Movies - The Way to the Stars

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	Movies - The Way to the Stars

The Way to the Stars is a 1945 film, produced by Anatole de Grunwald and directed by Anthony Asquith. The screenplay was written by Terence Rattigan and based on his play Flare Path.

Plot

The setting of the film is a new Royal Air Force station called Halfpenny Field (pronounced ha'penny). Pilot Officer Peter Penrose (John Mills) arrives as a newly posted and very green "fifteen hour sprog" and is assigned to the command of Flight Lieutenant David Archdale (Michael Redgrave). When the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Carter (Trevor Howard, in his first film role) is shot down, Archdale takes over. Whilst Penrose develops into a first-class pilot, he meets Iris Winterton (Renee Asherson), a young girl staying with her aunt at the Golden Lion pub in the nearby village.

Archdale marries Miss Todd (Rosamund John, known to all as Toddy) the popular manageress of the hotel, and they have a son, Peter, but a year later, Archdale is shot down.

The squadron is posted overseas, but Penrose stays on as a Controller. A squadron of Americans arrive, including Captain Johnny Hollis (Douglass Montgomery) and Lieutenant Joe Friselli (Bonar Colleano).

Penrose tentatively courts Iris, despite her aunt's stern disapproval, but is then posted away to fly bombers. When he later makes an emergency landing at the base, he meets Iris again, but is reluctant to take up the affair, despite her obvious willingness.

Toddy manages to persuade a very reluctant Penrose to propose to Iris. Hollis is killed whilst crash-landing a damaged returning bomber.

The film also includes Stanley Holloway, Basil Radford and David Tomlinson in fine supporting roles, and also a very young Jean Simmons who makes a brief appearance as a singer.

Poetry supposedly written by Archdale was written by John Pudney.

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