The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Producer: Mark Hellinger. Copyright 20 May 1944 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. U.S. release: 20 May 1944. New York opening at the Strand: 5 May 1944. Australian release: 6 December 1945. 10,255 feet. 114 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Eleven or twelve people are killed in a London air raid as they are going to a ship taking them to safety. The ship becomes their transport to heaven or hell. Aboard are Tom Prior, a derelict newsman, Maxine, a faded showgirl, Cliveden-Banks and his society snob wife, American merchant seaman Pete Musick, and Reverend William Duke. Also among them are Mrs Midget, a meek little housekeeper, and Lingley, the arrogant head of Lingley, Ltd. Austrian pianist Henry and his wife Ann almost miss the ship. Scrubby, the ship's steward, tells them that they alone know they are dead.NOTES: Outward Bound was originally filmed under that title in 1930. It starred Leslie Howard, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Helen Chandler and Alison Skipworth and was directed by Robert Milton from an adaptation by J. Grubb Alexander..COMMENT: Poor old Edward A. Blatt is here saddled with yet another of Warner's ambitious yet dated remakes, with the cast struggling against impossible lines and corny situations. The sets are impressive and the opening reel with its fluid camerawork and fast-paced film editing gets the film off to a good start. Paul Henreid cast in a Casablanca-type role holds considerable promise, none of which is realized once the script leads into the original Outward Bound material.

Our story begins in an inner city London Steamship office. Eight passengers all diverse, awaiting the call to embark on a voyage across the Atlantic bound for the U.S.A.. Our ninth member is a frantic, hopeful Henry Bergner (Paul Henreid) Ex-Austrian Resistance fighter and injured handed pianist feels useless to his wife and himself and wants to start his life over in America alone. Henry wants to sail to America and get away from war torn England but lacks an exit permit necessary for departure. Meanwhile his concerned Wife Ann (Eleanore Parker) is looking for her depressed husband and heads for the steamship office. A dejected Henry heads home to his London flat. As Ann approaches the office, air raid sirens go off as Nazi bombs land randomly on buildings. Ann witnesses the passengers leaving the steamship office as they pack into a transport vehicle and drive down the street. A falling bomb hits the car and kills everyone inside as Ann watches in horror. Ann dodges the carnage. With no where else to look, she heads back to her flat where she sees Henry as he turns on the gas from the stove in a suicide attempt. He persuades her to leave but it's to late as the two fall unconscious and awake aboard a deserted steamship. They realize his suicide attempt was cast. Henry and Ann are relieved that they will be together for eternity and Henry's injured hand is restored as he tickles the ivories on the ships piano as the other guests listen and comment on his accompaniment. Ann and Henry meet the kindly steward Scrubby (Edmund Gwenn) as Ann noticed the familiar eight passengers who were killed earlier from a falling bombs. Scrubby emphasizes not to inform the other passengers that they are deceased. The group should find out in time in their own way which makes for a more pleasant voyage. This makes the situation unbearable for Ann and Henry when they interact with the passengers. as the expired quests unsuspecting, tell about how exciting it will be to travel to the United States. As for our guests on this voyage to wherever? You have the timid effeminate Anglican Priest Reverend William Duke (Dennis King) who's goal in life is to meet all peoples of the world. Next the cynical metaphoric newspaperman Tom Prior (John Garfield) with his girl friend along side and wealth seeking actress Maxine Russell (Faye Emerson). Rugged Merchant Marine Pete Musick (George Tobias) eager to see his new born child for the first time with his good luck charm Ho-Ho-Kus in his pocket. Our difficult member of the group is the hyper-fastidious Mr. Lingley (George Coulouris) a self made millionaire who goes to extremes to hurt others for capital gain and is quick with the tipping to get what he wants. Next we have an elderly couple Genevieve and Bejamin Cliveden-Banks played by Isabel Elsom and Gilbert Emery. Mrs. Cliveden-Banks is a superficial social climber who married her husband for his wealth. Mr. Cliveden was taken in by her beauty many years earlier but gave up his free will to accommodate his narcissistic spouse. Finally we have Mrs Midget (Sara Algood) with a heart of gold and pure as the driven snow but we don't really know her intentions for traveling yet she is very much connected and fascinated by the actions of our wise cracking character Tom Prior. Prior over hears Ann and Henry talk about their dilemma. Prior is sort of relieved at this point but demonstrates to the others in a magic show form that the guest are all dead using a loaded pistol given to him by Mr. Lingley. How do our guests react to the news? What about their judgment by the unknown examiner who determines their final destinations? Some questions come to mind... I figured business was booming off the charts as it were with millions dead from World War II. I guess it would take away from the script and cast to have thousands of extras aboard the heavenly vessel. Sidney Greenstreet, The Examiner, caries himself with confidence against the petty Mrs. Cliveden -Banks and the self made man Lingley of Lingley limited. Brash and cynic John Garfield steals the scenes with his signature line, "Pick A Card, Pick A Card!" . The troupe plays well against each other in this unorthodox setting for judgment day. Nothing more comforting than Edmund Gwenn preparing you for the after life. Love those movies about the possibility of life after death. Fascinating film.

