MovieChat Forums > The Journey (1959) Discussion > not impressed

not impressed

posted 15 years ago by deschreiber
12 replies | jump to latest

All the lavish praise in these comments has me puzzled. The movie strikes me as a bore. A good deal of the blame goes to the writer. The dialogue is awkward and stilted, as if written by a student. The Russian officer struts around in silly, patented Yul Brynner manliness, presenting himself as wily and intelligent, but he's unbelievably slow in dealing with his mystery prisoner. At the first whiff of suspicion, he'd have separated him from the others and interrogated the hell out of him. When one passenger says he "can't tell" him about the guy, Brynner lets the inadvertent admission go instead of nailing him and getting the truth from him. How long would it really take to figure out that the fugitive wasn't sick with the flu after all but was suffering from a gunshot wound? There's a varied cast of characters as passengers on the bus, but they are of no interest in themselves. Brynner's "short" time in Canada is supposed to explain his complete, accent-free mastery of English - totally unbelievable. As for the casting, Deborah Kerr's coolness is almost as hard to bear as Yul Brynner's phoney poses. Galloping in on a horse with a riding crop and leather riding breeches in his first appearance. he looks more like a German aristocrat or maybe some Russian throwback to the days of the Tsar, the kind that was lined up against a wall and shot during the Revolution. He certainly doesn't look like someone who lived through the years of Stalin to survive as a member of the people's army. This is a completely forgettable film.

[–] treeline1 14 years ago

Yes, you are right about the writing. A short time in Canada would never allow him to speak English like that and without an accent. Certainly, he should have arrested and tortured or killed Lady Ashmore for trying to smuggle Paul out of the country. And as for Paul, he shouldn't have bothered arresting him, he would would have shot him when he found him in the boat and the same goes for the smuggler.

The major's diaglogue was way too mushy to be believable. Supporting Paul as he was being operated on? Doubt it. And the major was in charge - he could have had his way with Ashmore (and all the other ladies) anytime he wanted. Dining and dancing with the travelers was silly. Wouldn't happen. Ever. And Ashmore embracing him when he kissed her was just yucky. She wouldn't do it. She loved Paul and should have been scared of the major, not enamored of him.

Yul Brynner is still undeniably sexy in the role despite the ridiculous script.

[–] Jessica_Rabbit69 14 years ago

I disagree. But then again this is one of my favorite movies. Yes, there are impossibilities in it, but certainly not more than in many other movies.

"And Ashmore embracing him when he kissed her was just yucky. She wouldn't do it."
I, and I'm sure countless other women, would disagree.

Yes, she loved Paul, but quite obviously fell for Brynner. Maybe she was scared of him, but that doesn't mean she wasn't attracted.

"Deborah Kerr's coolness is almost as hard to bear as Yul Brynner's phoney poses."
Her coolness, and the fire underneath, is a perfect foil for his manliness.

Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."

[–] boxerrebellion 7 years ago

Yul Brynner's English was never 'un-accented', in anything I've ever seen him. Also, Soviet's/Russians always had people trained to speak without an accent when it was to their advantage. Deborah Kerr's coolness was classic English lady.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 14 years ago

The OP apparently thinks a movie villain should be only a villain, with no human qualities whatever. Fortunately for us who do like this film, the writer disagreed with that idea and tried to present a real human being, obedient to his position as a Russian conqueror but still morally questioning of his and others' actions. It's a complex role and Brynner carries it off well--and his English is NOT "accent-free." It never was, even when he played a man of the American West later in his career. If you don't like the movie, you don't like it. But dislike it for what it is; don't create reasons that aren't there.

"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde

[–] jayrussell1993 9 years ago

The script and dialogue maintained a good tension throughout the movie. Everyone's performance was very good to excellent, even that annoying pregnant American woman. No one was too ethnic either...Hollywood has overdone that angle a lot. I liked it overall.

[–] ClassicAndForeignFilmLover 9 years ago

I concur with you, Jay. I felt intrigued by the trama.
It´s unrealistic when Yul Brynner and his men sing and toast for the group, though.
I did not understand why Yul had to be killed at the end by the freedom fighter woman played by Anouk Aimee After allowing Paul to get away knowing that he is Hungarian, did Yul have to be killed in return and make that the final scene? ´
In any event, the final scene should have shown Deborah Kerr´s reaction to him being killed.

[–] DontBogartMe 9 years ago

That ending was rather contrived. After Yul's steed was dispatched, Brynner wouldn't have left himself alone and defenseless to catch lead from Anouk Aimee.

[–] ClassicAndForeignFilmLover 9 years ago

Yes, I agree. It is not a good ending. It seems that more thought should have been given to it.

One one side, Yul should not have been killed after he allowed for the exit of an Hungarian freedom fighter and of all the others in a dignified way. In addition, to me the final scene lacks characterization. The camera should have shown Kerr´s reaction after Yul is shot -- not only before he is shot -- instead of leaving to the judgment by the audience to imagine how Kerr reacted to Yul´s being killed.

[–] Jamal-Nazreddin 8 years ago

I was unimpressed, also.

Studio bound and too much talk.

[–] OnlyAFan 8 years ago

There was no other possible ending, IMO.

Having let them go, when the supervising officers already knew about it, would bring him disgrace and probably a firing squad.

If he had lived, he would forever be in conflict over his duty as a soldier and his disobeying of his orders.

No other possible outcome.

In My Never To Be Humble Opinion

[–] avnrulz 7 years ago

I did not understand why Yul had to be killed at the end by the freedom fighter woman played by Anouk Aimee

MAGA!

[–] Enrique-8 8 years ago

Very impressed...

Enrique Sanchez