A train disaster is told as four short stories to give character studies of the people involved, how it will affect them, and how they deal with it.A train disaster is told as four short stories to give character studies of the people involved, how it will affect them, and how they deal with it.A train disaster is told as four short stories to give character studies of the people involved, how it will affect them, and how they deal with it.
Patric Doonan
- Ron Stacey (segment "The Engine Driver")
- (as Patrick Doonan/Patric Doonan)
- Directors
- Sidney Cole(segment The Engine Driver)
- Charles Crichton(segment The Composer)
- Basil Dearden(segments The Actor, The Prisoner-of-War)
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPeter Finch's role was dubbed with a strong German accent.
- GoofsWithin the first minute and a half of the film the locomotive pulling the Euston to Liverpool express varies several times in cut shots from the largest 4-6-2 "Duchess" express locomotive to a variety of different, smaller 4-6-0 locomotives, variously with or without smoke deflectors, with single or double chimneys, with tapered or parallel boilers and with different numbers and tender insignias ("British Railways" or "LMS"). At one point a "Duchess" is seen again. Locomotive classes seen pulling the same train without it stopping thus include "Duchess", "Jubilee", "Patriot" and "Royal Scot".
- Quotes
Doris Hardcastle (segment "The Engine Driver"): Oh, it's you...
Ron Stacey (segment "The Engine Driver"): Well, don't overwhelm me ducks. I dunno as my poor old ticker'll stand it.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Remembering John Gregson (2019)
- SoundtracksThese Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
(uncredited)
Music by Jack Strachey and Harry Link
Lyrics by Eric Maschwitz
Sung by Leslie Hutchinson
Played in Philip's apartment
Featured review
"....I adore television, all those wiggly lines..."
This is a not very widely known portmanteau film from 1949, in which four disparate stories are told, each culminating in the protagonists boarding a train to Liverpool, their stories becoming ever more enmeshed, only this train is headed for disaster.
I largely agree with Robert Temple's review (although there are spoilers and it is John Clements who plays the composer, not Gregson).
In contrast to many of the other reviews I found something rather good in all four stories, be it drama, witty dialogue, or humour. I thought it was all rather well done actually. For me, the standout performance was probably that of Peter Finch, who looked gaunt and utterly riven throughout.
In addition to the intriguing structure of the film -which has surely acted as an example to later directors- this film has interest today because it shows many street scenes in London and various scenes shot on the railways; who would have thought the age of steam would be over about fifteen years after this?
Anyway whilst some of the facets of this film will be lost on some folk, overall I thought it a pretty good effort, deserving to be better known and more widely appreciated than it is. Eight out of ten from me.
I largely agree with Robert Temple's review (although there are spoilers and it is John Clements who plays the composer, not Gregson).
In contrast to many of the other reviews I found something rather good in all four stories, be it drama, witty dialogue, or humour. I thought it was all rather well done actually. For me, the standout performance was probably that of Peter Finch, who looked gaunt and utterly riven throughout.
In addition to the intriguing structure of the film -which has surely acted as an example to later directors- this film has interest today because it shows many street scenes in London and various scenes shot on the railways; who would have thought the age of steam would be over about fifteen years after this?
Anyway whilst some of the facets of this film will be lost on some folk, overall I thought it a pretty good effort, deserving to be better known and more widely appreciated than it is. Eight out of ten from me.
helpful•140
- Brucey_D
- Feb 20, 2019
Details
- Runtime1 hour 28 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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