cringy. The nut brown maid, with thepipers at the end, she is going for the relationship
You have made the mistake that many Americans make by referring to England and English so in this case the movie was not English or made in England it was made in Britain. You may think this is pedantry but Britain is made up of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Scots, Welsh and Irish are quite naturally fed up of being ignored and referred to as English or being from England, they are rightly proud of their own countries which have rich traditions and very clear identities. I am English by the way but do feel very strongly about this. Thank you.
You made the mistake that many "Europeans" make by referring to Americans. Most people in America identify with the state they live in and there is always rivalry etc as to who lives in the best state. I am actually European born but lived many years in New York though not now but still consider myself a New Yorker. And by the way I don't feel strongly at all about this. But people from New York, well we're cheeky.
But you've made a mistake here as well. It's the UK which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, not Britain. Great Britain is the UK, minus Northern Ireland.
I can't figure out which is my favourite P&P movie. They're all so essential, textured, crafted, emotional, and well, essential! How do you choose from: I Know Where I'm Going A Matter of Life & Death The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp The Red Shoes A Canterbury Tale Black Narcissus 😍😍😍
Love this film. Love the people, was disappointed that Livesey as Kiloran was not the actor that kissed Joan (Hiller) when she asked him to. Still a great film.
@@dallasjones8185 It was said that Livesey was engaged in another play/ film and he could not stay for that part of the filming (I'm not too sure if that was the reason). Read about the making of the film.
Too many serendipities made a great movie. Here's a tidbit: the movie was brave to refer to WWII this way (then 1944) "It won't be long now." Movie was released in 1945.
Not my favourite Powell/Pressburger film, but it's worth watching if only for Wendy Hiller's performance. The premise of an outsider in a pastoral, dreamlike Scottish setting made it feel like a prototype of 'Local Hero'.
Very good piece, and could not agree more. This has always been one of my all-time favourite movies. and I'm in good company: Raymond Chandler loved it, said it topped any other movie for depicting the wind and wildness of the sea. The only problem I have is the question of whether Joan has met Sir Robert Belliger or was about to meet him for the first time on the island, the marriage being one of arrangement. Seems to me the narrative is unclear on this and any ellucidation would be welcome.
Given that she works for Consolidated Chemical Industries (evidenced when she hands her work pass to her father over their gin and dubonnets), I think it’s safe to assume that they know each other quite well. We can also infer that they know each other from the facts that she is clearly a regular at the fancy nightclub/restaurant that is too expensive for her bank manger father to want to be seen at and the fact that they clearly seem on easy terms when they speak on the telephone.
A few notes ... Her journey is interrupted by fog, not waves. The gale comes after the fog has cleared. ... (Biggest mistake) McNeil is the laird of Kiloran, not the lord. "Laird" is a Scottish position and is not "lord" said with a Scottish accent. ... I think you greatly overstate the wartime/propaganda aspect. In fact the war is hardly mentioned and barely impinges on the lives of the characters. It is acknowledged, but doesn't really matter ... There was no significant Scottish nationalist movement at the time, so no need for any suggestion that the Union needed strengthening ... Basically it's a rather charming love story with a sub plot of town vs country which is very similar to that of "Laxdale Hall."
I adore this film. Something about the tone was so wry and touching at the same time... Lovely.
yes indeed!
It might be the fantasy mixed into real life. Great dialogue. The music throughout is great -- Scottish folk and chorals in the background.
Adore this movie! So glad they included the wonderful Highland singing and dancing.
yes!
This is my favourite film ever. It's perfect on so many levels, from a romance to an insightful commentary on classism as well as patriotism during war. And then there are the metaphorical storytelling details, and the love letter to Scotland. All of it, perfect. Commentaries like yours are great for delving even deeper into why this is a great film.
What you missed is that the film makes a statement about the greed and cowardice of the wealthy in Britain who were making fortunes off the war. They rented huge estates, and even a whole island, in a region where, as Joan Webster puts it, "the war is a million miles away." (Remember that working people in London were getting bombed around this time.) The rich consider the local people not worth knowing and only want to socialize with other wealthy materialists like themselves. In contrast, the Laird of Kiloran is serving in the British Navy and putting himself in peril in defense of his country. It's an early argument against the non-state globalism that is so prevalent today. It also shows the attraction that this materialist lifestyle has in class-conscious Britain and has Joan the gold digger ultimately rejecting it in favor of marriage (one assumes) to a poorer but more patriotic man.
