Journey for Margaret is a much better picture than one might think. Yes, it's an unashamed tearjerker, one which is not above a bit of audience manipulation as it searches for ways to get those tear ducts flowing. But it DOES bring forth tears in most people, and while some of it is undeserved dramatically, much more of it comes about because the story Journey tells is indeed an emotionally harrowing one. Dealing as it does with orphaned children during wartime, Journey can't help but melt the heart, and it's to its credit that it doesn't go too far overboard and become the kind of cloying, overly sentimental weepie that it easily could have been. The screenplay deserves some credit for this, but it's the director and cast that really give Journey its glow. Margaret O'Brien, of course, became a star as a result of Journey, and it's easy to see why. Though occasionally mannered, hers is a remarkable performance for someone so very young, and she really plays her scenes for all they're worth. William Severn is perhaps not quite as accomplished as an actor, but as an appealing and heartbreaking child, he's first rate. And Robert Young, in what could have been a thankless part, makes sure that he's not just there as something for the kids to hang onto. He makes sure that his character is every bit as important as the children, and his chemistry with the younger ones is crucial to Journey's success. Young's lovely, sensitive turn, and the performances of all the cast, were undoubtedly aided by W.S. Van Dyke's attentive, caring direction. Journey holds up quite well, unlike other "weepies" from the era which are often a laugh fest for modern audiences.