Customer Reviews

Dark Journey

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Dark Journey" is a war-time drama starring Vivien Leigh (only 22 years old and 2 years before her turn in "Gone with the Wind.") If you are looking for another epic Vivien Leigh movie, this isn't what you're looking for. I would suggest this film if you are a die-hard Leigh fan and you want to see how she developed into an icon. This movie was just fluff, but at only 77 minutes, I enjoyed it.

However, I strongly suggest NOT buying the DVD released by Vina Distributors. The DVD was unplayable on 3 separate machines and I got it brand new. Another reason to look elsewhere is that AMC has released a small collection of 4 of Leigh's early films and this is among them. The price is only a few dollars more, and you're getting 4x the deal (and it plays perfect, although the films have obviously not been well-preserved.) The other films included in the "Vivien Leigh Classics" set are "Storm in a Teacup" (featuring Rex Harrison)/"Fire Over England" (featuring Laurence Olivier)/"Sidewalks of London" (featuring Charles Laughton and Rex Harrison.) This is by far the better deal.

Told mostly in flashback, this is a story of espionage and intrigue, but mostly of love among spies...spies with different allegiances.
It is early Vivien Leigh, two years before "Gone With the Wind", a little fuller in figure, and utterly gorgeous. Her face was born to meet the lens of a camera, and she is stunning here, as French double agent Madeleine, owner of a fashion store as "cover" for her activities, and in love with the head of German intelligence, a much older man, but extremely attractive, and the chemistry between them is marvelous. Conrad Veidt is Baron Von Marwitz, and he is perfect for the part (classic movie fans will remember Veidt as Major Heinrich Stragger in "Casablanca").

The story is a little disjointed at times, and the plot actually quite thin; the time is Spring in 1918, during WWI in Stockholm, where both sides were able to move freely. Directed by Victor Saville and with a good score by Richard Addinsell, it is a nice curiosity piece at 82 minutes. Leigh fans will love it, and anyone interested in the make-up/fashion end of filmmaking, as it has a stylish wardrobe and it is interesting to examine just what adds to Leigh's beauty in this film, on top of her natural attributes and acting ability.
This Vina budget DVD is a little fuzzy in both audio and video, but considering the film was made in 1937, as well as the rock bottom price it is selling for, it is quite acceptable.

"Dark Journey" is an exciting spy story, full of humor. The pace is swift. There is a moving romance and the actors are superb.

"Dark Journey" is a pre WW 2 spy film set during WW 1, starring Vivien Leigh and Conrad Veidt.

Most of our spy films come from WW2 or the cold war period, so this is one of those rare WW 1 spy films even if it was produced in 1937 on the eve of WW 2. Other WW 1 spy films include William Powell in "Rendezvous" (1935), Conrad Veidt in "I Was a Spy" (1933) and "U-Boat 29" (1939), Boris Karloff in "British Intelligence" (1940), Julie Andrews in "Darling Lili" (1970), and Michael York in "Zeppelin" (1971). None of them were remarkable. Neither is this.

Vivien Leigh (1913-67) plays the owner of a swank dress shop and a spy. Or is she really a double agent? Or a triple? Leigh is best known for her stunning performances in "GWTW" (1939) as Scarlett O'Hara and as Blanche Dubois in "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) - she won the Oscar both times. Eventually physical problems, a miscarriage, and the difficulty of living with Laurence Olivier would take their toll and she began a slow descent into madness and ill health. Between 1955 and 1965 she made only 1 film, but she carried on with her theatre work and even won a Tony in 1963. Her last film appearance was in 1965 ("Ship of Fools"). Here is 1937 we see her at her just before her peak. She and Olivier met in 1935 and began their affair during "Fire Over England" which was made just before this film. This may account for the lack of chemistry between Leigh and Veidt.

Conrad Veidt (1893-1943) was everyone's favorite spy. He was married to a Jew and fled Germany in 1933. He's best known as Gestapo Major Strasser from "Casablanca" (1942) and Cesare from "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920). His spy film roles included "Nazi Agent" (1942), "The Spy in Black" (1939), "Blackout" (1940), and his last film "Above Suspicion" (1943). Veidt also plays a spy. Or is he really a double agent?

Veidt was in his mid 40s when he appeared in this film, 20 years older than Leigh who was in her mid 20s. The difference shows. Of course, love affairs between a man and a woman with 209 years difference between them are not so uncommon, but the lack of chemistry only exaggerates the differences.

Joan Gardner (1914-99) plays a rival for Veidt's affections. She was active in films in the 30s ("The Scarlett Pimpernel", "Private Life of Don Juan"), married Alexander Korda's brother, Zoltan, and retired. She does a great job in her brief appearances, stealing every scene she's in.

Victor Saville (1895-1979) is the director. He made 39 films, most of them forgettable, and one that was truly awful - "The Silver Chalice" (1954). He had a better record as a producer ("I, the Jury", "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", "Goodbye Mr. Chips").

Lajos Biro (1880-1948) was a Hungarian writer who worked with Alexander Korda at London Film Productions. He worked with Korda (who was Executive Producer on this film) on 23 films including "Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933), "Catherine the Great" (1934), "Private Life of Don Juan" (1934), "The Scarlett Pimpernel" (1934), "Rembrandt" (1936), "The Thief of Bagdad" (1940), and "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943). He was nominated for an Oscar for his work on "The Last Command" (1928). Biro's work was usually good, so I can only assume they started with a reasonable script but butchered it in the editing room.

There are different versions of this film, varying in length from 72 to 82 minutes. I saw the 82 minute version and can assure you that there are still another 10 minutes lying on the cutting room floor. IOW - this film has large gaps which make the narrative a little hard to follow.

This is probably the worst film ever made by either Veidt and Leigh. Their acting is poor, they have no chemistry, the plot is confusing, and the editing leaves large gaps. The use of models is really elementary, poor even by the low standards of London Films. It takes place in 1918 but the people are dressed and talk as if it were 1937. Coming as it does in 1937, with WW 2 fast approaching, it's amazing how gentlemanly the Germans are portrayed. They're very polite when they arrest people, and it's hard to tell the Germans from the British or the Swedish. Other British films from the same time period were more open in talking about the European dangers and the dangers of totalitarianism.

Give this one a pass. If you're anxious to see a young Vivien Leigh, "Fire Over England" (1937) is a far better choice. Conrad Veidt fans always have "Casablanca" (1942).