I Know Where I’m Going!

I Know Where I’m Going!

Year: 1945

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Directors: Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell

DramaComedyRomanceRelationship comedyCharming romances and delightful chemistry

Determined Englishwoman Joan Webster sets out for the Scottish Hebrides to wed a wealthy industrialist, but a storm forces her to stay on Mull. While waiting, she is won over by the islanders’ plain‑spoken honesty and finds herself drawn to naval officer Torquil MacNeil, whose hidden past threatens to alter her future.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – I Know Where I’m Going! (1945)

Trace every key event in I Know Where I’m Going! (1945) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Joan leaves Manchester for Kiloran

Joan Webster departs her Manchester home with plans to marry Sir Robert Bellinger and secure a life of wealth and status. She projects a clear path for herself, confident in her independence. The journey toward the isle of Mull marks the start of a test to her plans and priorities.

Departure from Manchester Manchester
2

Weather strands Joan on Mull

A fierce storm prevents the boat from reaching Kiloran, leaving Joan stranded on the Isle of Mull. She encounters a patchwork community of locals whose values clash with hers. The delay becomes the catalyst for her forthcoming meeting with Torquil MacNeil.

First day on Mull Isle of Mull
3

Joan meets Torquil MacNeil

On Mull, Joan meets Torquil MacNeil, a Royal Navy officer on eight days of shore leave who carries the island’s secrets. He hints at Moy Castle and the MacNeil lineage that governs the isle. Their initial tension gives way to a growing attraction as they share shelter from the weather.

Early on Mull Isle of Mull
4

Discovery at Moy Castle ruins

The pair journey toward Tobermory and come upon the ruins of Moy Castle. Joan insists on entering, but Torquil refuses, revealing that he is the laird and that Bellinger is only renting the island during the war. This revelation threads the curse attached to Moy Castle into their story.

Next day Moy Castle ruins
5

Bus ride to Tobermory and Bellinger stories

On the bus to Tobermory, locals unaware of Joan’s true identity recount disparaging stories about Bellinger. The gossip underscores class tensions and foreshadows conflicts with island life. The encounter deepens the clash between Joan’s ambitions and Mull’s reality.

Bus journey to Tobermory Bus to Tobermory
6

Torquil secures two hotel rooms in Tobermory

In Tobermory, Torquil arranges two hotel rooms. Joan asks to sit at a separate table in the restaurant, signaling the start of a fragile boundary between them. The worsening weather outside mirrors the growing emotional tension between their worlds.

Evening Tobermory hotel
7

Ceilidh and Nut-Brown Maiden

A ceilidh celebrates a diamond wedding anniversary, and three bagpipers perform. Torquil translates Nut-Brown Maiden for Joan, highlighting the line You're the maid for me. Joan, despite hesitation, dances and captivates the crowd, drawn toward Torquil.

Evening Tobermory
8

Joan hatches a dangerous crossing plan

Desperate to salvage her carefully laid plans, Joan convinces Ruairidh Mhór’s Kenny to attempt the crossing alone for £20. Torquil’s concerns clash with her determination, and he reluctantly follows because Joan’s departure would jeopardize his own hopes on the island.

Night Mull coast
9

Torquil joins the crossing and they face the whirlpool

Unable to stop her, Torquil boards the crossing after Catriona reveals Joan’s intent to run away. The voyage becomes a perilous ordeal as the Corryvreckan whirlpool engulfs them, and Torquil restarts a flooded engine to bring them back to Mull.

During crossing Corryvreckan whirlpool
10

Weather clears and parting kiss planned

After the danger passes and the weather clears, Joan and Torquil acknowledge the depth of their feelings. They hint at a future where the pipers might play again for them, symbolizing a possible union beyond their initial constraints.

After crossing Mull
11

Torquil uncovers the Moy Castle curse

Torquil returns to Moy Castle and finds an inscription detailing a centuries-old curse on the MacNeil line. The curse states that any MacNeil crossing Moy would be bound to a woman and die in his chains, a fateful warning ominously linked to his own fate.

After Joan's departure Moy Castle
12

Pipers signal Joan's approach

From the battlements, Torquil sees Joan approaching, preceded by the three pipers playing Nut-Brown Maiden. The tension intensifies as the couple edges closer toward a fated confrontation within Moy Castle.

Final approach Moy Castle battlements
13

Joan and Torquil embrace inside Moy Castle

Joan and Torquil meet inside Moy Castle and embrace, choosing each other despite the centuries of curse and constraint. Their kiss seals a bond that defies the island’s old laws and begins a new chapter for the MacNeil line.

Ending scene Moy Castle

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:19

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