Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Screenplay: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Starring: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, Duncan MacKechnie, George Carney, Nancy Price, Catherine Lacey
Country: UK
Running Time: 92 min
Year: 1945
BBFC Certificate: TBC
Reportedly, I Know Where I’m Going! came about whilst Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were waiting for a specialist Technicolour camera and film stock to become available, so they could shoot A Matter of Life and Death. Laurence Olivier was holding things up by using the colour process on Henry V though. Rather than sitting and twiddling their thumbs, the illustrious pair of filmmakers decided to quickly knock together another film in the interim. That film was I Know Where I’m Going!
WWII was still in its latter days at this point, so the film needed to be put past the authorities before work began on it. Most films made around then were propaganda pieces, but Powell and Pressburger managed to convince the government that it would be useful to produce something that would help prevent materialism as the war wound up and afterwards, focusing on the importance of life over money.
The project was given the green light, a script was swiftly rattled out, and a cast was assembled from a mix of regulars and new faces to the filmmakers, including Wendy Hiller, whom Powell and Pressburger had intended to use before, but couldn’t when she became pregnant. Production began shortly after on the Isle of Mull, as well as on soundstages at Denham Film Studios in Buckinghamshire.
The resulting film went down well on release, but got a little lost for a while among some of Powell and Pressburger’s more grand and audacious titles. Over the years, however, I Know Where I’m Going! has been reconsidered as another masterpiece by the duo. Criterion must agree, as they’re releasing the film on UHD and Blu-ray. I got hold of a copy, as it’s long been on my watchlist, and my thoughts follow.
The film has quite a straightforward story. To quote Criterion’s blurb, ““I know where I’m going!” declares headstrong, upwardly mobile Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) en route to her marriage to a wealthy industrialist—until her carefully laid plans are blown away by a raging storm that leaves her stranded on an island off the Scottish coast with a dashing naval officer (Roger Livesey).”
On paper, particularly nowadays, when endless romantic comedies have recycled the idea, I Know Where I’m Going! seems rather predictable. I wouldn’t argue with that, to be honest, but it’s the journey, not the destination, as they say.
I just found the whole thing utterly delightful. This is aided, in part, by a host of colourful characters. Powell and Pressburger favourites like Pamela Brown and Finlay Currie, as well as a young Petula Clark, provide memorable performances, adding flavour to the film.
Our two leads, Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, are also excellent. I was surprised to hear that fellow Blueprint: Review writer Andy Goulding felt they lacked chemistry, when writing about the film in his epic Michael Powell ranking feature. Personally, I thought they had a number of sequences together that crackled with sexual tension. They aren’t always lusting for each other behind their eyes, but I felt this to be a more accurate depiction of a simmering, unspoken connection. The couple have clear personality differences, but you always intently feel that Livesey’s character was particularly drawn to Hiller’s, and there are a number of quiet moments where they look close to giving in to their feelings.
The film threatens to feel like a romanticised view of life in the Hebrides, with its sentimental “the simple life is better” ethos and some not always convincing ‘local’ accents. However, it feels like a more authentic portrayal of rural life than something like The Quiet Man.
Being a Powell and Pressburger film, it also looks gorgeous. It’s rich with atmosphere, making the most of the material shot on location. Interiors and other soundstage material are sumptuously lit too.
The film may look more straightforward than some of Powell and Pressburger’s more lavish, technically playful work, like A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. However, there’s more clever cinematic trickery than you’d think. There is some wonderful montage work, particularly early on in the film. Perhaps most notable, however, is the fact that a good deal of this fairly authentic-looking film, supposedly set in the Hebrides, was shot in the studio. Granted, some of the process shots stand out, by modern standards, but there are some highly effective scenes, particularly a thrilling storm that provides the climax to the film.
Also impressive is the fact that Roger Livesey never went anywhere near Scotland during production. He was busy working on a play, so a stand-in had to be used for exterior shots. If you look closely, you can sometimes tell, but it’s remarkably well done.
Overall then, whilst I Know Where I’m Going! is a little more unassuming than most of Powell and Pressburger’s more famous films, it’s every bit as beautifully made and is charming from start to finish.
Film: 
I Know Where I’m Going! is out on 15th December on 4K UHD & Blu-Ray in the UK, released by The Criterion Collection. I watched the Blu-ray disc, and thought that it looked great, with well-balanced tones and a clean and detailed picture. The mono soundtrack was faultless too.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
– New 4K digital restoration by The BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation, supervised by filmmaker Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
– One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
– Audio commentary featuring film historian Ian Christie
– Restoration demonstration with an introduction by Scorsese and commentary by Schoonmaker Powell
– Behind-the-scenes stills narrated by Schoonmaker Powell
– “I Know Where I’m Going!” Revisited, a 1994 documentary by Mark Cousins
– Photo-essay by writer Nancy Franklin exploring the locations used in the film
– Home movies from one of director Michael Powell’s Scottish expeditions, narrated by Schoonmaker Powell
– English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
– PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith New cover by Thinh Dinh
Ian Christie provides a commentary over the film. He breaks it down as the film moves along, looking at how it was made and how it works so effectively. It’s a strong track.
There’s a half-hour documentary by Mark Cousins included on the disc. This is nicely shot and filled with a range of interviews, as well as then-modern-day visits to the locations.
This is complemented by a photo-essay by journalist Nancy Franklin, who’s featured in Cousins’ documentary. She fell in love with I Know Where I’m Going! and believes it changed her life.
There are some ‘home movies’ by Michael Powell on the disc, recorded during one of his many trips to Scotland. These are narrated by his wife and Martin Scorsese’s regular editor, Thelma Schoonmaker Powell. The films and narration provide a lovely glimpse of the legendary filmmaker in his personal life, as well as offering some footage of the beautiful landscape.
There are also some production stills, again narrated by Schoonmaker Powell. These are wonderful, offering behind-the-scenes facts and a look at Powell at work.
Finally, there’s a restoration demonstration which opens with an introduction by Scorsese, and can also be viewed with an optional commentary by Schoonmaker Powell. It helps clearly show the improvements made in the 4K restoration process.
I didn’t receive a copy of the booklet, unfortunately.
So, Criterion have done an excellent job, compiling some wonderful extras to complement a beautiful film.
Disc/Package: 