Venue: Milkwood Cinema / Herne Hill
Category: Herne Hill Free Film Festival
Date: 01.05.2015
Time: 20.30 h
Description:
Be part of a new history as we duplicate the Herne Hill movie double bill last shown 56 years ago. Join us at this new venue for its debut screening of The Way To The Stars.
Set in World War II, this is the tale of a group of pilots as they go through their experiences of life, love and loss. Their relationships are highlighted and the impact of war and destruction is shown to affect not just those doing battle, but those left at home as well.
Join us for this screeening at Milkwood Cinema, 241 Railton Road Herne Hill London SE24 0JT on Friday 1st May 2015, 8.30pm (doors open at 8pm). Seating is very limited so allocated on a strictly first come first served basis.
Coincidently Herne Hills original cinema (Pullmans Cinema), closed in 1959 and the last films ever to be shown in the cinema was a double bill of The Lady Killers and The Way to the Stars.
So this year's Herne Hill Free Festival launches with that very same double bill. While The Lady Killers screens in Station Square, The Way to the Stars will open Herne Hill's brand new cinema veue, quietly nestled in the new Milkwood venue, right opposite.
The Way To The Stars (Dir: Anthony Asquith, 1945, UK, Cert U 87mins) is set in 1940' Flying Officer Peter Penrose is attached to an RAF unit straight out of flight training and a grand total of 15 hours in the air. He's as green as you would expect but finds his commanding officer, Flt. Lt. David Archdale to be understanding and supportive. He soon becomes a full-fledged member of the squadron, becoming a more than capable pilot and enjoying the camaraderie that comes from men who face death together. He also becomes interested in a young woman, Iris Winterton, who lives at the local hotel with her somewhat strict maiden aunt. Archdale gets married to the hotel's manageress, but tragedy strikes when he is killed in an air raid. As a result, Penrose isn't sure he wants to make a commitment to Iris.
Over the years, there are many changes. The American Air Corps arrives in 1942 with the inevitable clash of cultures and Penrose is taken off flying duties to become a controller. David Archdale's widow forms a close friendship with one of the Americans and by 1944, the tide turns in favor of the allies leaving Penrose to reevaluate his feelings.
This is a FREE event. No tickets required, arrive early to get the best seats.