Film & TV Database

Fantasy: tells the story of Squadron Leader who bales out of his aeroplane without a parachute, is washed ashore apparently unharmed and meets a pretty girl and falls in love. But he is suffering from severe concussion and has repeated hallucinations.

DRAMA. "This is the story of two worlds, the one we know and another which exists only in the mind of a young airman whose life and imagination have been violently shaped by war. Any resemblance to any other world, known or unknown, is purely coincidental". (Opening caption) Rl.1 The universe. War is raging over Europe. Inside a burning aeroplane Peter Carter radios his last message, which is picked up by an American WAAC, June. He bails out without a parachute and is seen floating in the sea. In heaven rows of angelic wings await new arrivals. A number of airmen arrive, including the crew of an American Flying Fortress. Bob Trubshaw, Peter Carter's wireless operator (deceased), is puzzled by Carter's delay. An officer angel assures him that mistakes are very rare (1466). Rl.2 Peter wakes on a beach and believes he is in heaven. He comes across a naked goatherd who directs him to the aerodrome. He catches sight of June on her bicycle. They recognise one another. In heaven the Chief Recorder tells Conductor 71, a French aristocrat who lost Peter in the fog, to go down to earth and sort matters out. He comes to earth, bemoans the lack of Technicolor in heaven, and coming across June and Peter makes time stand still. Peter, having fallen in love, argues his case for staying and refuses to go with Conductor 71, who vanishes defeated. Time starts up again, June wakes up, and Peter is unclear if what has happened to him is real or not. He tries to explain things to June (1548). Rl.3 June rings Dr Reeves. He is looking at the village outside through his camera obscura. He sees June arriving. She looks through the camera obscura as well, and tells Reeves about Carter. Reeves drives rather recklessly by motorcycle to meet Carter. In a large house the vicar is rehearsing a group of US service- men for a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (the Pyramus and Thisbe scene, Act 3 Scene 1). Peter and June are playing chess. Reeves arrives and questions Peter. At Reeves' house Peter sleeps surrounded by books whilst June and Dr Reeves play table tennis. Time stands still and Conductor 71 reappears to Peter (1586). Rl.4 Conductor 71 tells him that there is to be a High Court appeal, but that the prosecuting counsel will be Abraham Farlan (the first American killed in the War of Independence). He disappears and the table tennis game re-continues. Peter recounts his experience to Reeves. At the Army Hospital Reeves tells Dr McEwen that an operation that night is essential. Peter and Conductor 71 travel up the stairway to heaven, the former trying to choose someone from heaven to defend him. He realises he is being tricked into heaven and runs down again. In the real world Peter is ill. The telephone has been cut off and the ambulance has not arrived. Dr Reeves drives through the storm on his motorcycle. Swerving to avoid the oncoming ambulance he crashes and is killed (1391). Rl.5 Peter travels in the ambulance with June and learns of Reeves' death. Peter is wheeled into the operating theatre. June looks at Peter through glass doors. His eye closes. Huge crowds in heaven are arriving for the trial. Reeves is met by Conductor 71. Peter has chosen Reeves to be his defending counsel. Reeves asks to see his client, taking Bob Trubshaw with him. The operation stands still. Peter, Bob, Reeves and Conductor 71 gather round June (frozen in time) and bemoan their lack of evidence. Peter kisses June and Conductor 71 collects their evidence - a tear - on a rose. The trial begins, attended by peoples of all kinds. Abraham Farlan opens the case for the prosecution. He emphasises the gulf between America and Britain, implying the impossibility of a romance between June and Peter. A cricket radio broadcast is offered as evidence of Britain in 1945 (1600). Rl.6 Reeves retaliates by playing pop music broadcast on American radio. The oper- ation continues. The trial continues. The jury is made up of former opponents of Britain in wartime. Reeves calls for a new jury. This is made up of peoples of the world now calling themselves American. Court adjourns. The court is shown to be at the centre of the Milky Way. Judge, jury and all concerned come down the heavenly escalator to the operation. Time is standing still. Peter and June are called forward and questioned. June tries to mount the staircase and Peter proves his love in attempting to restrain her. He is frozen in time and June gets onto the staircase, thus proving her own love. The escalator stops still. The appeal is won and Peter is allotted a new date of death. The oper- ation is a success. Peter wakes in bed, June by his side. (1755). 9346ft. Note: Earthly sequences are in colour, heavenly sequences in monochrome. The film was chosen for the first Royal Film Performance, November 1st 1946.

The opening credits are following by this statement: This is a story of two Worlds the one we know and another which exists only in the mind of a young airman whose life & imagination have been violently shaped by war Any resemblance to any other world known or unknown is purely coincidental. [there is no punctuation in the statement other than the final full stop]

© [not cited] [logo] J. Arthur Rank presents [logo] a production of The Archers