Classic Cinema Spotlight: Between Two Worlds (1944)

[A Vintage Nerd]

Between Two Worlds (1944) is set during WWII in London where people are trying to get out of the city because of bombings. A sensitive Austrian pianist-turned-soldier in the Résistance named Henry (Paul Henreid) is seen trying to get out of London and board a ship to America. He is denied because he does not have an exit ticket. Out of nowhere comes his wife, Ann (Eleanor Parker) who is searching desperately for Henry. Unfortunately Ann witnesses a car full of the people who were heading to board the same ship Henry, die due to a bomb explosion.

In shock with what she saw she runs back home to unexpectedly find Henry sitting in their apartment with the gas on-fully intending to commit suicide. Ann refuses to leave Henry's side while Henry sees no way out of the horrors of the war other than by committing suicide. Moments later Henry and Ann find themselves on a ship fully aware of what they have done-they have died.

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The steward, Scrubby (Edmund Gwenn), asks them not to tell the others they are dead. He believes it is better that they come to the realization themselves. Each of the eight (aside from Henry, Ann, and Scrubby) passengers go about their business thinking that they are on their way to America. That is until a journalist by the name of Tom Prior (John Garfield) overhears Henry and Ann speaking about their awareness that everyone is actually dead. Prior was frustrated by the life that he lead and equally frustrated with the knowledge that he is now dead-so he gathers everyone aboard the ship to dramatically announce to them that they are currently existing between two worlds.

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Everything comes to a head when an Examiner played by Sidney Greenstreet informs each of them what their ultimate fate is. Each of the passengers slowly finds their way to accepting their new reality. Some found renewed faith, some found a long awaited happiness, and some found their fates were tied to how they lived their lives. Each realization comes eloquently and poetically. One finds peace knowing he will be reunited with his family one day, while another finds peace knowing they have to repent for the life they lived. One by one they fall away, each going where they are meant to be.

After each of the passengers disappear from the ship, poor Henry and Ann are left behind because they were suicides. Henry is destined to stay aboard until he redeems himself while Ann is given the chance to go into Heaven. Ann refuses to leave Henry's side because the thought of the afterlife without him was unbearable to her. Scrubby surprisingly comes to their defense to the Examiner.​

Suddenly when Ann turns around to see how Henry is doing she finds that he disappeared. In reality Henry was send back and given a second chance at life. As soon as Henry entered back into his body he begins to revive Ann. They both realize quickly they they were given the gift of a second chance to which they vowed to cherish from that moment on.​

Between Two Worlds (1944) is an unexpected intelligent and thought provoking film. In the midst of all the seriousness of the topics of life and death, the films characters are fully explored. Each has their own individual journey and each has their own realization of deeper meaning of life. Between Two Worlds (1944) is the sort of film that can haunt you for days after viewing because the storylines and dialogue are meaningful and profound.

CMBA presents: A Haunting Blogathon: In the Afterlife​