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The Last Train from Madrid

  • 1937
  • Approved
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
334
YOUR RATING
Lew Ayres and Dorothy Lamour in The Last Train from Madrid (1937)
ActionAdventureDramaRomanceWar

The story of seven people: their lives and love affairs in Madrid during the Civil War.The story of seven people: their lives and love affairs in Madrid during the Civil War.The story of seven people: their lives and love affairs in Madrid during the Civil War.

  • Director
    • James P. Hogan
  • Writers
    • Louis Stevens
    • Robert Wyler
    • Paul Hervey Fox
  • Stars
    • Dorothy Lamour
    • Lew Ayres
    • Gilbert Roland
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    334
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • James P. Hogan
    • Writers
      • Louis Stevens
      • Robert Wyler
      • Paul Hervey Fox
    • Stars
      • Dorothy Lamour
      • Lew Ayres
      • Gilbert Roland
    • 12User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos62

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    Top cast76

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    Dorothy Lamour
    Dorothy Lamour
    • Carmelita Castillo
    Lew Ayres
    Lew Ayres
    • Bill Dexter
    Gilbert Roland
    Gilbert Roland
    • Eduardo de Soto
    Karen Morley
    Karen Morley
    • Baroness Helene Rafitte
    Lionel Atwill
    Lionel Atwill
    • Col. Vigo
    Helen Mack
    Helen Mack
    • Lola
    Robert Cummings
    Robert Cummings
    • Juan Ramos
    Olympe Bradna
    Olympe Bradna
    • Maria Ronda
    Anthony Quinn
    Anthony Quinn
    • Capt. Ricardo Álvarez
    Lee Bowman
    Lee Bowman
    • Michael Balk
    Ricca Allen
    Ricca Allen
    • Elderly Refugee on Train
    • (uncredited)
    Stanley Andrews
    Stanley Andrews
    • Secret Service Man
    • (uncredited)
    Sam Appel
    Sam Appel
    • Prison Warden
    • (uncredited)
    Hooper Atchley
    Hooper Atchley
    • Martin
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Brandon
    Henry Brandon
    • Radio Announcer
    • (uncredited)
    Evelyn Brent
    Evelyn Brent
    • Woman soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Louise Carter
    Louise Carter
    • Rosa Delgado
    • (uncredited)
    Maurice Cass
    Maurice Cass
    • Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • James P. Hogan
    • Writers
      • Louis Stevens
      • Robert Wyler
      • Paul Hervey Fox
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    6.3334
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    10

    Featured reviews

    Single-Black-Male

    DeMille as Extra

    The 56 year old Cecil B. DeMille appeared as an extra in a crowd scene in this film. There were no big names to draw audiences to this film which means that the quick glimpse of DeMille was the only thing to watch in this film. Apart from that, I thought it was a waste of money.
    7Nazi_Fighter_David

    Conventional melodrama with cliché characters and situations...

    Before America's involvement in the Second World War, Hollywood's attitudes towards events in Europe were, to say the least, ambiguous… Greed (the fear of losing foreign markets), and the threat of backlash from powerful isolationist groups within the country meant that the films tended to avoid the controversial issues of fascism… Hollywood as a whole – though there were a few dedicated anti-fascists – prided itself on not taking sides…

    Two films claiming to be about the Spanish Civil War somehow managed to evade mentioning who the combatants were and what the fighting was about…

    'The Last Train From Madrid' is a conventional melodrama about the plight of a group of people waiting to board the last train out of a besieged Madrid… The war has no other function here than to provide the element of suspense… More serious is 'Blockade,'1938 directed by William Dieterle… The film stars Henry Fonda as a Spanish peasant who reluctantly takes arms to defend his country
    6blanche-2

    Remember Casablanca? Now it's Madrid.

    Why Hollywood placed a story amid the Spanish Civil War is beyond me. They couldn't commit to either side; consequently, we don't know who is on whose side or what the sides are. Pathetic.

    The Loyalists occupy Madrid, but you won't get that from the movie. They surrendered Madrid and the Nationalists won. You won't get that either

    The Last Train From Madrid concerns the last train leaving the city before the tracks are destroyed. You need a pass in order to board. And people are desperate to get them.

