“The Way Ahead” is a World War II drama, written by Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov and Directed by Carol Reed.
The
movie begins with a number of British recruits being plucked from various walks
of life on civvie street, Ted Brewer (Stanley Holloway), Evan Lloyd (James
Donald), Luke (John Laurie), Sid Beck (Leslie Dwyer), Herbert Davenport
(Raymond Huntley, (Bill Parsons (Hugh Burden) and Geoffrey Stainer (Jimmy
Hanley) and we see them as they struggle to adjust to military life under
sergeant Ned Fletcher (William Hartnell) and Lt. Jim Perry (David Niven).
Once
the troopers are whipped into shape they are slated to sail to French North
Africa to participate in Operation Torch, the invasion of Vichy France's
colonies Algeria and Tunisia.
So
they have to say goodbye to family and friends but a group of wives form a
support group, Mrs. Perry (Penelope Dudley-Ward), Mrs. Brewer (Esma Cannon),
Mrs. Hilda Parsons (Eileen Erskine) and Mrs. Fletcher (Grace Arnold) and track
the progress of their loved ones from the moment they embarked, especially the
sinking of the troop ship by a German U-boat, with half the battalion lost in
the Mediterranean Sea.
As a result the men miss the invasion and from then on seem to be one step behind
the action all the way and it's not until the battle of El Alamein starts to
turn against the British Eight Arm that Perry's men are immediately sent to the
front lines to stop the German Afrika Corps advance.
Apart
from the principles there is also a strong supporting cast, Reginald Tate, Leo
Genn, Renée Asherson, Tessie O'Shea, A.E. Matthews, Jack Watling and Peter
Ustinov is excellent as Rispoli the Cafe Owner.
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