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Desperate Journey

Play trailer Poster for Desperate Journey Released Sep 25, 1942 1h 47m War Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A Royal Air Force bomber with a mission to destroy a rail line crash-lands in Germany after the commanding pilot is shot. The surviving crew, led by Flight Lt. Terry Forbes (Errol Flynn) and including Johnny Hammond (Ronald Reagan) and Jed Forest (Arthur Kennedy), flee the plane as it explodes, but German soldiers capture them and place them in a prison camp. Terry's ability to speak German provides the men a way to overcome the guards and attempt a cross-country escape fraught with peril.

Critics Reviews

View All (9) Critics Reviews
Tom Milne Time Out Aside from some expendable propaganda heroics, rousingly handled by Walsh. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Instinctive existentialism of a very high order, and a very entertaining adventure (1942). Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Aurelio Pego Cine-Mundial If I summarize the plot, the movie may seem mediocre, but it has enthusiastic performances and it is very pleasant. [Full Review in Spanish] Sep 19, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A rousing Hollywood propaganda World War II adventure film. Rated: C+ Jun 26, 2015 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Lively adventure. Jan 31, 2010 Full Review TV Guide Desperate Journey was viewed at the time of its release as a ludicrous, comic-strip war adventure. That view has only been strengthened over the years. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 13, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (25) audience reviews
deke p 1942 WW2, RONALD REAGAN as POW in Nazi Germany! How can it be I have never seen this before June 29, 2019, on late nite tv? Great cast: ERROL FLYNN, RAYMAND MASSEY as Nazi, ALAN HALE Jr. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Desperate Journey is a film about the crew of a WWII bomber that crash in Germany and embark on a mission of subterfuge and sabotage behind enemy lines. They establish early that these guys like to joke around with each other, and I was impressed that they maintained that humor even when things turned bad. There were moments in the film that felt reminiscent of Hogan’s Heroes as they are presented as wisecracking soldiers who make fools out of many Nazi officers. It’s a delicate balance, because there are also some tragic things that happen in the film, and it can be tough to make both of those tones work in the same story. I thought they pulled it off, and even though the Nazis were bumbling at times, they still felt like a threat. Also, even though the heroes of the film joked around, you could sense they were masking the truth of the imminent danger that surrounded them. I thought the cast in Desperate Journey was delightful. Errol Flynn is particularly great as the leader of this band of misfits. I thought he had a passion to his performance that made the whole story work, because you could believe that this guy wanted to do what was right, even if it was risky. Alan Hale was the most consistent source of comedy in the film, and he delivered it quite well. At the same time, when things required him to take on a more serious job, he was able to do that as well. The ending was a perfect way of tying things up in a plausible and satisfying way. I will say some of the visual effects of the planes flying into battle felt quite dated (even if they were nominated for an Oscar.) That’s to be expected in a film from this era, so it didn’t bother me all that much. On the whole, I found Desperate Journey to be quite enjoyable, and it managed to stand out as unique among the glut of WWII films I’ve seen. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/02/19 Full Review Audience Member A masterpiece of action with some of the best car chases I've ever seen. Par for the course from Raoul Walsh. Loved it, in spite of despising the real life conduct of the two leads. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member I did not think it was a great film but it was not bad either. I could tell the film was made early into World War II in the fact that Ronald Reagan was really the only American there and they said that the British and New Zeland group was using American planes. What I did like was that they were speaking German in this film even it the acsents were not always the best. I felt like their were too many times that the Americans were able to get out of a situation too conviently that it did not seem possible. Like getting captured by the Germans then tricking them on their way out. Or doing a lot of Sabotage moves on their way out of Germany. for a 1942 film it was pretty good. not the best but good. I was not aware that Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn were ever in a film together. I thought that the main Nazi leader was well played in this film. I was surprised how far North east that the Americans decided to go in to invade and sabotage the Germans. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/11/18 Full Review Audience Member German shot down a RAF bomber on a mission, only 5 survivors left. They were caught by the Germans. During interrogation, Ronald Reagan beat up the officer and the rest manage to overturn the situation and ransack for information. The 5 escape and make their way relentlessly, hot on their heels is top officer Raymond Massey. Ronald Sinclair is hurt and Errol Flynn bring him to a doctor who happens to hate Nazi. Aided by Nancy Coleman, they kill 2 German soldiers interrupting the operation. Unfortunately Sinclair is dead. She ask the rest to go to her parents home and hide. They make it but when Nancy return, the couple isn't her parents but German spy. The troops are gathered and they escape in Raymond car. Alan Hale is shot dead while stall for time. Crossing the border they soon run out of gas. But they are near a secret airbase where German have prepare bombers. More troops arrived and the last 3 fight their way to the bomber and escape successfully. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Great war story done in a Boys Own annual style , good fun Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Desperate Journey

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Royal Air Force bomber with a mission to destroy a rail line crash-lands in Germany after the commanding pilot is shot. The surviving crew, led by Flight Lt. Terry Forbes (Errol Flynn) and including Johnny Hammond (Ronald Reagan) and Jed Forest (Arthur Kennedy), flee the plane as it explodes, but German soldiers capture them and place them in a prison camp. Terry's ability to speak German provides the men a way to overcome the guards and attempt a cross-country escape fraught with peril.
Director
Raoul Walsh
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter
Arthur T. Horman
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 25, 1942, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 31, 2016
Runtime
1h 47m