Journey Into Fear (1943)

Roger Ryan · Post by **Roger Ryan** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:15 am

Store Hadji - You're welcome to edit your version any way you like.

For those who may be completely confused by this thread, the scene where Mr. Mathews confronts Howard with his anecdote about the socialist meeting originally followed Howard's nighttime meeting with Kuvetli in what could be called the "preview" version (running time around 91 minutes). In both the early re-edit (released in Aug. 1942, but withdrawn soon after - at least one print survived and has played in Europe over the past few decades) and in Welles' own re-edit (released in Feb. 1943), the confrontation scene between Howard and Mathews was moved up to follow Howard's visit to the captain. Since this threw the continuity out of whack (Mathews is in a bathrobe preparing for bed, but two scenes later is seen fully dressed in the bar), I think the scene plays much better coming later where it was originally intended.

In the preview version, following the confrontation with Mathews, Howard is interrupted again by Josette who is pressing him to meet up with her after the boat docks. The two of them are then interrupted by Mueller who takes Howard aside for the conversation that remains in the film. I cannot recall if Howard originally got another stateroom or not, but I believe Kuvetli left to alert Haki, then returned to the ship to avoid causing suspicion by his absence. His is murdered by Banat upon his return. He had arranged for Howard to meet him in his stateroom in the morning which is why Howard goes there and discovers the body.

One more note: in his Oct. 1942 re-edit, Welles seems to want to remove any suggestion of the infidelity angle. This may have been imposed by the studio since Welles was definitely playing up the infidelity angle in the various endings he was scripting in Brazil, albeit strictly for comedy relief (the original preview version retained this emphasis on humorous infidelity). The removal of the scene where Haki tells Stephanie of Howard's disappearance may be partially due to this change of emphasis, but there is another logical reason for its deletion: with the newly-imposed Howard-centric flashback structure in place, the scene could not have been "observed" by Howard and, therefore, could not logically stay in the film.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:30 am

Roger Ryan wrote:Store Hadji - You're welcome to edit your version any way you like.

Thanks, Ryan. Allow me to return the complement.

Jeff Wilson · Post by **Jeff Wilson** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:14 am

Thanks, Ryan. Allow me to return the complement.

Roger has long been an example of calm, even-tempered posting here, and his post hardly merits this snide response.

Roger Ryan · Post by **Roger Ryan** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:57 am

Store Hadji wrote:
Roger Ryan wrote:Store Hadji - You're welcome to edit your version any way you like.
Thanks, Ryan. Allow me to return the complement.

Well, I meant that sincerely. Placing the Mathews confrontation scene after the meeting with Mueller could play just fine. If you're creating a version of a film for your own personal enjoyment, I don't see a problem with experimenting with different sequencing. In some cases (such as when one lacks documentation on the filmmaker's original intent), the same approach can work for an official public release as well.

tony · Post by **tony** » Mon May 19, 2008 12:02 pm

Store and Roger: Thanks so much for those frame enlargements and your explanations of the differences; I really appreciate it, as I have never seen the British version. Heck, even the title cards are more beautiful in the British version!

Now if only we could get an RKO box set with both JIFs, Roger's Ambersons reconstruction, Ambersons, Kane and the raw footage of IAT with the IAT doc.: that would be something!

ToddBaesen · Post by **ToddBaesen** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:59 pm

Store and Roger:

Let me second Tony's thanks for the frame enlargements and details between the two versions of JIF. I remember the first time I saw JOURNEY years ago I was quite puzzled by why Welles name was so small at the end of the cast list. Of course, at that time I had no idea that Welles had been fired by RKO and was being punished with a reduced credit!

If either of you put together a new edit of JOURNEY, and it turns out well, maybe you can offer it here as a weed, as I'm sure many people would like to see it since who knows if WB will ever release both versions.

Roger Ryan · Post by **Roger Ryan** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:58 am

ToddBaesen wrote: If either of you put together a new edit of JOURNEY, and it turns out well, maybe you can offer it here as a weed, as I'm sure many people would like to see it since who knows if WB will ever release both versions.

As some of you may know, the Munich Film Museum has done a work-in-progress reconstruction of JOURNEY (Disclosure: I did some research and advised on the project) which combines differing scenes from the two extant versions plus provides stills and intertitles to fill in for the missing footage. The reconstruction has been shown publicly at a few retrospectives and, although it's not available for "weeding", I thought I would give it a mention.

Glenn Anders · Post by **Glenn Anders** » Tue May 20, 2008 4:10 pm

Roger and Hadji: I, too, am always interested in you sensitive and knowledgeable contributions. The latter part of this exchange prompts me to raise a question which has long been hanging fire:

What HAS happened to the announced Warner Brothers' 2008 DVD set of THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS and JOURNEY INTO FEAR? I had some hope that your work, Roger, with the research by Munich's Droessler and others, might be included.

