The Halfway House on Blu-ray, DVD and digital [read more]
Stay awhile
Produced by Michael Balcon and directed by Basil Dearden (The Blue Lamp, Pool of London), the Ealing Studios' rarely seen 1944 classic THE HALFWAY HOUSE is released as part of Studiocanal's Vintage Classics Collection on 25TH November 2019 fully restored and featuring brand new artwork and extra features.
Mervyn Johns (A Christmas Carol) and his daughter Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins) star as the ghostly hosts of a remote inn in the Welsh countryside, the Halfway House. Tom Walls, Françoise Rosay, Esmond Knight, Guy Middleton, Pat McGrath, Philippa Hait, Richard Bird, Valerie White and Sally Anne Howes ('Truly Scrumptious' in Chitty Bang Bang) portray the disparate group of guests who, having all set out on different journeys, find themselves seeking shelter there from a storm. However, the inn is not all that it seems and, according to the register and out-of-date newspapers, no visitor has crossed the threshold for a year.
The guests experience a series of supernatural happenings which hint at the tragic past events but during their enforced stay they are given the chance to re-evaluate their lives and their contribution to the war effort. Cowardice, black marketeering, family unity and the thorny issue of Irish neutrality are all subtly explored in this entertaining and intelligent wartime drama.
