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Trains in old movies but not necessarily train movies

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Posted by 54light15 on Friday, April 10, 2020 8:21 PM

Enh, there's only one Fugitive and that's David Janssen. There were a few railroad scenes in the orignal show which I think was pretty damned good. 

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Posted by M636C on Friday, April 10, 2020 8:33 PM

While we are all here, I thought I'd mention two old English movies which are train movies but since are both available in full on Youtube so could each provide around 90 minutes of distraction.

These are :

Rome Express (1932)  and

The Lady Vanishes (1938) (directed by Hitchcock)

These two movies used some of the same sets and some footage was shared.

Rome Express had very extensive sets built, including a complete full size, if foreshortened train in the station in Paris. As well as the usual small models, a 1/12 scale model of a PLM Pacific was built by Bassett-Lowke which was used for close ups of the locomotive, including the valve gear, at speed.

I think the same interior sets were used for The Lady Vanishes, as was the exterior locomotive mock up from the station scene when the passengers take over the train to escape from the foreign conspirators.

But anyone with around three hours to spare could check out the two movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlbKFIhE-JI

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x239ehl

It can't be worse than the TV news...

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Posted by seppburgh2 on Friday, April 10, 2020 9:44 PM

I remember a long time ago Borgnine being interviewed on his many roles and "Shack" was his favorite since it didn't take much to get "in-character".  Also this clip seems so real in Techno-Color as compared to today's layering of CGI. Gee you think you were there with real-live action actors. 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, April 11, 2020 10:41 AM

Ever hear of "Last Train From Gun Hill?"

There's "train" in the title, and some nice run-bys and station shots, but not a train movie.  A great Western none the less, with an almost "Greek tragedy" storyline for both the male leads, Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn.  Even though the viewer pretty much knows it's going to end badly for one of them it keeps you hoping that somehow it won't, right up to the movies end.

Here's the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_qXQQZ2wHs  

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, April 11, 2020 10:03 PM

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" had a few trains in it.  One of the mail car recreations wound up at the Ridgeway (Colorado) rail museum.

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Posted by 54light15 on Saturday, April 11, 2020 10:52 PM

"Use enough dynamite there, Butch?" Classic! 

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Posted by ORNHOO on Sunday, April 12, 2020 12:01 AM
49th Parallel has some scenes on the Canadian National, plus the line "He's not on the manifest! Send him back!"
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Posted by MMLDelete on Monday, April 13, 2020 12:50 AM

Unstoppable, with Denzel Washington, is very entertaining. It has the best cinematography of trains that I've ever seen, and I don't mean the chase scenes. I mean lots of very evocative shots which really convey the essence of railroading, done by top Hollywood film crews. Just lots of great scenes. 

The story is a good one, a based on a true runway train incident, and I find Washington to be a very engaging actor. Now, tbh, some of the action is super far-fetched, way over the top to the point of laughable.

Still, I thinI any railroader or railfan would thoroughly enjoy it.

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Posted by Convicted One on Monday, April 13, 2020 8:55 AM

Lithonia Operator
Unstoppable, with Denzel Washington, is very entertaining.

I'd have to agree.  I recall following the original incident here. So after about the first 10 minutes of the movie I realized I was watching a dramatization based on the event I actually knew something about....making it all that much more enjoyable.

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Posted by York1 on Monday, April 13, 2020 9:20 AM

M636C
The Lady Vanishes (1938) (directed by Hitchcock)

 

Great!  I had forgotten about that one.

 

Of course, we're talking about movies that are not "train movies" but have trains in them.

My favorite "train movie" still has to be "Silver Streak".

York1 John       

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, April 13, 2020 9:41 AM

Of course, there are the movies where trains play an essential part in the action, but not from an enthusiast's standpoint.

Like the Red Shoes, with Moira Shearer.  Or Hannay's escape in the 39 Steps.

My mom and I both loved the scene from Brief Encounter when Celia Johnson's Laura comes in pathetically saying (and no one, not even Merle Oberon, could do that like Celia) she 'just wanted to see the express go through'...

