Tonight's Movie: Journey Into Fear (1943) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The Orson Welles production JOURNEY INTO FEAR (1943),
cowritten by Welles and star Joseph Cotten, has just been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

This sharp-looking print is from a new 1080p HD master from a 4K scan of safety preservation master positives from the Library of Congress. It looks and sounds terrific.

I first saw this engaging 68-minute spy thriller in 2011 at the Noir City Hollywood Film Festival, where I quite enjoyed it.

Multiple edits of this RKO film exist, and prior to watching this Blu-ray, I discovered in correspondence with reviewer Glenn Erickson that the print I saw at Noir City was different from the one on the Blu-ray. As I described in my 2011 review, the movie ends with dialogue by Stephanie (Ruth Warrick), who plays Cotten's wife; that prompted a query from Glenn, as such dialogue doesn't exist on the Blu-ray.

Glenn wrote about our conversation and the print differences in his own review of JOURNEY INTO FEAR; he also shares a 2005 Wellesnet description I found which discusses the print I saw at Noir City. I think it would be wonderful if the Warner Archive or a line like Criterion could one day put out a disc with multiple edits of the movie, along with a featurette on the film's production and editing history.

The story was based on an Eric Ambler novel. It concerns Howard Graham (Cotten), a munitions expert traveling on business in Europe along with his wife (Warrick).

Graham is targeted by mysterious killers, then saved by the equally mysterious Colonel Haki (Welles). Before Graham knows it, he's fleeing for his life on a rundown ship filled with disreputable characters...and to his dismay, his life may still be in danger on the ship.

I like this oddball little film, particularly for Cotten's cranky, unexpected hero and his loving yet imperfect marriage. It does feel as though it needs to be longer and fill in some story blanks; I wonder if watching multiple cuts of the film back to back would help!

For additional thoughts on the movie, including Cotten's performance, please click over to my 2011 review.

As I write in that review, the movie's credited director is Norman Foster. Welles may have done some work on the film but the extent is unknown, and he always gave Foster full credit.

The black and white cinematography was by Karl Struss.

The unusual cast of characters includes Dolores Del Rio, Everett Sloane, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Durant, Edgar Barrier, Frank Readick, and Hans Conreid.

Disc extras are a trio of Mercury Radio Theater shows: DRACULA (July 7, 1938), TREASURE ISLAND (July 18, 1938), and A TALE OF TWO CITIES (July 25, 1938).

JOURNEY INTO FEAR may not be a "great" film, but it's a quick, fun watch, with an interesting production history to go along with it. Classic film fans will appreciate this attractive Blu-ray and the accompanying extras.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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