Between Two Worlds (1944)

64% of users liked it
(297 ratings)

In this remake of Outward Bound, which updated the story to include topical refences to the war still raging in Europe, Henry (Paul Henreid) and Ann (Eleanor Parker) are a couple from Austria hoping to escape Nazi bombings. They are en route to a ship leaving Europe when an explosion throws them… More In this remake of Outward Bound, which updated the story to include topical refences to the war still raging in Europe, Henry (Paul Henreid) and Ann (Eleanor Parker) are a couple from Austria hoping to escape Nazi bombings. They are en route to a ship leaving Europe when an explosion throws them from their car and leaves many passersby dead. Despondent and unable to meet the ship, the couple return to their apartment and decide to commit suicide by turning on the gas. They awake to find themselves on a ship shrouded in fog and carrying many passengers, among them Tom Prior (John Garfield), a wisecracking reporter who was also a witness to the earlier bombing. Henry and Ann discover that the ship is actually Limbo, a waiting station between Heaven and Hell, where Mr. Thompson (Sydney Greenstreet) will determine their final destination for eternity. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 52 min.
Directed By: Edward A. Blatt, Vimukthi Jayasundara
Genres: Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Classics, Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: May 20, 1944 Wide

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Fascinating in its fanciful treatment of death, and response to its spiritual enchantment may be expected from this picture.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cindy I

Overly sentimental but still entertaining film that had me thinking (a bit anyway) about my life's path. A mixed group of strangers in WWII London are waiting to board a ship that will take them to America. A bomb from an air raid strikes the cab they are traveling in, and they… More
Overly sentimental but still entertaining film that had me thinking (a bit anyway) about my life's path. A mixed group of strangers in WWII London are waiting to board a ship that will take them to America. A bomb from an air raid strikes the cab they are traveling in, and they find themselves on what they believe is the ship to America. What they discover about the ship and about themselves is much stranger than anything they can imagine. The cast, including John Garfield, Paul Henreid and Eleanor Parker are good, but Sydney Greenstreet really stands out as the Examiner who will make the final decision about what future path each of these passengers will take. Edmund Gwynn as the steward on the mystery ship is also good, although I couldn't help thinking about Santa Claus every time I saw him :-). For the most part, this was a well-spent 2 hours (or thereabouts). But I felt it was a bit heavy-handed in the "rich = evil, poor = noble" message. I would have liked to have seen a wealthy philanthropist amongst the self-serving, money-grubbing bastards. But maybe I'm watching this from a 2010 point of view rather than a 1940s.