The Journey (1959 film)

The Journey is a 1959 American drama film directed by Anatole Litvak. It stars Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, and Jason Robards Jr. The film is set in Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

The plot centers around a group of Western travelers attempting to cross the border into Austria after the Soviet invasion. Amongst them is Lady Ashmore (Kerr), a British aristocrat, and Major Surov (Brynner), a Soviet officer tasked with overseeing their passage. Surov is torn between his duty and his growing attraction to Lady Ashmore, while also questioning the validity of the Soviet intervention. The group faces numerous obstacles and delays, including interrogations and political maneuvering, as they navigate the dangerous and uncertain situation. The film explores themes of love, duty, political ideology, and the human cost of war. Jason Robards Jr. plays Paul Kedes, a cynical journalist covering the events. The film ends with a degree of ambiguity regarding the fate of some characters, highlighting the chaotic and unresolved nature of the historical event.