MovieChat Forums > The Way Ahead (1945) Discussion > Original full-length UK film coming to R...

Original full-length UK film coming to R1 DVD 6/19/12

posted 12 years ago by hobnob53
2 replies | jump to latest

VCI, as part of its ongoing release of films from The Rank Organisation, is bringing the original, full-length (115 minutes) British version of The Way Ahead to Region 1 DVD. The disc will be released June 19, 2012, and retails for $14.99.

Until now this film has only been available in the US in its butchered, 91-minute version retitled The Immortal Battallion. The movie is being releasd on DVD only and has few extras, but it's long past time that it became available in its original form in the States.

[–] jglapin 12 years ago

Possible Spoiler

I am delighted the film has been restored. The scenes with the Chelsea Pensioners were deleted in the American version which was a shame. Their commentary is too good to miss. The ending with the extended advance, fixed bayonets, has more weight now.

[–] pb-baker 11 years ago

I have a version purchased in the UK - is this the 'extended version'? It has lots of scenes with the Chelsea Pensioners and the final 'death or glory' advance.

This is probably one of my favourite war films made during the war, when part of its purpose was propaganda. Of course, when it was released in early 1944, the outcome of the war (or, at least, whether as a member of the audience you would live to see the end of it, or see some of your loved ones again)was still uncertain, the advance into the battlesmoke is poignantly symbolic.