"what you missed" -- No.
every movie video ever "misses" 99.9% of the movie. try it yourself and see. the rest of your comment is helpful and interesting.
@@LearningaboutMovies Sorry, I thought you were asking for viewers to comment on what you may have missed. No one would expect you to cover everything. It's a great movie. I own a copy. One of my favorites.
I see. Here I receives many silly negative comments a day, and I couldn't tell if that's where you were going with this. Sounds as if you were responding to the end of the video's call for more commentary. thank you.
This film was screened for new screenwriters at one of the major Hollywood studios as an example of a perfect screenplay. Good summary of a movie that is deceptively simple but is actually a complex film that works on many levels. It’s like opening up a fancy Swiss watch to see how all the moving parts fit together perfectly.
do you know when it was used as a perfect screenplay? recently or several decades ago?
The presenter in this video is articulate, intelligent and presents the information for the film in an intelligent manner. Keep up the good work.
thank you. I appreciate it.
I just watched IKWIG today. Wow! It's now one of my favorite films of all time. I loved the character of Caitriona. I see her as part of the mythology of the film. She is an avatar of the Triple Goddess; Maiden, Mother, Crone. Maiden: her obvious and unrequited love of Torquil. Mother: married, she has two boys off at school. Crone: facilitator of passage from one world to the next, dispenser of wisdom. (There's a hint of Anoba, goddess of the hunt in her first appearance.) Combining Anoba and the Crone, and after assessing the situation between Torquil and Joan, she tells him, "...find a sitting rabbit,
take aim, say to yourself, "If I don't shoot this rabbit, I don't eat," and you don't miss." (Spoiler: Torquil doesn't miss.) It's her telling him that Joan is running away from her love for him that sets the resolution in motion. Pamela Brown's acting is incandescent, almost overshadowing everyone in any scene. So much to like with this film. Rewatch!
excellent, thank you.
she was having an affair with Michael Powell and there is something of his fascination for her in the way he captures her personality in this film.
Pamela Brown was Powell's lifelong love. She suffered from age of 16 with brutal arthritis and was in constant pain. Only in a few movements can we see her flinch in this film. The scene when she first appears with her hounds is one of the great moments in English cinema. Michael Powell said of Pamela - "She was a witch. Women adored her, men feared her, and for the same reason - she fascinated them."
Torquil had loved and lost her, not the other way around.
@@poetcomic1 I saw the restored print the other day (for the first time) and I agree entirely about that entrance!
Back in the day, when we would get the Sunday paper for the ads, the comics, and the TV guide, my sister and I would look through the movie listing at the back of the guide to see what movies were going to be on that week. Well, we saw the entry for this movie on Saturday night on PBS, and the summary just said, “The most romantic movie ever made.” We had to watch it after reading that, and they weren’t wrong!
surprised that that's the description in there. thank you!
I agree whole heartedly. I've watched this movie dozens of times. It's one of the best. The Laird though obviously respected immensely by his community returns that respect so humbly, very inspiring 👏 as he sets the table.
thank you.
I think the Laird may be loosely inspired by Lord Lovat who always took his pipers with him into battles like Dieppe and D.Day.
Martin Scorsese has been quoted as saying : "just when I thought there weren't any more masterpieces to discover, along comes 'I know where I'm going...'
Says it all for me - A truly wonderful film on so many levels...
I was already obsessed with Scotland by the time I first saw this film in my teens. This one sent me over the edge, and the scene at the ceilidh sizzles with tension between the protagonists! I swear it's the reason I never married....no Roger Livesey (though I came close once). I love all the quirky characters and Torquil the eagle....I laugh out loud at all those scenes! This and "The Quiet Man" are my 2 favorite films.
thank you, Elise!
In love with him as well.
One of my favorites...Roger Livsey was so attractive...and Wendy Hiller was perfect ..I have watched this movie many times
❤This movie was my Aunt Jane Ellen’s favorite. She introduced it to me when I was a “wee lass.” We’re McLains, so naturally I’ve shared this beloved film with my children 😊 Looking forward to seeing our ancestral cursed castle someday!
