The Way Ahead

1944

1h 46m

War

List

100%

12 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Put in charge of a group of disgruntled British soldiers in the midst of World War II, Lt. Jim Perry (David Niven) tries to find a way to both train and unite the men. While Sgt. Fletcher (Billy Hartnell) attempts to take a forceful approach with the troops, Perry looks for the right mix of his own gentle temperament and the demands of a leader. When the soldiers eventually find themselves in Africa facing General Rommel's impressive forces, they must find a way to fight together.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Rent The Way Ahead on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

saul e

The story has been retold many times since but this is the original. A group of unwilling misfits turned into a dedicated team determined to fight for each other. Niven delivers superbly. Though it's a little dated in script snd acting it's still in my opinion a must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/14/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A gem of a film which seems ahead of its time. Conscript soldiers who don't want to fight, and don't believe in the cause find their purpose and comradeship. The story builds nicely to a great conclusion. Highlight recommended early ww2 film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A very formulaic movie, very similar to many other wartime propaganda movies. The only real difference is the lack of quality acting. You really do not get enough to invest anything into the individual soldiers, so you don't care about their travails or their deaths. A very ho hum movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

kevin w

Quite possibly the best David Niven film ever, this World War II propaganda piece from Britain features solid performances from a worthy cast of character actors of the era, resentful of the army at first for its encroachment into the freedom of their civilian lives but growing into a competent troop of soldiers itchy for combat. I've seen American films like this and it was nice to compare the two. There is no bloodshed throughout the film and of course it ends heroically. In all this is a rousing feature for the boys at home.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

well crafted WWII propaganda pic

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Excellent semi-documentary styled WWII propoganda piece about an infantry platoon, from call up to action in North Africa, with David Niven heading up a wonderful cast of British character actors. There is an exciting evacuation from a torpedoed troop ship and the battle at the end is very impressive.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Carol Reed

Director

David Niven

Lieutenant Jim Perry

Stanley Holloway

Pvt. Ted Brewer

Raymond Huntley

Pvt. Herbert Davenport

James Donald

Pvt. Evans Lloyd

John Laurie

Pvt. Luke

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

50%

54%

Days of Glory

100%

82%

To Hell and Back

81%

60%

Kippur

57%

38%

Straight Into Darkness

68%

79%

Memphis Belle

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Wolcott Gibbs

New Yorker

Its great virtue is that it is written about a group of quite commonplace men who have to endure the dirty, tiresome, and murderous business of war as best they can rather than about the picturesque band of heroes usually dispatched from Hollywood.

Oct 15, 2021

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Direction by Carol Reed is competent, and undoubtedly accounts for the underlying genuineness of the picture as a semi-documentary.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

A warm and touching tribute to the British Army infantryman.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

David Hanna

Illustrated Daily News (Los Angeles)

Meticulous in its avoidance of Hollywood heroics and refreshingly simple in its few romantic touches.

Jul 9, 2021

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

Strictly formula, colorful in only the generic sense...most interesting for the future stars tucked into its 1944 cast.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 28, 2021

Full Review

MFB Critics

Monthly Film Bulletin

From a thorough, thoughtful and lively script by Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov, this is an outstanding piece of film-making from the viewpoint of production, direction, camera-work and acting.

Jan 28, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Put in charge of a group of disgruntled British soldiers in the midst of World War II, Lt. Jim Perry (David Niven) tries to find a way to both train and unite the men. While Sgt. Fletcher (Billy Hartnell) attempts to take a forceful approach with the troops, Perry looks for the right mix of his own gentle temperament and the demands of a leader. When the soldiers eventually find themselves in Africa facing General Rommel's impressive forces, they must find a way to fight together.

Director: Carol Reed
Screenwriter: Eric Ambler, Peter Ustinov
Production Co: Two Cities Films Ltd.
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2018
Runtime: 1h 46m

Most Popular at Home Now