A well intentioned, inspirational film, "Journey into Light" features a powerful performance by Sterling Hayden in an unlikely role. Tall, rugged, and imposing, Hayden had screen presence and was most memorable as tough guys in such films as "The Asphalt Jungle," "The Killing," and even "Dr. Strangelove." However, as fallen preacher John Burrows, Hayden excels and exposes a reflective depth; his voice and conviction when challenging religious hypocrisy should have put him in contention to play "Elmer Gantry."
An ordained minister, Burrows has an alcoholic wife, and the church elders want her confined to an institution for treatment. However, Burrows refuses, and he resigns from the congregation. However, his wife, already distraught from the deaths of two children and fearful of hindering her husband's ambitions, takes her own life. Devastated by the loss, thus begins Burrow's downward spiral, and he drifts across the country doing manual labor; and, although he does not drink, he ends up on skid row. Wrongly arrested, he meets con artist Gandy, colorfully played by he dependable Thomas Mitchell, and eventually finds shelter and purpose with a street preacher and his daughter Christine, played by Viveca Lindfors; unfortunately, Lindfors does not convince as a blind woman, and she is an uncomfortable match for the formidable Hayden.
Directed by Stuart Heisler from a screenplay by Stephanie Nordli and Irving Shulman, which was based on a story by Anson Bond, "Journey into Light" covers familiar territory, but Hayden's earnest performance sheds fresh light. His mesmerizing speeches when challenging peddlers of religion fixate both his on-screen and off-screen audiences; perhaps Hayden, a stubborn individualist, was expressing his own beliefs and convictions. The generally fine cast, which not only includes Oscar winner Mitchell, but also boasts another Oscar winner, Jane Darwell, and the distinguished H. B. Warner. Although the film teeters at times on the corny and overly sentimental, edging into Frank Capra territory, "Journey into Light" will delight Sterling Hayden fans with its unique role for the tough under-appreciated actor.
