Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, May Whitty
Running Time: 97 minutes
Synopsis: In the fictional European country Bandrika, a train is stranded by an avalanche and the passengers spend a night at a small village motel. They include the adventurous Iris (Margaret Lockwood), who is traveling to England to reluctantly get married; the elderly Miss Froy (May Whitty); and dashing musician Gilbert (Michael Redgrave). After the train gets going the next morning, Miss Froy suddenly disappears, and Iris teams up with Gilbert to investigate. Dr. Hartz (Paul Lukas), magician Signor Doppo, and a nun are among the train passengers possibly involved in a cover-up.
What Works Well: With director Alfred Hitchcock obliquely critiquing a Britain ignoring the gathering storms of continental war, this lighthearted mystery and satire explores human reactions motivated by nothing-to-see-here self-interest. A feisty Margaret Lockwood animates the microcosm as the irrepressible Iris tangles with fellow travelers Caldicott and Charters, whose only interest is the score of a cricket game back home in England, and a philandering judge and his mistress studiously avoiding scandal. The confined train surroundings form a labyrinthian setting with secrets in every compartment.
What Does Not Work As Well: The opening 20 minutes at the motel are a cacophonic mess cluttered by too many irrelevant tertiary characters. What is finally revealed about the nefarious plot straddles the line between vague and ridiculous, leading to a stiff and unimaginative final showdown.
Key Quote:
Iris: Nuns don't wear high heels.
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