I saw this movie for the first time just a few years ago…..It wasn’t long before I realised I was watching something special……Very special!
This is a great movie undoubtedly! Wendy Hiller is one of my favorite English classic actresses. And Roger Livsey was my new discovery here! Such a nice and intelligent guy. Reminds me - both physically and mentally - of another great English actor of the era - Robert Donat. And I appreciate your interpretation of the movie's idea.
thank you.
Interesting. Roger Livesey has always reminded me of Alan Rickman. Such beautiful, stage-trained voices. The thing that has struck me about this film from the start, though, is what Alan Cumming called its “mystical ooey ooey magicalness.” It truly is a magical film.
@@rebeccar50 I didn't know that Alan Cumming said that. I agree wholeheartedly. My favorite Joan and Torquil scene is where they're on the ladder at the Ceilidh, listening to the guests sing, "McAfee, Turn the Cattle." I can't count how many times I've watched just that scene.
@@rebeccar50 I never said any such thing.
One of my most favourite films!
I've known about this movie for oh 2 or 3 years now. I've watched it multiple times. It's a GREAT movie and quickly becoming one of my favorites. Wendy Hiller is incredible in this movie as is the lead actor who plays opposite her...oh ok...let me pause for a moment and look up his name...Roger Livesay who's great as well. It's such a joy to find movies, especially older movies that you've never seen and then are blown away. It leaves you scratching your head as to why this movie isn't a well known classic as such. I suspect in England it is well known and of course to many movie buffs it is. But I must say, I've always considered myself a movie buff & yet I wasn't aware of it. Well I am now. The movie has SO many elements: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Music, Suspense. I mean the whole "curse" part of the story is well integrated and an example (as you stated in your review) of how the movie weaves smaller stories within the overall framework of the movie. To my mind this movie should be referred to as a CLASSIC. And again, Wendy Hiller is phenomenal. What a great actress. You can see in her face a thousand different reactions in the course of the movie, the way a person would react, but she does it naturally, not overblown or the opposite not delivering any shading at all. This movie has it all. The great montage sequences, the London crowded nightclub scene, the storm at sea scene, the Scotland landscape, local color...OMG...it's amazing! Thank you for your review. The ONLY slight quibble I might interject is the notion that this is somehow a "data" movie...which, while, yes I could see that, I would hate to think that your average guy would think this is a "chick" movie. It's so much more than that and there is plenty of the male perspective in this movie. Anyway, thanks for alerting the public to this CLASSIC, yes I said it, treasure.
I found this movie years ago and it has become sn annual tradition. Love everything about it!: the dream sequences, the tradition , the Gaelic, the accent snd of course the romance. Petulia Clatk plays a favorite character. Started following Dame Wendy Hiller after this! She played in one of the Anne of Green Gables sequels.
Just seeing the cover of IKWIG brings a tear to the eye and a clutch in the throat.. I've watched it dozens of times and it never grows old. I've given a copy to many friends who feel similarly once they've seen it.
Other favorites: "Paths of Glory" with Kirk Douglas,
and" Kind Hearts and Coronets" with Alec Guinness in nine roles, both male and female.
thank you.
Try Captains Courageous
I love this movie, whether it was supposed to be propaganda or not. In fact, I love all of the Archers' WWII films. But this is my favorite. Any time a character comes to a realization that requires huge and immediate change, it's a great story. And like you, I love the highlighting of Scottish culture.
thank you, Dottie.
"I Know Where I'm Going" is one of my favorite movies and it introduced me to Roger Livesey. The irony is in the title. Joan Webster actually doesn't know where she's going! Not at all. I love hearing your analysis of what makes this movie special.
As a child of the last half of the last century and a baby boomer, I like that it was an era when my parents were youngsters and contemporaries of the lead characters and also that they were raised in a country and farming region, West Texas when times were very hard and very basic, but grew to be amazing strong and determined individuals! And raised four children with the same general direction in mind! My parents were decendents of these same good people, the Scot-Irish who settled and populated North America and Australia! Where I became aware of my roots! Texas had maybe 200 of them at the Alamo including Davy Crockett! So this is not propaganda at all to me but truth repeated over and over throughout history but with the notion that of course that love conquers all and authenticity is to be highly appreciated. I enjoyed it so much and was totally taken by surprise because I have always known where I was going and where I come from!
