I Know Where I'm Going: Criterion Collection

Criterion | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) has known where her life was headed since she was a young girl and now, she is starting to make it all happen. She has been engaged to a very rich industrialist and soon enough, she will be married and with all of his money, she will never want for a single thing for the rest of her life. It seems like her planned route was perfect for her, as she will soon be married, wealthy, and in fact, have her own island, which her new husband has leased. Now she simply has to travel to Scotland to meet her husband-to-be, then her life she has always counted on will become real. But when a vicious storm prevents her from completing her trek, she has to stay with some locals on a remote island. The island has some colorful residents and the head of them is Torquil MacNeil (Roger Livesey), a young and handsome Naval officer. As time passes, the island, the residents, and of course, MacNeil begin to have an effect on Webster, but she seems headstrong and determined that she knows where he is supposed to end up, but does she really know that well?

This has a very basic premise and little complexity, but man, is it ever a stunning motion picture. The dialogue is fantastic, the acting is superb, and the cinematography is simply gorgeous. Although this movie has little in terms of traditional storyline, the characters are rich and show real depth, which takes the focus off the plot and aims it toward the performers. This might have put a lot of pressure on Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey, but both seem in excellent form here and shoulder that pressure rather well. Add in some lush visuals and superb direction, and viola, those elements prove to be more than enough deliver a true classic, which I feel this movie turns out to be. I have heard some critique the film as too simple, but when it works to such magnificent ends as it does here, I can't imagine the simple nature being cited as a flaw. And don't worry about being bored here either, as there are some nice side paths taken here, which more than ensure the viewer is entertained. I recommend this release to all fans of cinema, but classic film fans simply can't miss this one, especially with such a solid disc.

The films that Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger created as a tandem are excellent in most cases, but it seems as though they've never garnered much attention from movie fans. Of course, film lovers who seek out new experiences have found these jewels, but the normal cinema dweller hasn't touched upon most of these pictures. This film shows their usual visual presence (thanks in part to Erwin Hellier's superb cinematography) and even with a simplistic storyline, the two deliver a terrific motion picture. I don't think this is their finest joint effort, but it is a wonderful movie and one film fans shouldn't pass up. Other films directed by Powell & Pressburger include The Tales of Hoffman, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, A Canterbury Tale, and my personal favorite of their work, The Red Shoes. The cast here includes Wendy Hiller (The Elephant Man, Separate Tables), Roger Livesey (The Pallisers, Men of the Sea), Pamela Brown (Cleopatra, Lust for Life), George Carney (Easy Riches, Flood Tide), and Ian Sadler (Shipbuilders).

I Know Where I'm Going! is presented in a full frame transfer, which is how the film was intended to be seen. This film was made in 1945 and as such, you wouldn't expect a pristine transfer, but this restored and remastered edition is the finest home video edition I've seen. The print used still shows some flaws, but looks very clean and I doubt anyone will be let down here. The black & white image is strong and quite sharp, much richer and well detailed than I had expected. The black levels seem in fine form here, as contrast is blended to a solid end and no visible detail loss is evident. Once again, Criterion has issued an older film with a new transfer and once again, that transfer looks terrific.

The included mono track is old and basic, so don't expect much aside from the slim mono standard. The dialogue here is clean and very sharp though, with no real distortion or volume issues to report. The music seems a little stifled at times, but comes through well enough and shows no serious signs of age related problems. Not much else to talk about here, this track is basic and limited, but it seems to handle the task at hand well enough. This disc also includes English subtitles, in case you'll need those.

This is a very nice special edition, complete with an audio commentary with film historian Ian Christie. I think this one might be too dull for some folks, as Christie is a rather monotone speaker, but he does know his stuff and provides a lot of information. If you can stay awake, then be sure to listen to his comments, it is well worth the effort. This disc also houses some of Michael Powell's home movies, which were taken during his treks through Scotland and here, his widow narrates over the visuals. You can also view clips from Powell's film The Edge of The World and pieces from the documentary on the film, which also include optional commentary from Ian Christie. A thirty minute documentary called I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited is also tacked on here, as well as a selection of production photographs and such. A very interesting photo essay is also included, in which narrator Nancy Franklin, who sought out the locations after the film impacted her life deeply. A very cool story and I am pleased it was packed in here. This one comes with a high price tag, but with all these goodies and a wonderful film, this is a real steal.