The Powell & Pressburger Season - 1945
Joan Webster ( Wendy Hiller ) is an independent minded woman, who much to her Father's surprise announces she is about to be married to a wealthy, but much older businessman. On the surface she seems a carefree but materialistically motivated person, who is consciously taking charge of the direction of her life, by marrying into money to secure rhat future. She receives an itinerary from her future husband, detailing all her rail changes, who will meet her and where she will travel to next. Joan says she knows where she is going in life. But this micro managing of her journey towards marriage tells you some of the price Joan will pay for the financial security she craves. It will be at the loss of her liberty. Nevertheless, Joan throws herself into this adventurous journey north into the Scottish Isles. Until she reaches the Isle of Mull where severe storms mean she is prevented from reaching the Isle of Kiloran where she is to be married.
Forced to stop and be still for several days Joan begins to befriend the people she encounters on Mull. The charismatic Torquil MacNeil ( Roger Livesey ) a naval officer heading for shore leave on Kiloran. Catriona ( Pamela Brown ) a fiery and free spirited woman who believes 'Money isn't everything'. She has a similar self willed life motivation to Joan, but is unwilling to compromise her independence and integrity. Everything about community life on Mull has a more self sufficient and simple wholesome character to it, this is not how Joan has ever lived previously.
Joan starts to find herself falling for Torquil, whilst clinging determinedly to carrying out her intention to reach Kiloran and be married. This results in her taking a boat out in dangerous weather despite everyone warning she shouldn't. Torquil deciding to accompany her, manages to save the boat from sinking, turning the boat around and returning everyone safely to Mull. Surviving the turbulent storm of her own emotional reactivity, as well as this near disasterous boat trip, becomes a literal turning point in their relationship. Resisting overturning the barriers to their love starts to crumble. She knows where she is going now, but this time in her heart, not just her head.
I Know Where I'm Going, is an unabashed romantic movie, packed with all the quirky eccentricities one comes to expect from a Powell & Pressburger production. It is comedic and utterly charming, whilst also being a sly satire on the naked pursuit of money. They consciously wanted to make a film that was a 'Crusade against materialism.' There is a believable magnetism and chemistry on screen between Hiller and Livesey. It was filmed in black and white whilst The Archers waited for colour stock to become available so they could make A Matter of life & Death.
It is, nonetheless, a hugely satisfying movie, beautifully and inventively shot, with a deft handling of local accents, culture and character. All the more miraculous for being shot in both the Isle of Mull and a studio, because Livesey was in a play in the West End so couldn't travel to film in Scotland. It was the last film where they used the cinematographer Erwin Hillier, who shot it all, astonishingly, without the aid of a light meter. The storm at sea and the whirlpool at Corryvrekan were carefully composed and edited from film they shot in the Scottish Isles. Whenever time, money or circumstances became straightened Powell & Pressburger were always able to rise to a situation, and make circumstances work for them to their best advantage.
CARROT REVIEW - 6/8
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