    An incredibly young Anthony Quinn plays Alvarez, who helps a friend, de Soto, to escape capture. De Soto is apparently on the opposite side that Alvarez is supposed to be on. Alvarez is then accused of being a traitor by his superior, Col. Vigo (Lionel Atwill).

    De Soto runs to the home of his former lover Carmelita (Dorothy Lamour), only to learn that she is otherwise engaged and not leaving Madrid alone. He then has to find another way to escape.

    Cummings plays a young soldier, Ramos, who can't bring himself to execute a man; when he is transferred to the front line, he deserts. Lew Ayres plays a newspaperman who gives a female hitchhiker, Maria (Olympe Bradna) a ride - she's also a deserter. De Soto's pass finally comes from a woman (Karen Morley) who pays a high price for getting him one.

    Someone compared this to Grand Hotel. In a way, yes, with a war as the background, albeit a confusing one.
    5joe-ca

    Fleeing from the unknown best describes this movie

    There are several well schooled and effective actors in The Last Train From Madrid. They all give performances which, for this era of movie making, are consistent with a high level of accomplishment. Unfortunately, due to the lack of real life detail about the Spanish civil war that is the background for the movie, it does not get an overall good rating from this 21st century commenter (who has made use of the contemporary historical writings that are now available about the Republican/Francoist civil war). Although this film is made early in the career of Anthony Quinn his part, such as it is, gives a 21st century person some evidence of why Mr. Quinn's career grew so rapidly. Some actors labor for years, crafting an image that eventually rises to a level to be appreciated by the general public. When one looks at the complete works of Anthony Quinn it is evident that he also worked hard at the craft of acting and developed a manner of presentation that became more and more effective as the years progressed. However, from the very early Anthony Quinn presentations one sees a persona that, even though a work in progress, carries the strength of actors who had much more experience and schooling in the trade.

    Another commenter lamented that the movie did not have any big name actors. I guess the performances of Dorothy Lamour, Gilbert Roland, and Robert Cummings were somehow missed by the commenter. While without historical merit, the film is entertaining and provides a window into the acting methods of early 20th century film making.
    6AAdaSC

    Destination Valencia

    The film is set during the Spanish Civil War which was being fought at the time and it centres around 3 unrelated groups of people trying to obtain a boarding pass for a train that will leave Madrid that night. It is the last train out of the city to freedom before the track is blown up. Destination Valencia.

    Everyone has until 11:00pm to obtain a boarding pass and these passes will be rigorously checked so it is bad news for anyone who is on the run. Every group we follow as at least one character who is wanted in this way.

    There is some good acting as well as some tiresome sentimentality - army deserter Robert Cummings (Ramos) and Helen Mack (Lola) get bogged down in trite dialogue with each other although their final journey to the train station has a good moment. Game over for someone. Similarly, army deserter Olympe Bradna (Maria) is too sickeningly sweet in some of her scenes with American journalist Lew Ayres (Bill). Dorothy Lamour plays the love interest for 2 friends - soldier Anthony Quinn (Alvarez) and escaped prisoner Gilbert Roland (de Soto) - but it is rather ludicrous how she is top billed. More could have been made of this love triangle but as things stand Lamour only needed to show up for one scene. She does not merit headlining this film. That privilege should go to Quinn and Roland. Also in the cast is a very effective Lionel Atwill who plays the military Colonel and Karen Morley who plays a wealthy lady and is the most interesting female character.

    Quinn, Roland, Atwill and Morley give the film the excitement and are the best of the cast. The film loses interest when these characters are not on screen because we just get lovey-dovey nonsense dialogue outside of the tensions relating to the build-up to the escape from Madrid at the film's climax. Not everyone makes it out.

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    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      De Soto refers to "Damon and Pythias" in describing his relationship with the group of five soldiers. Damon and Pythias are figures from Greek legend that are used to demonstrate the meaning of true friendship. Damon trusted Pythias so much that he was willing to put his life on the line. This theme is echoed in the relationship between de Soto and Alvarez.
    • Goofs
      When Bill Dexter and Maria Ronda are going to see her father in prison, as they are handing their pass to a guard, a moving shadow of a crew member holding a boom microphone is visible on the wall behind them.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Hollywood Mouth 2 (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Capriccio Espagnole
      (uncredited)

      Music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

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    FAQ13

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 11, 1937 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Poslednji voz iz Madrida
    • Filming locations
      • Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 25m(85 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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