The Mystery Train

This movie is apparently in Public Domain and I downloaded it from Jimbo Berkey's fantastic site. I then uploaded to the Cloud and watched in on TV with my Streaming Media device (can I say Roku?).

I love anything to do with Railroading's Steam Days, so this would at least be a time killer on a rainy day.

However, it turned out to be a pretty darn good movie, with a neat story, good acting and GREAT railroading scenes.

Hedda Hopper was a better actress than you might have thought, if you even ever heard of her. She may even be better than her Son William, TV Perry Mason's Private Dick, Paul Drake. All the other actors were fine too.

I especially liked the Newlyweds on the Train, who along with the Porter supplied the Comic Relief. That and some genuine Hair Raising Train scenes really added to the movie.

I plan on watching this movie again and I think lots of other people might want to give it a look.

Like "Defenders of the Law", this is another interesting "B" scripted by Hampton Del Ruth (this time in collaboration with skillful director Phil Whitman). As the title implies, this one is an absolute must for railroad buffs – and unlike some other "B" movies which promise much but deliver little, this one doesn't disappoint, with some terrific train footage at both the beginning and the climax (which will have most fans on the edge of their seats). Queenly villainess Hedda Hopper is top billed over the lovely Marceline Day, Nick Stuart makes a more-than-adequate hero, Bryant Washburn of course is a collaborating heavy, while Al Cooke and the super-attractive Carol Tevis play a comic groom and bride.

Hedda Hopper has been speculating in the market and lost everything. Bryant Washburn says his trust for millionaire Nick Stuart is about to be dissolved. They decide a niece for Mrs. Hopper will repair the holes in each of their finances by marrying young Mr. Stuart. Fortunately(!) the train they are on has a wreck, and Marceline Day escapes custody. Mrs. Hopper immediately adopts her and the plan moves forward.

It's a good set-up, although fans of old movies will find few novelties in its execution. The senior pair are good in their acting; the youngsters a bit stiff. Although Hampton Del Ruth inserted several funny bits in the movie, like Al Cooke and Carol Tevis as quarreling newlyweds, director Phil Whitman doesn't seem to integrate them into the story. Even the title seems to have been chosen to suggest thrills that never appear; the only mystery having to do with trains here is why they keep crashing when the principal actors are on them.

Marian Radcliffe (Hedda Hopper) is an awful person. She's lost her fortune and with her lawyer friend she's scheming to find a way to get back on easy street. When their train wrecks, a woman who is a prisoner chained to an officer finds the man dead...and manages to get out of the cuffs. Marian sees this and takes full advantage-- convincing the lady to pose as her daughter or else! The plan is to get this pretty young lady to use her charms on a young heir the lawyer is working for...and marry him for the money. And, since Marian knows the lady is a fugitive, she can then bleed the young lady.

Soon after this scheme is put into place, the Sheriff arrives. He's gone through all the information on the passengers and didn't see a ticket for the daughter! However, he's NOT there to arrest her. It's turned out that she wasn't guilty of a crime after all and he wanted to let the lady know she was free...but Marian promises to tell her 'daughter' but says NOTHING!!! What's next? See the film and find out for yourself.

The plot, according to IMDb, is all about a runaway train...but that is only in the final portion of the film. This is a very exciting and action-packed portion, though, and the film was far, far better than I expected from some poverty row B-movie. The acting was only fair but the writing and action were both exceptionally good...making the movie worth seeing--especially if you like Bs.

Wealthy Hedda Hopper (Marian) isn't so wealthy anymore and needs money. She discusses her predicament with her lawyer friend Bryant Washburn (William) whilst on a train journey. He suggests that it is a pity she doesn't have a daughter as the current case he is working on could prove fruitful for her if she had one. There is a valuable diamond to be passed on to whoever marries bachelor Nick Stuart (Ron) and this provides the basis for the wicked scheme. What Hedda needs is to find a 'daughter' from somewhere and set up a marriage to this rich youngster in order to get the diamond into her position. Once that is completed, job done - welcome back wealthy lifestyle.

The film has interesting beginning and ending sequences that are set aboard a train, and in between we get the trickery associated with the romance. Whilst it isn't the best acted film - Marceline Day (Joan) as the 'daughter' character has some pretty dreadful intonation and line delivery - there is still an element of tension to proceedings that keeps you watching. It gets a bit confusing at the end once the jewel goes missing and then the film resolves itself rather conveniently but it retains a dramatic interest as the audience wants to know what will happen next.