The Ghost Train (1941, United Kingdom)
mystery movieshaunted placesmysterious deathmysterious events
Running time: 85 minutes
Language: English
The Ghost Train 1941 British mystery classic movie review
In the British countryside during World War 2, a train heading for Truro suddenly makes an emergency stop. The conductor spots the guilty part - a funny-looking man, who runs down the tracks looking for his hat. As it turns out, it is a comedian Tommy Gander on the way to tournée in vaudeville halls. After he retrieved his possession, he barely avoids being severely fined by the conductor. Late in the evening, the train reaches Fal Vale Junction in Cornwall, where 8 of the passengers, including Gander, disembark the train to catch a connection to Truro. The place looks deserted, but the stationmaster, who came to close the station for the night, informs them that the train they were supposed to catch has already left, and the next one will arrive in 9 hours. Now the passengers realize how damaging the unplanned stop was. With no other alternative, they decide to spend the night inside the station, especially since it begins to rain, but the stationmaster is reluctant to let them stay. He tells them about the strict railway regulations, but they won’t listen to him. Then he tells them the other reason why they should not stay here - the station is haunted, and a ghost train was seen travelling through Fal Vale, bringing death to anyone, who saw it.
Classic British mystery movie based on the play written by Arnold Ridley (most widely known as Private Godfrey from the popular Dad’s Army series). Most of the story takes place in one room - the interior of a small train station in the middle of Cornwall, while a storm is raging outside. The atmosphere of isolation, mystery and danger lurks from between the comedy bits and thriller. The story was remade several times in different countries, but the 1941 version starring comedians Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch is most widely known. Great, although a bit old-fashioned mystery movie.
Do you like unsolved mysteries?
Our rating |
6.8 / 10 |
Movie value |
8 / 10 |
Realism factor |
2 / 5 |
Adventure factor |
3 / 5 |
Story complexity |
4 / 5 |
255 |
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Creators of The Ghost Train
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Cast of The Ghost Train
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as Tommy Gander | |
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as Teddy Deakin | |
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as Miss Bourne | |
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as Jackie Winthrop | |
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as R.G. Winthrop | |
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as Doctor Sterling | |
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as Saul Hodgkin | |
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as Edna | |
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as Herbert | |
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as Price | |
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as Julia Price | |
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as Ben Isaacs |
The Ghost Train trivia
Arnold Ridley, the author
Arnold Ridley, best know for playing Private Godfrey in sitcom Dad’s Army, wrote the play The Ghost Train in 1923, which became very popular in 1920s in 1930s leading to several film and radio adaptations, but unfortunately he sold his royalties before the play became a hit, so never really made any money on the success of The Ghost Train.
The Ghost Train comments
One of my favorite mystery films - of course it is far from todays standards, but I just love old thrillers
Adam ()
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