Movie #260 I Know Where I'm Going! *1945*

I was looking at my movie list for this project and I noticed something.  I had watched at least 1 movie made in every year since 1935 with the exception of 12 years.  I decided that before my year long movie watching project was over I was going to have watched and review at least one film for each of the past 76 years.

So, I needed to mark off 1945.  I also am using this opertunity to watch some films that I haven't seen before.  I decided to watch the movie I Know Where I'm Going!  This is another Powell and Pressburger film.  I have reviewed two other of their films this year.  The Red Shoes, which I have reviewed twice and added to the list of my all time favorite films.  And Black Narcissus.  Another great film of theirs.  I began watching a third and couldn't make it through the thick English accents.  Also I reviewed Peeping Tom that was made by Powell alone.

This movie takes place mainly on the shores of Scotland.  A head strong English woman is set to marry her millionaire fiance.  The only thing keeping them apart are the storms, wind, waves and will of the Scottish weather and the local residents.  Mainly Roger Livesey as Torquil.  A local war hero and landowner.  He falls for Joan and relishes the opportunity to romance her in whatever way he can to try and sway her away from her beau.

Wendy Hiller as Joan Webster could be a surrogate for Kate Hepburn.  She was charismatic, attractive, intelligent, independent, diginified and most of all fun.  I enjoyed seeing how such strong female character bound by manners was going to handle the obsticles and seaward ways of the scruff and quirky locals.  None so quirky as to be unreal or characterizations.  They were fully fleshed out, unique individuals.

Powell and Pressburger are know for their visual spectacle and scope.  This film was shot in black and white, but it still looked wonderful.  Even on a poor DVD transfer.  It isn't as polished as some of their more later work, but the roots of their style is on display in this film.  Also on display is their use of language.  It is a funny and superbly written.  There isn't a wasted line or one that doesn't come into play later in the film.  Everything is there to move the plot forward and through that they develop rich characters.

A few other notes is that there is a phone booth on the island inconviently located directly in front of a huge waterfall.  That was apparently a compramise with one of the more difficult inhabbitants of the area that did want a phone at all.  It is very funny to see people in the phone booth yelling and getting wet just to make a call.  Also I wanted to point out that Pamela Brown is in this film and she is a rare beauty.  Not in the classic sense, but there is something about her that can not be overlooked.

I really enjoyed this film and I am looking forward to marking the rest of these movies off my list..  I give it ★★★.