ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE WAY AHEAD (1944)

 “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.