Rome Express (1932)

Well-to-do people, all with their own secrets get aboard THE ROME EXPRESS, from a scenario by Sidney Gilliat.One of the issues of looking at a movie that is clearly the precursor to another, well regarded movie, is that it invites invidious comparisons. It's a phenomenon I call "the end of history" and it reflects our bias that everyone and everything that happened before us is just leading up to our own magnificence, while everything after us will be a severe let-down. This movie was not made as a trial run for Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES, despite Gilliat, producer Michael Balcon and the presence of several plot elements -- including a couple who are cheating on their spouses -- that were later used in the more famous movie. If anything, the later movie was probably conceived as a remake.Looking at this movie on its own merits, we can recognize it as a sparkling cast -- including Finlay Currie as an American, Cedric Hardwicke, Esther Ralson, Hugh Williams and the always brilliant Conrad Veidt as a mysterious threat. It is a skillful blending of comedy and thrills by director Walter Forde, who would return to the theme with 1941's THE MAIL TRAIN. Yes, Hitchcock and others would do it better; they had the model in this movie -- which is vastly entertaining on its own.

It's a reasonable guess that this went down well in 1932 when stories set on trains were in their infancy - Graham Greene had published Stamboul Train, Vicki Baum Grand Hotel and what better than Grand Hotel on wheels, a motley crew, all Human Life is aboard and Murder On The Orient Express, The Lady Vanishes and Train Of Events patiently waiting in the wings - or sidings as the case may be. The revelation to me was Finlay Currie as a fast-talking press agent complete with mid-Atlantic accent. Priceless. Conrad Veidt and Cedric Hardwicke represented the more durable names whilst most of the cast were destined to fall by the wayside. Some interesting camera angles by journeyman Walter Forde who, probably by pure coincidence, had directed the Ghost Train earlier. Definite novelty value.

Notable for being the pioneer of train-set mystery thriller films, this is nevertheless hardly the best, with characters that are run-of-the-mill and quite an ordinary little mystery plot that tires towards the end. Still, some of the stylist touches here are great. There is some effective panning and appropriately swift editing, plus the sound recording is brilliantly realistic, and with all elements combined, it really feels as if we are on a moving train. It is somewhat dated, not holding up as well as films like 'Murder on the Orient Express' and 'North by Northwest' do, but for what it is, it is fairly well made, and it is interesting to look at its influence on films that were later to come.

Although this film has dated somewhat it remains a classic in it's genre, and surely is the inspiration for other such train based thrillers as Murder on the Orient Express and the Lady Vanishes. Conrad Veidt was never better and is well supported by an illustrious cast. Technically the sound quality in 1932 leaves a little to be desired but this should not detract from a little seen gem of a movie