One of my very favorite movies of all time!
I have loved this film my whole life.
Please don't forget the presence of Captain Knight and Mr Ramshaw his golden eagle. Look them up - their real life story is remarkable and utterly unique. As is the story of Knight's nephew, Esmond Knight, who was also a falconer. Blinded in WW2 he continued as an actor despite that - he plays the village idiot, the American sergeant and more in A Canterbury Tale, and Chorus in Olivier's Henry V - and was also a lead in the best sporting film you will ever see, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, a murder mystery from the book by Leonard Gribble and based on a real life football team.
Starring the wonderful Leslie Banks (whose facial injuries from WW1 meant he insisted on being filmed from one profile when a goodie, the other side when playing a baddie) who played the legendary investigating detective Inspector Slade, hero of a series of crime novels. Which should lead you on nicely to the glorious Cottage To Let....John Mills in an unusual role, Alistair Sim as a very scary agent, and George Cole in his first schoolboy film role. Find and enjoy!
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery- Thanks for the tip!
This is Tilda Swinton's alltime favourite movie,she said in an interview, which is how i heard of it. I just finished watching and i loved it . The scene where Joan comes walking down the dirt road behind the 3 bagpipe players , with Torquil watching from above in the castle is just magical !
I have a question tho.... Why do Torquil and Catriona kiss eachother hello and goodbye, twice during the movie, on the mouth ? Looks a bit too passionate for friendship to me
I love this movie as well. The atmosphere and place is superb. Love Pamela Brown bringing the beautiful dogs and game home. Love it.
thank you, glad you like it.
B/c of this movie, we visited the Isle of Mull and the Western Isles Hotel, where many of the scenes for the film were shot. We were there in the mid 1990s, still a time when if you mentioned the movie, I Know Where I'm Going, the locals would know why you had come.
excellent! thank you.
I especially like the cellophane on the wedding dress, the height of modernity in 1945
Love this movie. Yes, we don't know if Roger Livesey survives he has to go back to the war. My mother saw this film in 1945 when her husband my father was in the Pacific Theater (he did not come home until the fall of 1946). She loved this movie. The Gaelic dialogue and music of course is very authentic as well. Great allusions to WWII the RAF the RN and Scottish history and culture. You are right that it is a strongly British Unionist film. My family was strongly Pro-British and Unionist in WWI and WW2 and they loved ONE OF OUR AIRCRAFT IS MISSING the 49th Parallel IN WHICH WE SERVE Canterbury Tale and A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH with David Niven and Kim Hunter. My sister made a movie with Kim Hunter and got to meet her. She also dated an APE from the PLANET OF THE APES (I saw his ape mask!).
Thank you for featuring one of my favourite films. This is a fabulous romantic/atmospheric film - with local Scottish highland authenticity! The acting of the two leads is sublime. It helps that they get a screenplay that is witty and intelligent. This is a film you can watch over and over as I have.
you're welcome
You analysis of this is terrific and spot-on. THANK YOU. (except for calling it "bumpkin" culture.") This is the only full-length film that I've ever seen that has local people from the Western Isles speaking Scottish Gaelic, shows a ceilidh, etc. Very sensitive presentation of this culture.
"The Maggie" has a ceilidh at which most of the characters speak Gaelic.
Love it! Beautifully filmed and marvellous performances
yes!
Michael Powell, the British Frank Capra. His love of life, his basic faith in human nature, his love of dogs!, his sense of the human comedy, shine through this film, probably because his entire cast also seems to genuinely share his vision. Whenever you feel down in the dumps, watch this wonderful film.
I love this film. A think I’ve just learnt is that Roger Livesey never actually went on location to Scotland. He stayed in London for a play he was doing.
They used a body double, but I don’t think they realised people would one day watch on iPads and take a screen shot. Plainly not Roger Livesey on location. But who cares. Great film.
John Laurie from Dad's Army insisted on being credited for choreographing the ceilidh sequence. On this occasion they were not all doomed!
excellent, thank you!
I'm 55. One of my, and my best mate of 35 plus years, who died two years ago, favourite films. And that's one of the many reasons I loved that fellah
It is a great film. Good to hear a review. I think you are right it is art, and a story of Joan's inner growth - from false to real life. Kiloran is really Colonsay. Kiloran Bay is on Colonsay. Colonsay is a beautiful island; you should go there. 'Laird of Kiloran' by the way.
thank you.
