Morning Journey

James Hilton was an English novelist and screenwriter who published more than 20 novels. Morning Journey published in 1951 was written towards the end of his life, he died in 1954. He had popular success with a trio of novels made into films; [Lost Horizon], [Goodbye Mr Chips] and [Random Harvest]. His other novels are not widely read today, but I dug this one out as part of my 1951 reading project.

The novel starts with a celebration dinner for the popular and critically acclaimed release of the Hollywood made film Morning Journey. Carey Arundel is the female lead and is nervous of making her speech, but is overshadowed by her ex-husband and director of the film Paul Saffron. He uses his time at the microphone to criticise the Hollywood show more machine and Carey's acting in particular. Carey seeks solace in a friendly lawyer sitting next to her and the vast majority of this novel is written by its author as a back story, which focuses on the life of Carey and her relationship with Paul Saffron. It is written in omniscient style with the dialogue and actions of the characters expressing their feelings and points of view. The character of Paul seems to be based to some extent on the real life film director Orson Wells. Paul is an egotist and a control freak in his work as a stage and film director; he is brilliantly innovative and considers himself a genius and although he can be charming he lets nothing stand in the way of his own ambitions. He does not suffer fools gladly and his mercurial talent results in constant battles with the money men who control his work and the unfortunate actors and technicians who come within his orbit. His talent brings him some success, but his character can lead him to throw it all away on a whim, in which he is never wrong.

Carey Arundel is the central character in the novel and it is her story that is told. Hilton sketches in her background, and the story takes off when she meets Paul for the first time and much of the first part of the book is their early struggles to succeed in the world of the theatre. Paul recognises a certain something when he sees Carey perform in a supporting role in a local theatre production in Ireland. They move to London with Paul knocking on the doors of anybody who will give him a break and some money to direct a stage play. It is Carey who must get a job as a waitress to support her new husband. They eventually get a success with Paul directing Carey in a comedy play. They decide to try their luck in America, but the restless Paul goes to Europe where he discovers his talents work equally well in the cinema. Carey meets a millionaire on the boat to America and is charmed into a new relationship. Her life takes a different path to Paul, but she is fated to once again become Pauls supporting partner for the Hollywood film Morning Journey.

It is a good story although somewhat predictable; the supporting female behind the super talented, but errant male. Hilton nearly pulls it off, because of a brilliant portrayal of Paul, and he nearly does the same for Carey, but towards the end of the novel it is a bit of a stretch to understand her choices and to believe in her devotion to her ex husband. I think what the story lacks is any attempt to explore the sexual relationship between Carey and her male admirers. She is depicted as a beautiful and sensual women, but this does not come through in the story telling. The ease with which she attracts men is rather like one might see in a 1940's film, the charming millionaire whose son, also falls in love with Carey, the lawyer, the film producer and then Paul who seems just to take Carey for granted. Carey is a woman of independent means, she is intelligent and caring and Hilton reveals to his readers her thoughts throughout most of the book and one might question whether he does such a good job in this respect.

Hiltons writing flows nicely and the dialogue particularly between Carey and Paul is excellent. The story takes place over a 23 year period taking in the financial crash of 1926 and the second world war, all of which affects his male characters to a certain extent. He uses his experience as a screenwriter in Hollywood to create a realistic background to the later part of the novel. I enjoyed the reading experience and was interested to keep turning the pages I could not decide whether I was reading a popular novel or something more literate. 3.5 stars. show less

I always love James Hilton's novels. They always carry themes of lost love, family conflict and making the best of the hand you are dealt. Some may find his work to be "dated" ( written between 1920 and 1954) but I find them to still be fresh. I have read 7 of his novels and am only half way through his catalog.