Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Radio review – BP#9 – “Outward Bound” (1952) ***1/2

I really enjoyed this adaptation of the famous play about a ship load of passengers who realise they’re actually dead and travelling to Heaven – and Hell: an alcoholic, clergyman, socialite, married man and his mistress, businessman. It’s a play of atmosphere, thought and mood rather than story. There isn’t much plot – they realise they’re dead, there’s a revelation or two, then it’s a question of who’s going upstairs or downstairs (with some people getting the option of going back to life). Very spooky and you can’t help think, “gee how would I react” – which is part of its appeal no doubt. It is also reassuring – good people are rewarded, bad people are punished, even insufferable bitches like the socialite get to go the Heaven if their dead husbands miss them. It was a big hit after World War I – I’d be interested to know how the remakes were received.

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