Thanks for that identification. Can you clarify why they'd have Joan travel to Tobermory instead of just staying in Oban, to get to Colonsay/Kiloran?
@@coloraturaElise Almost certainly just to drive the plot. Although Colonsay only acquired a steamer pier quite recently (1980s) it would have been served by MacBrayne's steamers from Oban, using a tender to transfer to the island. Of course that might have been changed by the war, but the war isn't really relevant to this film, except as a minor aspect of the backdrop, and perhaps to explain why Kiloran's time is limited.
I met Thelma Shoonmacher, widow of Michael Powell, and Martin Scorsese 's film editor. She told us that this was her favourite of her husband's films.
A masterpiece from start to finish . I recommend another brilliant film set in Scotland : 1954's High and Dry AKA The Maggie .
Not sure if it is urban legend, but was it the case that Livesey was appearing on stage in London at the same time as filming - so his scenes are all on set, whilst location scenes shot at a distance with a double.
Love this film, especially the opening sequence
Yes
I have watched this movie over and over again, the plot , the setting, the actors , even the music all combine to make this movie one of the best black and white movies ever
excellent!
Useful commentary, helping us see things one might miss if one hasn't experienced the wartime era. Thanks.
thank you.
We were there on our honeymoon. I'm always trying to emulate Livesey or Donat or Niven in my bearing and manners.
excellent! I hope it was a great honeymoon.
Good idea. I’m always trying to be Catriona.
Difficult for me to choose a favorite Powell & Pressburger film but this one is close to the top of my list. Your review of it is right on the mark. Thanks.
thank you.
I see this as very much a romance of place. The standout "character" in the film is the bleak beauty of the island landscape coupled with the sea. The scene of the whirlpool, clearly symbolic of the dangerous emotional state of the two main characters, is nevertheless one of the most wonderful pieces of scenic film-making ever, and has stuck in my memory since I was a child. Even the wind (which I normally hate) seduces you in this film. Maybe there is an implication of the marriage of two cultures, but I think it's subsumed in the romanticism of what Powell and Pressburger would have seen as part of traditional Britain. For no other film-makers seem to have loved the idea of Britain more than they did. Side-note: one commenter describes the music as "authentic". It was actually an art house interpretation of real traditional music. But it was beautiful and apposite all the same.
excellent, thank you.
Just saw this, as I was trying to track down this movie...I first saw this movie a good 30 years ago, and absolutely fell in love with it...always have loved Wendy Hiller, but Richard Livesly (sp?) was new to me...so tried to track down purchasing it,but it was always in the $60 dollar range, and just couldn’t justify it when I was younger, but I have access to purchase it now, (for a less expensive price), and will do so...it always seemed the perfect romantic movie with no pretensions, just a great cast, and great storyline...next on my list is Hobson’s Choice...have a great day🌹
LOVE YOUR TASTE!
But it was "Roger" - not Richard
One of my favourites. Beautifully written.
Great review! I just watched "I Know Where I'm Going", and found your review fleshed out some the details that hadn't been obvious on a first showing.
One thing though - the Laird (rather than the Lord) of Kiloran was not a soldier. He was a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve lieutenant. Sailors are not soldiers - soldiers only serve in the Army, and they are not found in either the Navy or the Air Force.
An excellent review, but you didn't mention the voices- so clear a delight after the mumbling in many more modern films.
best practice is to stop writing at the first comma -- as if a reviewer can spends hours talking about everything in a film.
Thanks for this enthusiastic review of a movie I love very much. I hope people watch your smart and informative video review and then go on that date and see and love it.
thank you, Sian.
Loved this movie! The sea storm in black and white is amazing!
yes!
My first time on your page: I think your telling of the storyline is secondarily important to why the movie is so great. I was expecting more commentary about Powell and Pressburger's MO with their films as well as commentary about the cinematography, lighting, and staging and more detailed interaction in the script and the actors' portrayal of the roles they are playing, I really like the idea of what you are doing, but I think you could go much deeper into what makes the movie great: the actual techiniques utilized in the making of the film as opposed to telling the story line. Check out Rick Beato's "what makes this song great' series. Looking fwd to seeing more in depth breakdown of great old films from you like "M" or "Rebecca" or "A Canterbury Tale '" or even some silents like "Nosferatu" or "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". I would think most people who turn to a channel entitled "Learning about Movies" have already seen the movie and are looking for a more in-depth deconstruction of what makes movies great. Just a thought.
