SLEEPING CAR TO TRIESTE has an interesting cast. It's a remake of an earlier British film called ROME EXPRESS, which also has the main action occurring on the Orient Express.
In the first version, the main character was an American actress traveling across Europe on the long-distance passenger train. This time around, the actress has been dropped and some of the other subplots are reworked to create more of an ensemble drama. These plots utilize mostly British characters. There is still an American character, however; but now presented in the form of a U. S. soldier (Bonar Colleano) traveling to France by rail. He enjoys the company of several lady friends.
A subplot involves two sophisticated crooks (top billed Albert Lieven & Jean Kent) coveting a diary that has been stolen from a Paris embassy. During the theft, a guard was killed, so they are wanted for murder. Of course the diary is a McGuffin of sorts. We're not really meant to know what's in the diary, except that it's an important item.
Presumably, the embassy diary contains information of vital importance to the national security of several democratic countries. Sometimes the diary is not referenced much at all, because the filmmakers draw us into the relationships that are developing among the different characters instead.
One of the things I love best about SLEEPING CAR TO TRIESTE is that there is great sense of continuity, when the characters walk between the various compartments...or when they meet up in the dining car for a meal. Also, there is great attention to detail so that when someone gets off the train, they suddenly appear in the background (rear projection) shots a few moments later, walking along the platform. So it all feels tightly woven together, at least that's how I felt about it.
Occasional humorous touches divert our attention from all the serious drama involving the diary and foreign intrigue. I found it realistic, since we would definitely see different attitudes and conflicts playing out on a train carrying hundreds of passengers. In some ways this is like GRAND HOTEL, except instead of being set in a place of fine lodging, everything takes place on a moving train. It's no surprise to me that the original version was made in 1932, the same year as GRAND HOTEL.
My favorite story strand in the film was the one involving the male secretary (Hugh Burden) and his overly demanding millionaire boss (Finlay Currie). It easily could have been left out of the movie, but gives some added humanity and dimension. You have to wonder why the secretary stayed with such a grumpy employer all those years!
With regards to the conclusion...like Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES, we get a bit of an unexpected surprise near the end.
In the first version, the main character was an American actress traveling across Europe on the long-distance passenger train. This time around, the actress has been dropped and some of the other subplots are reworked to create more of an ensemble drama. These plots utilize mostly British characters. There is still an American character, however; but now presented in the form of a U. S. soldier (Bonar Colleano) traveling to France by rail. He enjoys the company of several lady friends.
A subplot involves two sophisticated crooks (top billed Albert Lieven & Jean Kent) coveting a diary that has been stolen from a Paris embassy. During the theft, a guard was killed, so they are wanted for murder. Of course the diary is a McGuffin of sorts. We're not really meant to know what's in the diary, except that it's an important item.
Presumably, the embassy diary contains information of vital importance to the national security of several democratic countries. Sometimes the diary is not referenced much at all, because the filmmakers draw us into the relationships that are developing among the different characters instead.
One of the things I love best about SLEEPING CAR TO TRIESTE is that there is great sense of continuity, when the characters walk between the various compartments...or when they meet up in the dining car for a meal. Also, there is great attention to detail so that when someone gets off the train, they suddenly appear in the background (rear projection) shots a few moments later, walking along the platform. So it all feels tightly woven together, at least that's how I felt about it.
Occasional humorous touches divert our attention from all the serious drama involving the diary and foreign intrigue. I found it realistic, since we would definitely see different attitudes and conflicts playing out on a train carrying hundreds of passengers. In some ways this is like GRAND HOTEL, except instead of being set in a place of fine lodging, everything takes place on a moving train. It's no surprise to me that the original version was made in 1932, the same year as GRAND HOTEL.
My favorite story strand in the film was the one involving the male secretary (Hugh Burden) and his overly demanding millionaire boss (Finlay Currie). It easily could have been left out of the movie, but gives some added humanity and dimension. You have to wonder why the secretary stayed with such a grumpy employer all those years!
With regards to the conclusion...like Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES, we get a bit of an unexpected surprise near the end.