I had never heard of BETWEEN TWO WORLDS or the play OUTWARD BOUND on which it is based (it is in fact a remake of a 1930 version of the play), until it came on Turner Classic Movies last night. I found it thoroughly charming.The plot as it is summed up on IMDb is as follows:"Several people are killed in a London air raid. They each awake aboard a strange ship which will deliver each of them either to heaven or hell. Their lives and stories are revealed as they individually begin to realize where they are."That is a good description of a film that often feels like an extended episode of "The Twilight Zone;" the basic theme is that each of us creates our own heaven or hell while on earth, a highly workable premise for this type of story.Though clearly a B picture, it has an A-list cast. John Garfield, as a wise-cracking reporter, was not yet an A-list star, but he was only two years away from his breakthrough in THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. Paul Henreid already had two major A-list blockbusters to his credit: NOW, VOYAGER and CASABLANCA; I don't know whether his role here was a contractual obligation or the actor himself simply wanted to do it, but as usual he is compelling. And Eleanor Parker, a great actress who spent far too many years on the B list, is perfection as Henreid's devoted wife.Also on hand are some of Warners' finest character actors: George Coulouris as a business tycoon, George Tobias as a merchant seaman who has survived five torpedo attacks at sea only to die on land during an air raid while on his way home to see his baby daughter for the first time, Sydney Greenstreet as a celestial "examiner" whose job is to interview each "passenger" and decide his or her fate (though not being God the film does hint that each character's fate is not really his decision), and Sara Allgood as an English charwoman with a poignant secret.Some might find the proceedings depressing, and admittedly it does drag a bit in the final fifteen minutes or so, but this kind of religious fantasy is a particularly difficult genre to deal with, whether you're talking novels, the theatre, or films. And BETWEEN TWO WORLDS is an excellent addition to the genre. It may be a B picture but it is an exquisite little gem that should not be forgotten.

A beautifully realized retelling of Outward Bound with some of the best feature actors and characters actors working at the time. The wonderful thing about these old studio films is that they had the resources to fill a film with top flight talent because they were all under contract.Top billed John Garfield is great as the tough talking but inwardly insecure reporter and he is supported by some very fine performances. Faye Emerson gives what is probably her best performance of her short career as well as adding a shot of glamour. The entire cast is superb and each get their spotlight moment. Sara Allgood and Isobel Elsom provide an interesting contrast of what time and circumstance can do to a person. George Tobias adds a warm presence as an everyday mook who just wants to get along with everyone. Edmund Gwenn and Sydney Greenstreet make a great pair as the gatekeepers. The weakest link is probably Henreid, who is okay but not up to the quality work of the others. By necessity stage bound the film manages to convey a eerie feeling of the in between through lighting and an excellent mood setting score.