Beato doesn't always go that deep. Sometimes, maybe most of the time, he just describes the song and emotes about it. Nothing wrong with that -- the audience on TH-cam is general and worldwide. This has seemed to work alright in the last 16 months, and I just use what I have learned in the college classroom as an approach to college students. btw, the channel has intro videos on film techniques and a few shot-by-shot analyses of various scenes.
mocking the nouveaux riche, up-holding the status quo\ wisdom and meaning in simple living, a young woman's lifelong ambitions are challenged when she meets a stranger. All around brRRRilliant cast, Scottish accents, funny dream sequence, storm at sea, bagpipes dispel an ancient curse, to know ones self, honestly, free of superstition, reveals blessings. great old movie.
yes!
The ancient curse is fulfilled, not dispelled!
My favourite WW2 movie is the 1944 PP film set in the town of Chillingbourne. ❤❤❤
Interesting and informative review. I've watched 'I Know Where I'm Going!' several times over the years, most recently on TH-cam yesterday. I love this film, it is a delightful romantic comedy, which gives a glimpse of a bygone era.
it really is great. thank you.
Love this film too....just so enjoyable....made in a time sadly long gone....cheers
In my top 5 of all time. Livesy is brilliant and exquisite. A fictitious island.
What a wonderful movie. Watch it if you can and don't be put off by what seems (to me) to be a slow start.
I adore this film. I never knew it was supposed to be pro-British war propaganda. It is art. It is suffused with characters, ethnicity and wackiness. It is one of my favorite and one of the best movies I have seen.
thank you.
I have loved this movie for years.
Watched it today - brought tears to my eyes. Great film!
Great analysis - enjoyed your thoughts. This is my #1 favorite movie - and has been for many years. Yes - top of my list! I think I’ve probably watched it more than 30 times and will continue to do so throughout my life. While I appreciated the propaganda/political angle discussed here - I think it is just a damn good, beautiful love story and very moving. Of course, I’m a fan-boy and biased (I’ve been to several of the Scottish locations filmed in the movie - including Moy Castle - and I attribute part of my affection for this film to my love of the Scottish land & people). I believe several other Powell & Pressburger films achieve the same level of excellence. BTW - if you like this film, then I’m confident you’ll also enjoy Local Hero by Bill Forsyth.
thank you. Indeed, Local Hero is a favorite here. There's a video about it on the channel.
I agree. Local Hero mines some of the same territory and also showcases the beauty of Scotland
It is a great movie in any situation.
I watched the movie, and then I rushed to read the biography of the two main characters. Sad to read that Roger Livesey died so young!
Just watched this film as I’ve just been to the Western Isles Hotel on Mull where this was filmed. Love your analysis! I found parts of it a bit slow, but if I consider it’s over 79 years old. It holds up well!
thank you! glad you liked it.
Much of the movie takes place on the Isle of Mull because they mention Tobermory several times which is on Mull and the Western Isles Hotel which is real and still exists. Although Kiloran does not exist, the Isle of Coll substitutes somewhat for Kiloran. I love the movie because there is dome dialog of them speaking Scots Gaelic which was and still is quire prevalent on the west coast of Scotland in the the Hebrides in particular. I Know where I'm Goings truly is one of those little know jewels of a movie. My wife and I have been to Mull and we love the movie.
Kiloran is clearly Colonsay, not Coll. The harbour used is Carsaig on the south of Mull which would be a perfectly reasonably place to get a ferry to Colonsay, "Kiloran" is a village on the west coat of Colonsay and the map of "Kiloran" on the wall is a map of Colonsay with a different name. The only difference is that you cannot walk from end to end of Colonsay in an hour and a half, but then you can't do that on Coll either. A boat to Coll would have left from Tobermory, by the way.
I love this film and I love The Archers. It's tied with Black Narcissus as my favorite Powell and Pressburger film.
