This week’s mystery movie was the 1942 MGM film Journey for Margaret, with Robert Young, Laraine Day, Fay Bainter, Nigel Bruce, William Severn, and presenting Margaret O’Brien. Elisabeth Risdon, Doris Lloyd, Halliwell Hobbes, Heather Thatcher, Jill Esmond, G.P. Huntley Jr. and Lisa Golm.
Produced by B.P. Fineman.
Screenplay by David Hertz and William Ludwig, from the book by William L. White.
Photography by Ray June. Music by Franz Waxman. Recording by Douglas Shearer.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Wade B. Rubottom. Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis. Associate Dick Pefferle.
Gowns by Kalloch. Edited by George White.
Directed by Maj. W.S. Van Dyke II.
Journey for Margaret is available on a Warner Archive DVD from Critics’ Choice Videos.
More on the history of the film is available from the AFI catalog.
::
I picked Journey for Margaret by going through the trades for 1942. The movie was critically acclaimed. This is the second mystery movie this year on children refugees of World War II, as I did The Search (1948) in January. Both films underscore the deep trauma suffered by children in the war. As might be said of all wars.
I’m going to guess that Bosley Crowther gave the film a positive review. Let’s see….
Nope, it falls to T.S. of the New York Times’ alphabet soup movie critics, who said (Dec. 18, 1942):
When big bombers come, little children do not count for much. They are part of the jetsam, living and dead, that is lifted from the ruins and rubble that once were homes. But what can happen to childhood in that horror is the substance of one of the year’s rare and shining achievements from Hollywood. In Journey for Margaret, the new film at the Capitol, David Hertz and William Ludwig have adapted, and W.S. Van Dyke 2d directed a drama to stand beside the few unballyhooed classics of the screen. By the slightest and simplest of means they have created a picture of tortured childhood that will not soon be forgotten by anyone who has ever loved a child.
For Monday, we have a mysterious gentleman. And Back of the Head Person.
Update: This is Matthew Boulton with Robert Young as Back of the Head Guy.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery person. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Leyland Hodgson.
Brain Trust roll call: The Starlight Studio (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery chap) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, different mystery chap).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Fay Bainter with Robert Young as Back of the Neck Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s mystery officer), Howard Mandelbaum (both mystery guests), Sheila (mystery movie and both mystery guests) and Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mysterious officer.)
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery lad.
Update: This is William Severn.
We also have this mysterious fellow. His companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness.
Updating: Adding mystery gent cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness.
Update: This is Keye Luke, left and Robert Young.
And finally, this mystery fellow. Again, his companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness.
Update: Adding mystery gent cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness.
Update: This is Robert Young and Nigel Bruce.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests and Wednesday’s Back of the Head Guy), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery officer, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Back of the Head Guy), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery woman), Benito (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery woman and Back of the Head Guy), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests and Wednesday’s Back of the Head Guy), B.J. Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Richard Wegescheide (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mystery woman), L.C. (Wednesday’s mystery woman) and Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery woman).
For Friday, we have this mystery fellow (again).
Update: This is Robert Young.
And this mystery woman.
Update: This is Laraine Day.
Finally, a mystery girl.
Update: This is Margaret O’Brien.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests and mystery guest cropped due to lack of mysteriousness), Beach Gal (mystery movie, all mystery guests, Wednesday’s Back of the Head Guy), Incredible Inman (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest and Thursday’s mysterious Dr. Watson), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mysterious gent who just had a birthday), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests and guest cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Richard Wegescheide (mystery movie, Thursday’s mysterious birthday gent and mystery Dr. Watson), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie, Thursday’s mysterious birthday gent), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery lad), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests, guest cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness), Benito (mystery movie, mysterious birthday gent and mysterious Dr. Watson).
ladailymirror.com 
Matthew Boulton in Journey for Margaret (1943 – M-G-M)
LikeLike
Halliwell Hobbes in JOURNEY FOR MARGARET. 1942.
LikeLike
Jack Warner
LikeLike
Michael Boulton and BOTH Eric Blore in COUNTER ESPIONAGE.
LikeLike
Keith Hitchcock as the warden.
