I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 22, 2026

"Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's "I Know Where I'm Going!" (1945) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include an archival audio commentary by critic Ian Christie; restoration demonstration with introduction by Martin Scorsese; archival documentary; production photos; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

To miss one of Martin Scorsese’s many declarations of his admiration for the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger would be like missing his classic gangster drama GoodFellas. It is not an impossible scenario, but it is an extremely unlikely one. Scorsese has not wasted a good opportunity to praise Powell and Pressburger’s films, and it is difficult not to concede that his enthusiasm for them is entirely justified. A few of these films are legitimate classics that will be viewed for as long as films are available to view.

I Know Where I’m Going! has always existed in the shadow of Powell and Pressburger’s bigger films, and perhaps the key reason for this development is that it has not been easy to track down. Or, at least not in a proper condition, revealing its often staggering beauty in a proper way. It was only during the DVD era that decent copies of it began emerging, which is how many younger cinephiles became familiar with it. However, even then, and later, in the early days of the high-definition format, I Know Where I’m Going! looked pretty rough. Several years ago, it was finally properly restored, and now, it is not an exaggeration to declare that it can finally be experienced exactly like its creators had intended.

While telling a simple story, I Know Where I’m Going! is not at all a simple film. To be clear, it is not one of those chameleon-esque multi-layered pseudo-intellectual films mainstream critics love to praise either. Rather, it is an intimate film telling a simple story that can resonate with its audience in several different ways. Also, it is a hybrid film, with several different genre strengths, without attempting to be one.

In Manchester, Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller), a supposedly strong and independent woman, declares that she intends to marry the wealthy industrialist Sir Robert Bellinger, who resides on the Isle of Kiloran in the Scottish Hebrides. Shortly after, Webster boards a train and officially begins the next chapter of her life. But bad weather forces Webster to wait on the Isle of Mull, where she quickly begins falling in love with naval officer Torquil MacNeil (Roger Livesey), who has a secret that could permanently disrupt her perfect plan.

The most obvious and entirely correct summation of I Know Where I’m Going! is that it is a terrific, often quite hilarious repudiation of everything its female star represents, which was plenty even in the early 1940s. However, the best part about the repudiation is that it is fiercely defended by her own heart and mind, transforming her gradual but inevitable capitulation into an illuminating lesson for anyone who is willing to acknowledge its timeless wit.

On the other hand, I Know Where I’m Going! is just as effective, and perhaps even more so, as a love letter to Scotland. Indeed, it produces visuals that are both casual yet striking, oozing unmistakable admiration that does not feel crafted for optimal effect. It is just simple, instantly relatable admiration for a place that the creator of the love letter genuinely believes is like no other.

The mixture of these two very different strengths of I Know Where I’m Going! ensures a most memorable first viewing experience. However, when the final credits appear, one also feels compelled to revisit I Know Where I’m Going! because it seems like there is plenty more in it that is only suggested.

*Another even better film that presents a slightly different variation of the same illuminating romantic adventure is Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night, in which a spoiled young heiress and a cynical newspaper reporter discover each other and unexpectedly begin falling in love.

I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion release of I Know Where I'm Going! is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-26 are taken from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #30-39 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.
The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this release:

"Supervised by Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker Powell, this new 4k restoration was created from the original nitrate camera negative, nitrate positives, and the original monaural nitrate soundtracks preserved by the BFI National Archive. The film has been restored by the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation, in association with ITV, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation and additional support provided by Matt Spick.

Color grading; Daniel DeVincent, Cinceric, Inc., New York.
4K wet-gate scanning and restoration: Cineric, Inc., New York.
Sound scanning and restoration: BFI National Archive."

In native 4K, the new 4K restoration cannot be viewed with Dolby Vision or HDR grades. I viewed it in its entirety on 4K Blu-ray and later spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

Even though there are several areas where small and slightly bigger density fluctuations become impossible to miss, the overall quality of the visuals ranges from very good to excellent, occasionally even terrific. Also, and this is important to underscore, darker, more nuanced footage can look every bit as impressive as outdoor panoramic footage. There are no traces of any problematic digital corrections. The grayscale is managed very well. Blacks and grays are solid, but even in the darkest nighttime footage do not appear crushed. The whites reappear in several very healthy varieties. I did plenty of comparisons between the native 4K and 1080p presentations, and I think that both are equally satisfying. The increased resolution of the native 4K presentation makes it slightly easier to identify some of the previously mentioned density fluctuations, as well as a few uneven transitions. However, even on a very large screen, the native 4K and 1080p visuals still look equally great. The entire film looks very healthy as well.

I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is very healthy. However, it does retain some unevenness from the original soundtrack, which becomes most prominent during the outdoor footage. Also during the outdoor footage, you are likely to notice a bit of thinning in the upper register, which is inherited as well. The dialog is clear. However, some of the faster exchanges where the accents are prominent could prove challenging for American viewers. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by critic Ian Christie. The bulk of the comments address the genesis of I Know Where I'm Going! as well as the image of its female star and gradual transformation after she arrives in Scotland. The commentary was recorded in 1994.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by critic Ian Christie. The bulk of the comments address the genesis of I Know Where I'm Going! as well as the image of its female star and gradual transformation after she arrives in Scotland. The commentary was recorded in 1994.

• Restoration Demonstration - a before-and-after demonstration of the 4K restoration of I Know Where I'm Going!, with an introduction by Martin Scorsese and optional audio commentary by Thelma Schoonmaker Powell. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• "I Know Where I'm Going!" Revisited - presented here is an archival documentary about the production of I Know Where I'm Going!, produced by Mark Cousins in 1994. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (31 min).

• Nancy Franklin Photo Essay - Nancy Franklin, an admirer of I Know Where I'm Going!, accompanied Mark Cousins to Scotland's Inner Hebrides for his 1994 documentary. Presented here are photos Franklin took on earlier trips to the islands of Mull and Colonsay, with narration. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (10 min).

• Michael Powell's Home Movies - presented here are several home movies Michael Powell shot, narrated by Thelma Schoonmaker Powell. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Behind the Scenes Stills - presented here are various on-location stills and productions photos from Michael Powell's personal collection, narrated by Thelma Schoonmaker Powell. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Imogen Sarah Smith, as well as technical credits.

I Know Where I'm Going! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The title sort of gives up the ending. However, I Know Where I'm Going! is one of those rare special films that cannot be spoiled. Some of its admirers have argued that it is a great romantic film, some have insisted that it is a very witty film, and some have praised it is a breathtakingly beautiful film. They are all right. I also find it to be a very, very funny film. Its star's journey is like a grand remake of one of those viral internet videos in which a confident and strong woman faces a seemingly simple challenge, declares that she knows exactly how to handle it, and then has an illuminating experience while her boyfriend or husband quietly films her from afar. Criterion's combo pack presents a recent, excellent 4K restoration of I Know Where I'm Going!, which is also made available on a standalone Blu-ray release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.