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Posted by 54light15 on Monday, April 13, 2020 10:13 AM

The 39 Steps- oneof my favourites since I was a kid! It was a thrill to ride over the Forth Bridge 16 years ago. I had no idea it was painted red. The author of the story, John Buchan, as Lord Tweedsmuir became the governor general of Canada in 1935. 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, April 13, 2020 10:42 AM

There's a British film done in the 30's called "Knight Without Armour," starring Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat.  Set in Russia during the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution it's got some railroad scenes in it with British locomotives remarkably dressed up to look like Russian ones.  I can't find any YouTube clips of the rail scenes but when I saw the movie on TCM I was VERY impressed with the modifications on the locomotives.  

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Posted by JC UPTON on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 8:07 AM
Then there are the several versions of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"

from the Far East of the Sunset Route

(In the shadow of the Huey P Long bridge)

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 9:11 AM

JC UPTON
Then there are the several versions of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"
 

The BEST one is from 1974, don't bother with the more current remake.  Ick!

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Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 10:13 AM

I agree with you, Wayne- Kenneth Branagh's mustache was ridiculous! 

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 11:16 AM

Flintlock76

 

 
JC UPTON
Then there are the several versions of Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express"
 

 

 

The BEST one is from 1974, don't bother with the more current remake.  Ick!

 

Why do people think that they can improve on such originals? In general, the older movie makers tried to follow the written narrative (I can understand why the makers of Gone with the Wind omitted Scarlett's second marriage; the movie was exceedingly long with what was presented).

Johnny

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 12:13 PM

And just how many versions of "Beau Geste" are out there??

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 1:06 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

And just how many versions of "Beau Geste" are out there??

 

I don't know, but if there are any there's only one that matters!

Same with "The Four Feathers."  Or "The Adventures of Robin Hood."

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Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 1:14 PM

"The Four Feathers" was like Kipling's poem Fuzzy Wuzzy come to life! Remember the warriors with the "ayrick 'eads of 'air?" And Errol Flynn-he was one of a kind! 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 1:54 PM

" 'Ere's to you Fuzzy-Wuzzy, in your 'ome in the Soodan, 

    You're a poor benighted 'eathan, but a first-class fightin' man!"

Good old Kipling!  Ever read his poem "Brown Bess?"

Good ol' Errol Flynn!  I can't imagine anyone else playing Robin Hood, the role and the actor found each other and became icons.

Kind of like Basil Rathbone as Sherlock, Chuck Heston as Ben-Hur, George C. Scott as Patton, I could go on and on.

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Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 3:18 PM

Of course I know that if ever we English had reason to bless any arm save our mothers, that arm is Brown Bess. I have the complete verse of Rudyard Kipling sitting on my toilet tank as I write this. I agree also, no one can play those roles except for the guys that played those roles. That includes Clint as Harry Callahan and the Duke in any role he played. 

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 3:21 PM

54light15
Of course I know that if ever we English had reason to bless any arm save our mothers, that arm is Brown Bess.

I never think of her without thinking of "The moon was a ghostly galleon, sailing on troubled seas"...

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 3:45 PM

Overmod

 

 
54light15
Of course I know that if ever we English had reason to bless any arm save our mothers, that arm is Brown Bess.

 

I never think of her without thinking of "The moon was a ghostly galleon, sailing on troubled seas"...

 

"The Highwayman."  Chills run down my spine just thinking about it.

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Posted by Penny Trains on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 8:20 PM

Seeing as it's the evening of April 14th...

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by M636C on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 8:43 PM

Like the Red Shoes, with Moira Shearer.

I recall seeing a shot of the Blue Train with a 141R running along the rocky cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean presumably shot from a helicopter, possibly on the troupe's arrival in Nice (or Monte Carlo, I forget).

Peter

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Posted by MMLDelete on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 10:18 PM

x

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Posted by Convicted One on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 11:29 PM

Speaking of movies that were remade, anyone yet mention "Narrow Margin"?  Good movie using a passenger train as a plot device. 1952 and 1990 versions, the latter staring Gene Hackman.

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Posted by 54light15 on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 2:20 PM

Narrow Margin, now there was a great film with the incomparable Marie Windsor, the best Femme Fatale that was ever on screen! Not taking anything away from Barbara Stanwyck or Lana Turner, but I know what I like. 

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Posted by Penny Trains on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 7:51 PM

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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