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The Ghost Train
Mismatched travellers are stranded overnight at a lonely rural railway station. They soon learn of local superstition about a phantom train which is said to travel these parts at dead of night, carrying ghosts from a long-ago train wreck in the area.
Release : | 1941 |
Rating : | 6.2 |
Studio : | Gainsborough Pictures, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Assistant Camera, |
Cast : | Arthur Askey Richard Murdoch Kathleen Harrison Peter Murray-Hill Carole Lynne |
Genre : | Horror Comedy Thriller Mystery |
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I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
Mismatched travelers are stranded overnight at a lonely rural railway station. They soon learn of local superstition about a phantom train which is said to travel these parts at dead of night, carrying ghosts from a long-ago train wreck in the area. The travelers eventually get to the bottom of the things that go bump in the night. In between the scary bits, comedian Arthur Askey plays the gags with his Vaudeville style humor, to the constant irritation of his fellow passengers.I've said it before...these types of movies were popular in the mid 30s to early 40s. Unsure why there was a fad like this.It's a rather slow go. Really needed to pick up the pass to make it a good flick.
It doesn't really succeed as a thriller about war-time arms smuggling, a supernatural mystery about a "ghost train" that uses a line of neglected tracks, or a comedy about anything.The most notable feature of the movie -- originally a play -- are the indoor and outdoor sets, not including the original train which deserts the handful of diverse passengers at a lonely railway station in the midst of a downpour.Even if the juvenile plot had some merit, the movie would have been ruined for me by the antics of Arthur Askey, the least funny comedian since Jack E. Leonard. Maybe I've lost my sense of humor now that I've developed this debilitating case of restless legs syndrome, but I ask you -- Askey annoys someone he doesn't like by pressing his face against a window and smearing his nose and open mouth around on the glass. If you find this amusing, then this movie is for you.But I did appreciate the shabby interior of the deserted station, and I rather liked the brief glimpse of the gloomy platform outside. And Kathleen Harrison is easy on the eyes. Yum. And these are the only reasons the film doesn't deserve a null.
From the first few minutes of the film it was clear that the main character, Arthur Askey, was an obnoxious person that would have been better left on the tracks after pulling the emergency cord on the train. Because they waited for him to pick up his hat and return to the train we are forced to listen to a man that should have been beat with a large stick until his mouth was so swollen that he could not speak. But since none of this happened, we are forced to watch a performance by Askey where he tries to hog every scene by what some call humor.Askey was like a case of herpes- he would just not go away. He kept inserting himself in every third line by means of something like juvenile humor. (I do not mean to speak bad of juveniles)I know I am being rough on Arthur Askey. I have seen other comedy films from this period that is just as dated as this film. But that does not make a poor performance any better to watch. Some will say that this is classic humor. If so, thank goodness we do not live in a time where we think classic humor needs to be obnoxious and unfunny.Actually this story is not a bad idea for a film. If you took Askey out of this and inserted another comedian, that was not so obnoxious, then this would be a good film. The last half of the film could have been a good film on it own merit except for one character.This film does contain the beautiful actress Kathleen Harrison. I have never seen a film where Ms Harrison gave an unpleasant performance. She is the only one that deliveries in this film. But with Askey, it was hard for anyone else to do anything but listen to his rants.It is clear that Askey was better in front of a live audience. He could play and mingle with the people. He relied on the interaction of people to be funny. In front of the camera that did not play well. In this film it did not play well - at all.
Late one night, many years ago, I came across this movie, and although it is filled with holes (see other reviews), it was still very enjoyable. I managed to record it, unfortunately the old VHS is well and truly gone and I would dearly love to obtain a copy on DVD region 4 (Australia). Alas, to no avail. You see, it is one of those films you want to go back to time and time again. This film was made when Britain had its back to the wall, and the British film industry wanted to both entertain and educate her people of the various dangers surrounding them. It is a warm and corny trip back into a time long gone. Having said that, if you ever get the opportunity to watch this film, do yourself a favor, sit back with a glass of your favorite beverage, kick off your shoes and watch a cheesy old WW2 propaganda film that is still entertaining, and will bring a gentle smile to your face.