Trains.com

Trains in old movies but not necessarily train movies

49829 views
553 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    October 2020
  • 3,604 posts
Posted by NorthBrit on Friday, November 13, 2020 5:58 AM

Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland in The First Great Train Robbery, released in the United States as The Great Train Robbery.    Based on the train robbery in 1855.    

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by M636C on Friday, November 13, 2020 6:07 AM

Yet another post James Bond era Sean Connery rail epic is "The Great Train Robbery" a story of a robbery of gold from an early British boat train from London to Folkestone.

I'm watching it as I write, the program stating "To Be Advised" and nothing else was worth watching... 

The train scenes were filmed in Ireland, between Dublin and Cork, using a CIE J15 0-6-0 tender locomotive modified to look like an early outside framed locomotive and four wheel  passenger cars modified from modern freight vans.

An amusing story with excellent train coverage much from the air...

(I have some photos of Ireland to scan, too...)

Peter

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Friday, November 13, 2020 9:21 AM

Speaking of train robbing, there is the British film, "Robbery" based on the Ronnie Biggs Great Train robbery of the early 60s, with Stanley Baker. 

 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Friday, November 13, 2020 9:38 AM

M636C
Yet another post James Bond era Sean Connery rail epic is "The Great Train Robbery" a story of a robbery of gold from an early British boat train from London to Folkestone.

From a story by Michael Crichton.  Both are worthwhile.

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by M636C on Friday, November 13, 2020 2:57 PM

Overmod

 

 
M636C
Yet another post James Bond era Sean Connery rail epic is "The Great Train Robbery" a story of a robbery of gold from an early British boat train from London to Folkestone.

 

From a story by Michael Crichton.  Both are worthwhile.

 

 

I am surprised that there were two effectively simultaneous posts for the same movie from opposite sides of the world....

But I agree with the writing being good...

In the penultimate scene, Connery's character is asked "why did you do it?" and he answers "I wanted the money..."

Peter

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, November 13, 2020 4:15 PM

M636C
In the penultimate scene, Connery's character is asked "why did you do it?" and he answers "I wanted the money..."

I wonder if that was inspired by a quote from the famous American bank robber Willie Sutton.  When asked why he robbed banks, know what he said?

"Because that's where the money is!"

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Friday, November 13, 2020 6:14 PM

I remember when Willie Sutton died. He had great respect for Mosler safes and the Mosler company had great respect for him. Imagine looking at a big bank vault and figuring out how to open it and then doing it. The guy was a pro! The Mosler company did what they could to defy him; he was the guy they had to try to defy. 

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Monday, November 30, 2020 9:46 PM

   I don't know if this movie is old enough to qualify under this heading, but back in the 1980's I enjoyed "Tough Guys".   Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas were released from prison after serving long sentences for train robbery and had a hard time adjusting to modern life.  They wound up hijacking 4449.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 8:56 AM

"Tough Guys" was kind of silly. Remember how they were headed to the Mexican border where the tracks end in the middle of nowhere? That made no sense. But, that is Doyle McCormack in the cab. I recall reading how Burt Lancaster knew his way around due to his work in "The Train." 

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 3:40 PM

54light15
"Tough Guys" was kind of silly.

   What adventure movie isn't?

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 4:34 PM

54light15
"Tough Guys" was kind of silly.

Well sure, it was a comedy, it's supposed to be silly.

Remember the over-the-hill nearsighted hit man played by Eli Wallach, who "Never left a job unfinished!" as a point of honor?

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 9:38 AM

I loved when he shot the boom box. Funny how you don't see those anymore, not to change the subject. 

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
  • 6,952 posts
Posted by CMStPnP on Thursday, December 3, 2020 6:44 AM

One of the best train action movies of modern times, if you have not seen it yet, defintely worth the rental price.     Lone Ranger remake starring Johnny Depp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMZToxfIUAk

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Thursday, December 3, 2020 1:52 PM
Just recently rereleased on dvd/bluray "The Grey Fox" 1982 with Richard Farnsworth, lots of Canadian Pacific steam and mountain trains, and its a dang good movie!

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Thursday, December 3, 2020 2:05 PM

Right now I'm watching the original Godzilla on Turner Classic Movies.  Godzilla just wrecked a Japanese train and stood up with a passenger car in his mouth!  Call out the military!

York1 John       

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, December 3, 2020 2:42 PM

It's so  much better in the original Japanese!  A much darker version than the one with Raymond Burr, God rest his soul!