LikeLike
Just for grins, this appears to be a British film (the WWII ARP badge on the air raid warden’s overalls.) Since we had a Michael Anderson directed film last week, maybe it’s another of his, “the Dam Busters” 1955.
I’m sure that guess is not correct but why not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Guess its THE WAR AGAINST MRS. HADLEY 1942. Early Van Johnson vehicle
LikeLike
Our mystery guest for today is Leyland Hodgson.
LikeLike
Monday: Matthew Boulton
Tuesday: Leyland Hodgson
LikeLike
Matthew Boulton and Leland Hodgson in ‘Journey for Margaret’?
LikeLike
Leyland Hodgson for Tuesday.
LikeLike
JOURNEY FOR MARGARET. BOTH Margaret O’Brien and Matthew Boulton Monday, G. P. Huntley Tuesday, and Fay Bainter with BOTH Robert Young today.
LikeLike
Wednesday – Fay Bainter and BOTHG Robert Young
“Journey for Margaret” 1942
Will backtrack for the Monday ARP guy – lots and lots of them in this movie. I think it’s Frank Baker, but not sure.
LikeLike
Today’s guest is Fay Bainter, and our movie is Journey for Margaret.
LikeLike
Fay Bainter today
LikeLike
Fay Bainter, Robert Young.
LikeLike
Fay Bainter in The War Against Mrs. Hadley.
LikeLike
Matthew Boulton, Fay Bainter and Robert Young in JOURNEY FOR MARGARET.
LikeLike
Fay Bainter, following a couple of British WWII types, might possibly be aiding a future movie star in a transatlantic trip to Hollywood.
LikeLike
I believe Wednesday is Fay Bainter
LikeLike
Hmmm… Spring Byington?
LikeLike
Fay Bainter! In “The War Against Mrs. Hadley”?
LikeLike
I think Tuesday’s guy in uniform is Leyland Hodgson.
LikeLike
The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942) w/ Edward Arnold, Fay Bainter, Jean Rogers, Spring Byington, Richard Ney, Van Johnson, Addison Richards…
LikeLike
Fay Bainter!
LikeLike
Henry Guttman Tuesday, William Severn, good old Keye Luke, and Nigel Bruce today.
LikeLike
William Severn as BOTH Monday and Robert Young as the BOTH head in the two shots today.
LikeLike
Journey for Margaret – 1942
Monday – Matthew Boulton
Wed – Fay Bainter
Thurs – #1 William Severn #2 Keye Luke #3 NIgel Bruce
LikeLike
Tues – Leyland Hodgson
LikeLike
Wed – bothg is Robert Young
Mon – bothp is Laraine Day
LikeLike
Fay Bainter on Wednesday, Nigel Bruce today, making this “Journey for Margaret.”
LikeLike
Key Luke in “Salute to the Marines”
LikeLike
William Severn; Keye Luke; Nigel Bruce, Robert Young.
LikeLike
William Severn, Keye Luke and Nigel Bruce.
LikeLike
Now I got it. We have Keye Luke and Nigel Bruce on Thursday, so it’s ‘Journey for Margaret’
LikeLike
Key Luke helps the future movie star get to Hollywood.
LikeLike
For Pete’s sake: “Journey For Margaret”!
LikeLike
Well, my mistake, it’s Journey for Margaret (1942) w/Fay Bainter, Robert Young, Margaret O’Brien, William Severn, Laraine Day…
LikeLike
William Severn, Keye Luke and Nigel Bruce in Journey for Margaret.
LikeLike
I believe this is William Severn in Journey for Margaret.
LikeLike
Thursday – William Severn / Keye Luke w/ cropped Robert Young (maybe) / Matthew Boulton w/ cropped Nigel Bruce (maybe)
LikeLike
Nigel Bruce, Keye Luke in JOURNEY FOR MARGARET 1942
LikeLike
Robert Young: Laraine Day; Margaret O’Brien.
LikeLike
Friday – Robert Young, Laraine Gray and Margaret O’Brien
Fun mystery.
LikeLike
Robert Young, Laraine Day, and Margaret O’Brien.
LikeLike
Fri – Robert Young, Laraine Day, Margaret O’Brien.
LikeLike
For Fri in Thurs photos, 2 more appearances by Robert Young
LikeLike
A star is born.
LikeLike
Robert Young, Laraine Day and Margaret O’Brien.
LikeLike