I Know Where I'm Going Reviews

Undervalued gem from Powell and Pressburger

The films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger are without equal in British Cinema. 'I know where I'm going' was their fourth collaboration and still stands as a charming and beautifully understated romantic comedy.

Joan Webster(Wendy Hiller) is the headstrong woman who is making her way to a Scottish island to marry a rich businessman. Joan's plans are disrupted by a storm which prevents her from crossing to the island and leaves her stranded in a small village. Also stuck there is a returning naval officer, Torquil MacNeil(Roger Livesey). It's soon made clear that Joan's main motivation for marriage is financial and she has no real love for her future husband. Could the down-to-earth Torquil win her heart before the storm clears?

While the answer to that particular question is never really in doubt, Powell and Pressburger have enormous fun along the way. The dizzying opening montage sets the tone and visually too, the film is a treat. The script carefully balances the lead's budding romance with moments of deft humour and nods to local customs.

Powell and Pressburger's later technicolour films may be more celebrated, but 'I know where I'm going' is comfortable in the company of those classics. A minor masterpiece perhaps, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

A classic?

They tell me that this film is a classic but I think it is showing signs of age which should not happen with a true classic.

There was much I enjoyed like the setting in Scotland, the beautiful scenery, the music and singing by the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. But the acting was very of its time and over dramatic, particularly from that epitome of stiff upper lips, R. Livesey.

It is well worth viewing, but not top drawer.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Twee and tweedy

Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesy, even in their day, were not exactly heart-throbs of the silver screen methinks. Great actors though they are, they are not particularly well served by the script and plot of this offering which has, perhaps, not aged very well. There's a certain charm but it's all a bit twee and tweedy. Nice to hear good diction though.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Not at all a classic

I was seduced into renting this film by people's description of it as a 'classic'. Well, it isn't. Think of 'The Way To The Stars', 'A Matter Of Life And Death', 'in Which We Serve', from the same era. This is simply a 'pot-boiler', like an 'airport novel', only with a less exciting story. It really has nothing to say and the acting is weak, even for its time; thinking is conveyed by stroking the chin, puzzlement by scratching the head, surprise by widening the eyes - ham - and everyone shouts. Is it because of the recording systems in those days? The setting is tourist Scotland, full of castles, kilts and 'Och Ayes!'

Och deeer!

I've forgotten him & where I was going!

I enjoyed this film. Pretty standard love story, but well acted, and with a great cast including Scottish Stalwarts John Laurie & Finlay Currie. A nice DVD transfer and some spectacular scenery all help to give this an edge. It's not a classic but not bad.

Recomended for when you start to run out of classic B&W films to watch.

Not convincing

I agree with another reviewer that this is not a real classic. A real classic should be timeless. Casablanca for instance is smooth and brilliantly filmed. This film was uncomfortable at times -Scotish accents a bit dodgy, no sign of mis on the water when it was supposed to be too foggy to go to sea!

No, she doesn't

One of the best romantic films of its time. Perhaps one needs to have known the post second world war period and the West Coast of Scotland to appreciate it fully.

Charming and Romantic

Utterly charming! I really enjoyed this film. I can't say I know much about that time or period in Britain but I found that it didn't really hinder my appreciation.

I Know Where I'm Going

Over-acted, wooden, no emotion, I just cannot believe the reviews of other borrowers(which influenced me to rent it!). Trite, silly, but probably ok in it's day - 60 yrs. ago.

Fantastic stuff

I just adore films like this and this is as good as it gets. You wouldn't belive it was made all that time ago as the dialogue is still crisp and snappy. As a simple story of love then this is the one. Corny ending though.