Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- paranoid
- claustrophobic
- classic movie night
- film noir marathon
What critics said
Critics generally regard the film as an atmospheric, compact espionage thriller whose confined setting and cast give its familiar pursuit story considerable tension.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Howard Graham boards a ship to escape Nazi agents, only to discover that the pursuit has followed him aboard.
The film combines Nazi espionage with paranoid pursuit, secret identities, and a dark thriller atmosphere associated with wartime noir.
Navy engineer Howard Graham is pursued by Nazi agents despite having no role as a professional spy.
Graham flees a hotel and boards a ship, but the agents' presence aboard the vessel makes his attempted escape more perilous.
Films like Journey into Fear, and why
The 39 Steps
shared film noir atmosphere, wartime espionage, and an ordinary professional trapped in a deadly conspiracy
The Man Who Knew Too Much
shared wartime spy intrigue, paranoid pursuit, and a protagonist navigating danger away from home
The Lady Vanishes
shared claustrophobic travel setting, international conspiracy, and suspenseful noir tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Norman Foster
- Release Date
- 1943-01-07
- Runtime
- 68 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (107)
Cast
- Joseph Cotten
- Dolores del Río
- Ruth Warrick
- Agnes Moorehead
- Orson Welles
- Everett Sloane
- Jack Durant
- Eustace Wyatt
- Frank Readick
- Edgar Barrier
Common questions
- What is Journey into Fear about?
- A wartime Navy engineer boards a ship to escape Nazi assassins, only to find his refuge transformed into a floating trap.
- What is Journey into Fear like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Journey into Fear as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Journey into Fear violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Journey into Fear as mild.
- What did critics think of Journey into Fear?
- Critics generally regard the film as an atmospheric, compact espionage thriller whose confined setting and cast give its familiar pursuit story considerable tension.
- Which films are like Journey into Fear?
- Films with a similar feel include The 39 Steps, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and The Lady Vanishes.
- How long is Journey into Fear?
- Journey into Fear runs 68 minutes.