Could Warners be holding up this release, as Criterion did in the case of MR. ARKADIN, in order to add some of these recently revealed "elements." They said as much at the time of the original promise -- that new or different elements had been discovered -- over a year ago.

Any news or informed speculation?

Glenn

Michael O'Hara · Post by **Michael O'Hara** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:33 pm

Indeed, I was hoping to have some sort of signal from Warners by now. Not a peep. I really thought this was going to be the year. I'm not sure when this year's Warner chat will take place, but hopefully we'll get some answers then. I worry that dear old Beatrice might not want to cooperate.

Prof Steven P Hill · Post by **Prof Steven P Hill** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:03 am

Does any Welles expert out there know who plays a few of the
supporting players in "Journey into Fear" ('43)?

1. The 30ish (or 40ish) male member of the Turkish ship's higher
ranking crew who translates for Joseph Cotten when Cotten tries to
plead with the ship captain (Richard Bennett). (Unfortunately, the
captain merely roars with laughter and says "boom-boom!")
Could the translator be Stefan Schnabel? Or Robt. Meltzer? Herb
Drake? Bill Roberts?

2. The 2 Russian-speaking cleaning ladies in the Batumi hotel
who bring in fresh sheets just before the final thrilling shootout
on the hotel ledge in the blinding rain)?

3. Does "Waiter" Alex Melesh speak any dialog that would
identify him?

4. Does the familiar Torben Meyer really act the role of one
of the "waiters"? Or is that listing on IMDB a mistake? (The
"waiter" in question seems to me to resemble Mr Meyer only
slightly, but I'm not convinced it's really he.

Gratefully,
Prof Steven P Hill, Cinema Studies, University of Illinois (USA).
" S (DOT) HILL4 (AT) UIUC (DOT) EDU "

Roger Ryan · Post by **Roger Ryan** » Wed May 21, 2008 8:59 am

The answer to question #1 is definitely Stephen (or Stefan) Schnabel.

I'm afraid I don't have any other info regarding the supporting players you mentioned, apart from the fact that Robert Meltzer plays the mostly silent crewman with the dark moustache (he's the one who takes Cotten's bags when boarding the ship and is later seen serving food in the dining area).

An interesting aside: Welles scripted a new ending to JOURNEY INTO FEAR while in Brazil which he hoped to shoot in Rio and match with footage shot in Hollywood (this was never done). Since the new ending would feature Haki being interviewed by a number of journalists, Welles intended to cast his various IT'S ALL TRUE production assistants and crew as reporters. Richard Wilson would have played the lead journalist. In a handwritten note scribbled in the margin of the script, Welles comments that Meltzer could play another reporter "if he agrees to shave the moustache"!

François Thomas · Post by **François Thomas** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:12 pm

Answer to question 2:

Sophia Doombadz and Anna Delinsky (according to an undated cast list held by the Lilly Library).

I have no clue regarding 3 and 4.

Prof Steven P Hill · Post by **Prof Steven P Hill** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:51 am

Thanks a million to Roger Ryan and Francois Thomas for sending me rare information about supporting actors in "Journey into Fear." -- Prof Steven P Hill, University of Illinois " S (DASH) HILL4 (AT) UIUC (DOT) EDU "

purplepines · Post by **purplepines** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:40 pm

I see on my TCM section of Comcast On-Demand that Journey Into Fear is available for free. (Free Movies->TCM). I forgot how lightweight a film it is (it seems to me) and how heavily edited by others too. Old Richard Bennett steals the show (it seems to me).

Glenn Anders · Post by **Glenn Anders** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:02 pm

Yes, purplepines, as it stands, JOURNEY INTO FEAR is "lightweight." Welles said as much later about the film. You might remember though that it was suggested by Eric Ambler's novel, one of the best pioneer international spy thrillers, an inspiration to Graham Greene and probably to Welles himself. Welles and Joseph Cotton considered the picture to be what Greene came to call "an entertainment," like Brighton Rock, a piece of candy or scoop of sorbet to clear the palate for more heavy stuff (like THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS or The Power and the Glory). And what Welles liked most about the film, the philosophical arguments and asides concerning democracy and fascism, were mostly cut out by RKO, a process continued in THE STRANGER, and to some extent in his subsequent pictures.

Welles' JOURNEY INTO FEAR remains is a story of intrigue about an innocent American engineer traveling with his wife (originally an English crime novelist, a bachelor) abroad. Ambler's basic premise, established in The Mask of Dimitrios (possibly, the basis of THE STRANGER) -- what counted in the realm of international politics and finance was not the assassin but who paid for his bullets -- was lost.

Glenn

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