The Ghost Train

Curl up with this one on a dark and stormy night and prepare to be alternately amused, irritated and frightened. The creaky old plot about about a phantom train that's said to run through the lonely English countryside at dead of night may be implausible, but it's a lot of fun. There are some wonderful old cliches like "THE ACCIDENT" which the locals can remember but won't talk about. But primarily the movie's a vehicle for comedian Arthur Askey to showcase his particular brand of vaudeville style humour in between the scary bits. Askey's corny humor is not very trendy these days but if you just let it wash over you it can be fun. This is probably the best of Askey's movies.

Train passengers are stranded overnight at a train station due to the hijinks of an obnoxious man named Tommy Gander (Arthur Askey), who pulled the brake so he could go get his hat he dropped off the train. That's the first of this guy's annoyances in this movie, but hardly the last. He spends the entire film being annoying. While they're at the station, they're told the station is haunted and a ghost train passes at night. If anybody looks upon the train they will die. At this point I was cheering for Gander to see the train.

I'm a sucker for a train movie so I really wanted to like this. I did like the train station set, particularly the platform outside with the moody matte painting backdrop. The mystery elements aren't bad. I would rate this one a lot higher if not for Askey's overbearing character and the fact we seem to get little relief from him in the movie. As one other reviewer rightly noted, whether or not you will enjoy this film depends on how you feel about Arthur Askey's performance. For me, he was unfunny, irritating, and unlikable. You might think he's the funniest person who ever lived. Watch it and see for yourself.

With mostly gags and very little plot, this is an entertaining film overall but hardly a brilliant one. It improves a great deal after the one-hour mark though when the horror finally starts to seep through. The thriller and comedy elements of the film only work about half the time themselves, however there are still some amusing bits and the plot is reasonably intriguing. It is easy to see that the film was intended to be a showcase for Arthur Askey's talents. He does show talent here, but it can be questioned as to whether his comic antics could have been put to better use. On the positive side, the characters are relatively interesting, and those beginning credits are great. The film makes an interesting companion piece to 'Rome Express', also directed by Walter Forde, and also set on a train. This film is the weaker of the two but it is a slightly different approach to friendships between strangers on trains. It is worth a look in the end. If not a great film, it is a fairly enjoyable ride.

This could've been an excellent "ghost story"; however, Arthur Askey's antics in the first 10 mins. of this film tend to ruin the film. (One wishes that they would've been edited out, as they have NOTHING to do with the film!).

Askey (who resembles a cross between Harold Lloyd, Kay Kyser, and Robert Woolsey) might have been funny in his day, but his brand of humor is ofttimes DISMAL by today's standards. On the bright side, it improves when they get to the train station. (His antics with an imaginary "dead body" are humorous at times).

However, the real "meat & potatoes" of this film is the haunted train station, and the legend of the "ghost train" that comes thru on dark nights! One wishes this part of the film would've been much longer.

The "ghost element" makes up for Askey, so see this film if u get a chance!

The ghost train along with 'Oh Mr Porter' which is also based on the story & play,IT is like an old friend if you feel down watch it over and over each time you see something different. would have loved to spent the night on that station with the cast. IT could easy be re-made today as it was from a mid thirties version. This is also a great old film, with much the same treatment.. I am off to watch it again as have been talking about it, I must go on it again.Catch the ghost train when ever you can Peachy Mead East Anglia's film king