Hollywood made many message films, mainly after World War 2. The movie, Between Two Worlds, has a message. It is the one that people with a religious education were taught. The very clear message, is that actions in life, have rewards or consequences. It is for a small group of people, a journey to meet their fate. They are on board an ocean liner, for their trip.
The main thing is the various actors, who give very good performances. This is true of Sydney Greenstreet. He appears later in the film, as Reverend Tim Thompson. He is The Examiner. It is his job to see that everyone’s life is thoroughly reviewed. Some of the characters, have a hard time, believing their life was less than exemplary. This is the case for Tom Prior, (John Garfield), and Mr. Lingley, (George Coulouris). Mr. Lingley was a successful businessman, who didn’t care about anything but money. He felt that people and their feelings, were immaterial. Tom Prior, never cared about anyone. People who cared about him, were treated with indifference. Genevieve Cliveden-Banks, (Isobel Elsom), is a woman who cares about wealth and material things. She doesn’t even have any feeling for her husband, Benjamin Cliveden-Banks, (Gilbert Emery). He once loved her deeply, and gave her a good life. There is one couple, Henry Bergner, (Paul Heinreid) and Ann Bergner, (Eleanor Parker, who are the opposite of the Banks. They know they are no longer of the earth; because they are suicides. They do carry on their love during the journey.
The person who is the ship’s steward, is Scrubby, (Edmund Gwynn). He doesn’t elaborate to the passengers, where they are going, or how long until they arrive. He answers as little questions as possible, and does his best to make them comfortable. This is a very different role for Gwynn, but he does well. He takes a lesser role when The Examiner appears. He does do well against the imposing Greenstreet. He is very good at the end, when he pleads the case for the Bergner’s.
Between Two Worlds, makes its case. The atmosphere is what can be imagined on a journey to judgement. It is helped by the direction of Edward A. Blatt. He has clouds floating by the ships windows, and by the deck. It shows that the ship is floating to the great beyond. There are also the winding long hallways, that lead after time to the common area of the ship.
Between Two Worlds, tackles a subject, that is difficult. It’s source material is a play by Sutton Vane, adapted to the screen by Daniel Fuchs. It has good dialogue. It is particularly good, when The Examiner, discusses everyone’s life, and passes judgement. There have been many times message movies, don’t make the point. Between Two Worlds does it very well.