Rome Express (1932)
Murder, art theft, blackmail and intrigue with a motley assortment of passengers on a train traveling from Paris to Rome.
Conrad Veidt and Cedric Hardwicke star in this superior piece of early British cinema here lovingly restored by Network and the BFI on dvd and bluray. A key piece of thirties cinema
Rome Express has excellent production values and a script that mixes tension with a dash of humour making this the pioneer of train thrillers that would inspire a genre in itself. Indeed it was referred to by critics as 'the finest British film to date' on release.
Veidt, probably best known as Major Strasser in
Casablanca, is excellent here. He's so shady Mexicans would take a siesta in his shadow, yet he's almost eclipsed by the stunning Esther Ralston as a silent movie star on a promotional tour, an actress whose beauty seems almost crystal like in the stunning black and white photography.
Remade in 1948 as the inferior
Sleeping Car to Trieste,
Rome Express is an early example of British proto-Noir and is well worth seeking out in the next Network sale. The film even comes with a delightful 24 page booklet, unusual for Network, but not for the BFI.
Conrad Veidt at his most dangerous