By the way, according to the Japanese Godzilla only chews on trains when he's very annoyed.  Otherwise, Godzilla only eats fish. 

And you just know  Big G's a hero in Japan when he gets this treatment from the Tokyo Philharmonic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDeU42u2s2Y  

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Thursday, December 3, 2020 6:05 PM

That Godzilla theme was awesome! Don't mess with the big guy! 

King Kong didn't like trains too much either- one is the colourised original, the other is a remake and judging from the spoken comments on that one, it must be from the late, great Mystery Science Theatre 3000. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwgdgD_BDHE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n03HxctDYuU 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, December 3, 2020 7:36 PM

Oh brother, that lame "King Kong" remake from 1976!  

Man, if you're a film-maker and you can't top the original, or even come close, don't bother!  Spare us!

No, that's not "Mystery Science Theater" with those comments, "MST" never allowed potty words!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Thursday, December 3, 2020 10:23 PM

Well, I was only guessing about MST. But in the original, there sure were a lot of spiffy fedoras that got mussed up, don't you think? 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • 1,881 posts
Posted by Leo_Ames on Friday, December 4, 2020 11:00 PM

Does anyone happen to know which locomotive this is in this episode of 'Combat!'?

https://youtu.be/dvjM4SwBHAA?t=1900

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 8:52 AM

Cool!  I was a regular viewer of "Combat!" but I don't remember this episode.

Anyway, it's obviously an American 4-4-0 locomotive, something more appropriate for a Western than a WW2 drama.  At the time this series was filmed (early 1960's) some Hollywood studios still had antique railroad equipment on hand, and wouldn't start selling it off until around 1970 or so. 

That particular engine might  be part of the collection at the Nevada State Railroad Museum now, I believe some of their stock did come from Hollywood.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 8:54 AM

54light15

Well, I was only guessing about MST. But in the original, there sure were a lot of spiffy fedoras that got mussed up, don't you think? 

 

Absolutely!  And who dresses up like that to ride the subways now?  Different day and age.

  • Member since
    November 2014
  • 250 posts
Posted by ORNHOO on Saturday, December 5, 2020 10:32 AM
I once saw a documentary on RKO pictures in which it was mentioned that in their movies mens fedoras never came off, not even in in a knock down fight, because if they did the studio would have to pay for a hairdresser to be on set.
  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 10:53 AM

Possibly, but I think continuity probably had a lot more to do with it.  It's a lot easier for the film editors to put the final print together if the principals look the same all the time, or at least most of the time.  

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 1:44 PM

I never saw that episode of Combat either. Funny how Europe looks so much like Southern California. Same goes for the Europe-set episodes of the old Mission Impossible. Whenever a show was set in, say, England, they'd break out the London taxi, a left-hand drive Rolls-Royce and a Citroen van that looked like it was made out of a garden shed. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 2:56 PM

deleted

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 2:59 PM

54light15
I never saw that episode of Combat either.

Do you remember the one called "The Doughboy?"  Eddie Albert guest starred as a WW1 veteran who stayed in France after the war (Fell in love with a local girl. Kisses) then when the second war comes has a flashback to 1918?  He goes out to fight the "Heinies" in his WW1 uniform complete with his 1903 Springfield.  That episode gave me a fascination with the First World War that's lasted to this day.  It made me want an '03 Springfield too, but at 10 years old that was out of the question! 

I did get an '03 many years later.  Still have it too!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 3:48 PM

My father had an 1903 Springfield- He let me fire it at the rifle range. Once. I was ten years old and never asked again. I was happy to use his .22s after that. I vaguely recall that episode you mention, it's sure been a long time since I watched that show. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 5, 2020 8:18 PM

Hey, that 4-4-0 in the "Combat!" episode?

Leave it to "Magic Mike," our incomperable "Wanswheel," to find out its history!  And here it is:

http://www.virginiaandtruckee.com/Locomotive/No11.htm

https://trn.trains.com/railroads/railroad-history/2010/07/virginia-and-truckee

Once I knew who it was I was able to find this:

https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/Virginia_and_Truckee_No._11_Reno#:~:text=Virginia%20%26%20Truckee%20Railroad%20No.,specifically%20to%20pull%20passenger%2

Thanks Mike!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 10:01 PM

Here's one. "The Valley of the Dolls" from 1967. Total trash but still sort of worth seeing. They keep telling you that it's set in Connecticut but it features a New York Central commuter train which I think is shown at Mount Kisco on the Harlem Valley line. At that time there was service all the way to Millerton, if not further North. 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy