ecberman Reviews

Broadway Limited (1941)

Story not great, but rare scenes of PRR

[7/10 · 18 January 2005]

Victor McLaglen was at his best in Gunga Din or The Quiet Man, as a boisterous, brawling Scot (in real life, McLagelen had been a military provost in WWI in (if I recall properly) Constaintinople and was well used to using his fists and strength to enforce British military law). Unfortunately, The Broadway Limited was more of a romance than an action movie (except for some very good railroad scenes on the Pennsylvania RR), and McLaglen's acting appears forced and uncomfortable for the big man. On the other hand, J. Farrel McDonald once again demonstrated that he must have been a railroad man prior to becoming a good character actor. Too bad that Wallace Beery wasn't in this movie as well, since Beery had been an engine hostler for the Santa Fe and would have been more at home romancing the love interest.

Casey Jones (1957–1958)

Warmly-remembered TV series from childhoold

[18 January 2005]

I remember the first time that I saw Gilligan's Island at the age of 14 and immediately flashed back to having seen Al Hale Jr. about 7 years earlier in the Casey Jones TV series. I like Hale in both, but given my propensity for railroad-related genre, I give the sentimental vote to Hale for Casey Jones and the comedy vote to Hale for Gilligan's Island. In any case, it would be great to see re-runs on cable, probably best on TV Land but certainly would be appreciated on Nickelodeon. Also would be good as part of a documentary on the wide variations of 1950's TV westerns. The other Casey Jones that I remember was the very excellent Walt Disney color cartoon (about 15-20 minutes in length) that was always paired with The Legend of Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed, on the Disneyland TV show.

The Phantom Express (1932)

Outstanding Early 1930's Action Thriller

[10/10 · 18 January 2005]

Without a doubt, The Phantom Express (1932) is my all-time favorite early talkie, railroad-themed movie. J.Farrel McDonald is outstanding as Smokey Nolan, the long-time engineer. I've seen a few other movies where McDonald plays a railroad-related part (e.g., with Victor McLaglen in The Broadway Limited) and it would appear that McDonald probably worked for the railroads prior to becoming a very good character actor as he played his parts with a great deal of ease and apparent intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Phantom Express was also very interesting from the standpoint that it was shot in live action, in/around LA and the Southern Pacific Railroad (including real shots of the SP boardroom at the old Central Station at 5th and Alameda), the SP Alhambra Roundhouse, Burbank Tower, etc. Also, the special effects modelling scenes were very much ahead of their time in terms of realism. All together, an excellent film of which I own several copies.

Red Signals (1927)

Great Silent Era theme-based action movie

[10/10 · 18 January 2005]

From a rail fan's perspective, Red Signals rates a 10 simply because it contains scene after scene relating to railroading in the early 20th century and particularly in the Southern California area. There are several scenes at the old Santa Fe Arcade Station (brick building with Moorish turrets) that not only provide rate glimpses of railroading during the period but also of the day-to-day live styles of everyday people. Given the movie was pre-Depression, there is no attempt (as most often occurred during Depression-era movies when they attempted to brighten up people's lives by focusing on the lives of the very rich), but one gets to see life from a more realistic historical perspective. The acting is generally over-the-top, and the sub-titled asides are pretty hilarious and you get the impression that the writers were jibbing at their own characters. Definitely worth seeing.