Journey into Light is a 1951[3] American crime film noir directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Sterling Hayden.[4][5]
| Journey into Light | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stuart Heisler[1] |
| Written by | story: Anson Bond screenplay: Stephanie Nordli Irving Shulman |
| Produced by | Joseph Bernhard Anson Bond |
| Starring | Sterling Hayden Viveca Lindfors Thomas Mitchell |
| Cinematography | Elwood Bredell |
| Edited by | Terry Morse |
| Music by | Paul Dunlap Emil Newman[2] |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
John Burrows, an ordained minister from a small village in eastern USA, envisions himself with a larger congregation. He is mortified when his wife drunkenly interrupts a sermon, then despondent after her suicide.[6][7]
Burrows travels to Los Angeles for a fresh start, but ends up on skid row and arrested for apparent public intoxication. A skid-row con man, Gandy, finds him a bed at a flop house, while a street preacher, Doc Thorssen, and daughter Christine take him to a local mission.
Christine is blind. She falls in love with Burrows, enjoying his discussions of the spirit and the soul but knowing little of his past. One day she is struck by a streetcar and knocked unconscious, causing Burrows to once again question his faith.
He ultimately accepts the Lord's will and is offered a better place to live and preach. Burrows decides he is better suited to the mission, with Christine by his side.
Cast
- Sterling Hayden as Rev. John Burrows
- Viveca Lindfors as Christine Thorssen
- Thomas Mitchell as Gandy
- Ludwig Donath as 'Doc' Thorssen
- H. B. Warner as Wiz, the Wino
- Jane Darwell as Mack
- John Berkes as Racky
- Peggy Webber as Jane Burrows
- Paul Guilfoyle as Fanatic