Thanks for your review, nice. My favourite P&P film: generally it’s hold on pace and control of drama, sweet restrained romance and tight character writing are for the 40’s or even much later pretty perfect. Young folks might think the acting over the top but this isn’t very! Powell couldn’t find colour film… Damn! They’d have nailed the light and it would have been ethereally beautiful too.
I like this movie but cannot articulate exactly why. It may be Pamela Browns stunning widows peak, filming on a spectacular location during WW11, Livesys unusual voice, or just the story itself. It seems to get better each time I happen to catch it.
If you like this film, Go to Mull, where it was filmed. You can find the phone box, the stone jetty where much of the action takes place, and the lobby of the Great Western Hotel pays homage to the film, cuz that's where the cast and crew stayed during filming.
Filming Gulf of Corrywreckan was fabulous! I've been there and it's WILD
I've known the song for all of my life, and I never knew where it came from until i asked on a FB site! I'm 62 yrs old and finally i get to know where it came from!! I've known these words forever and didn't know a thing about it!!
I am pretty sour the song well predates the film. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_Where_I%27m_Going_(folk_song)
Your analysis is excellent:-)
thank you.
I agree. Great movie. The colonel friend is a real falconer. Also any shot that is a long shot or non-studio is a double of Roger Livesey bc he was obligated to a play and could not travel to Scotland for shooting.
You forgot the friend who owns the home that had the RAF staying and really messed up her home.
It’s near the end of the war, so there is D-Day and Market Garden to come.
thank you.
They had destroyed the grounds with their bivoacing.
This is an excellent analysis
Considering how bad the weather is supposed to be, it's mostly sunny and equable most of the time.
Pamela Brown, the love of Michael Powell's life, makes this movie great. Just that first shot of her like the Goddess Diana with her hunting dogs around her... sublime. From the age of 16 she had constant arthritic pain and I don't know how she made a great namet on stage. In this film I can only see her wince two times s. She left her husband who cheated on her and because she was a Catholic would not remarry while he was still alive. She lived the rest of her life with Michael Powell who adored her.
What a fantastic movie. Such great acting and warmth generated by the locals. Did I say the movie was fantastic? How old was Wendy Hiller when she made this movie......sometimes the camera makes her look older than 25.
yes, she does seem older!
She was 33 in 1945.
Great analysis of a great film. Thank you.
you're welcome. I appreciate you watching and commenting. thanks.
Yes, this rings true also for me and my husband in the time of our courtship also in the historic time of the tragic loss of Pres. Kennedy 1963 another "turning point historic year and thank you for this great commentary.
very neat. you're welcome.
I only discovered this film a few years ago. I love it.
I wouldn't like to think what winter would be like in this setting, but the action of the film clearly takes place in the spring of 1945, in other words just a few weeks before the war ends. It's not likely the Laird will be killed, and the film makes several references suggesting the war will end soon. Anyway, one of the great films not only of the 1940s but of all time.
IF you read about the 'land struggles in the isle of Lewis' The Hebridean island was bought from the two Scottish traders- Jardine and Mathieson ( who built up South China ports) bought by Lord Lever, of Lever products. When the Scottish men returned home from war, they found out the they land was not going to be given to them, but they would remain tithed to the land by landowners. This was not received well. There is a nod to this in the conversation about the CEO who has rented the island. By the way Britain fought against the Nazis.
Your comment about this film being propaganda from the 'English' government is incorrect as it was the 'British ' government. An easy and oft made mistake.
However, 70 years on, 'Westminster' propaganda is still aimed at Scotland. Plus ça change....
Great film, wouldn't work in colour. She has been dreaming about getting to Kiloran, she has pored over maps, she was really excited to see the map of Kiloran in Catriona's house. She eventually realises that Torquil is Kiloran and never actually reaches the island.
Although it's a marvelous movie there are basically two layers within it, upon of each other and at odds with each other. First the primary English one of the one country, dismissive of the nouveau riches, etc., and then the secondary Scottish one of love for the nation and Celtic heritage.
I think you are right, and since this is a WW2-era movie, the film tries to forge the two together for the sake of national unity during a time of national crisis. That's exactly the kind of thing you'll find in a lot of wartime art.
@@LearningaboutMovies Yes, but behind the movie there's also so much more. It's honestly a real stepping stone to more. Celtic Church, conservation of birds, etc. I'll keep it short. Perhaps it's all about Powell's love for Scotland too. Funny but it feels like that most of the principle characters, including Torquil, are more set into an English mold. But it just takes indeed a step further, more into the present, have a look there and discover much, much more.
The very small role of Cheril is played by 12 year old Petula Clark.
Seen this movie a lot. It’s perfect and if you’re accepting, not very cringy. The nut brown maid, with thepipers at the end, she is going for the relationship
You have made the mistake that many Americans make by referring to England and English so in this case the movie was not English or made in England it was made in Britain. You may think this is pedantry but Britain is made up of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Scots, Welsh and Irish are quite naturally fed up of being ignored and referred to as English or being from England, they are rightly proud of their own countries which have rich traditions and very clear identities. I am English by the way but do feel very strongly about this. Thank you.
You made the mistake that many "Europeans" make by referring to Americans. Most people in America identify with the state they live in and there is always rivalry etc as to who lives in the best state. I am actually European born but lived many years in New York though not now but still consider myself a New Yorker. And by the way I don't feel strongly at all about this. But people from New York, well we're cheeky.
But you've made a mistake here as well. It's the UK which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, not Britain.
Great Britain is the UK, minus Northern Ireland.
@@rejectionisprotection4448 Great Britain is an island. Britain is a county.
Modern movie makers please observe. The current sewer of movies are filthy.
Love this movie, good critique. My favorite character is Catriona. I would have loved a sequel! Alas.
Can u do a review of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
I can't figure out which is my favourite P&P movie. They're all so essential, textured, crafted, emotional, and well, essential!
How do you choose from:
I Know Where I'm Going
A Matter of Life & Death
The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp
The Red Shoes
A Canterbury Tale
Black Narcissus
😍😍😍
Love this film. Love the people, was disappointed that Livesey as Kiloran was not the actor that kissed Joan (Hiller) when she asked him to. Still a great film.
yes!
What do you mean that Livesey was not the actor who kissed her ? Please explain in detail.
@@dallasjones8185 It was said that Livesey was engaged in another play/ film and he could not stay for that part of the filming (I'm not too sure if that was the reason). Read about the making of the film.
Too many serendipities made a great movie. Here's a tidbit: the movie was brave to refer to WWII this way (then 1944) "It won't be long now." Movie was released in 1945.
Not my favourite Powell/Pressburger film, but it's worth watching if only for Wendy Hiller's performance. The premise of an outsider in a pastoral, dreamlike Scottish setting made it feel like a prototype of 'Local Hero'.
Very good piece, and could not agree more. This has always been one of my all-time favourite movies. and I'm in good company: Raymond Chandler loved it, said it topped any other movie for depicting the wind and wildness of the sea. The only problem I have is the question of whether Joan has met Sir Robert Belliger or was about to meet him for the first time on the island, the marriage being one of arrangement. Seems to me the narrative is unclear on this and any ellucidation would be welcome.
thank you. I thought that they had met before, surely, and yet that point of ambiguity must be conceded.
Given that she works for Consolidated Chemical Industries (evidenced when she hands her work pass to her father over their gin and dubonnets), I think it’s safe to assume that they know each other quite well. We can also infer that they know each other from the facts that she is clearly a regular at the fancy nightclub/restaurant that is too expensive for her bank manger father to want to be seen at and the fact that they clearly seem on easy terms when they speak on the telephone.
He has absolutely been her boss. They have been associated at work.
My favourite movie. ‘Nuff said!
good one to love!
Mine, too. Since I was 15. Can't believe Marty Scorcese and I have the same favorite movie! Even though the only one who gets "whacked" is a rabbit.
Intelligent review here.
A few notes ... Her journey is interrupted by fog, not waves. The gale comes after the fog has cleared. ... (Biggest mistake) McNeil is the laird of Kiloran, not the lord. "Laird" is a Scottish position and is not "lord" said with a Scottish accent. ... I think you greatly overstate the wartime/propaganda aspect. In fact the war is hardly mentioned and barely impinges on the lives of the characters. It is acknowledged, but doesn't really matter ... There was no significant Scottish nationalist movement at the time, so no need for any suggestion that the Union needed strengthening ... Basically it's a rather charming love story with a sub plot of town vs country which is very similar to that of "Laxdale Hall."
doesn't really matter -- tell that to the contemporary audience!