The tracks:  a succession of rails, sleepers and paved mortar. Trains ride them just as they ride the history of cinema. In their carriages we have witnessed how trains can be the most frightening place on earth, the most romantic mean of transport or the setting where Hercules Poirot tries to solve a crime.This cinematographic animal has been with us in memorable films, in everyone's memories. And let's not forget the stations! Thales wants to render tribute to the railway by remembering ten great railway films of very different genres.

"The Lady Vanishes"

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1938. A wonderful film of espionage from his British era set on-board a transcontinental express train. The film-maker uses a decoy, known since then as a "MacGuffin": the protagonist realises that an elderly lady seems to have disappeared and the other passengers assert that she never existed or, at least, that she was never there. Something doesn't seem quite right in the Transcontinental Express Train. A light and musical film, with a fiercely modern plot.

"Brief Encounter"

One of the best ever romantic films, filmed heartedly by the great David Lean and played by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. An adulterous love, told again and again by the great films of that genre, where much of the action takes place on a train station (several stations were used for the shooting, mostly in Beaconsfield, nearly 40 km north west of London). Once on it, the spectator goes with the ride.

"Murder on the Orient Express"

One of the best well known novels by Agatha Christie, adapted to the big screen. The well renowned detective Hercules Poirot is on his way back from Istanbul heading to London aboard the legendary Orient Express. During the journey, he must find out who of the passengers killed US multimillionaire Samuel Ratchett.

"3:10 to Yuma"

Van Helfin takes on the role of escorting criminal Glenn Ford to Yuma, a plot we have seen again recently played by Russell Crowe and Christian Bale on a decent remake. Whilst waiting for the train, the hands tick and the tension increases. Dark, tough and master demonstration by Delmer Daves, in his probably best film ever.

 

 

"Robbery"

On the 8^th of August 1963, a gang of 17 criminals took 2.6 million pounds (equivalent to 47 million euros today) from a train heading to Glasgow when it was in the county of Buckinghamshire (north of London), after rigging the track signals to force the carriages to stop. Ronnie Biggs was the brains behind this robbery, known as the "robbery of the century". The most exact adaptation was Buster, of 1988, played by Phil Collins. Director David Green based the film on the real life of Buster Edwards, another one of the robbers, and the criminal himself helped on the production of the film, which was nominated to Best original soundtrack at the Oscar.

"Last Train from Gun Hill"

One of the best works of the great John Sturges, director of "Gunfight at the Ok Corral" and "The Magnificent Seven". The Indian wife of the marshal, played by Kirk Douglas, is raped and murdered by two crazy men, one of whom turns out to be the son of his best friend, a cattle baron played by Anthony Quinn. The desire for revenge and the friendship battle in a fight with no chance for a winner, giving way to a memorable western, with a thrilling end by the rail tracks.

"The Train"

A few days before the liberation of Paris, Nazi general Paul Scofield wants to get the impressionist paintings out of Paris. Burt Lancaster, a hero of the resistance, tries to prevent it, and they have a well-shot intelligent duel as a misplaced western. Directed by John Frankenheimer.

"Emperor of the North Pole"

Great duel directed by Robert Aldrich between a responsible conductor and a hobo. Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin do an outstanding performance in this film full of black humour and violence (of all colours). Shot in Oregon (1933), it tells about the homeless people who were left jobless after the Great Depression and moved from one state to another riding the trains for free, the greatest one of them being the Emperor of the North Pole (Marvin), known as such for his cunning way to evade conductors. Two men aim to snatch his title, but in order to do so they will have to reach Portland riding Sack's train (Borgnine), a sadist and relentless train conductor. Inspired on the adventures of Jack London, a renowned writer of adventure novels such as "White Fang".

"Runaway train"

Manny, the toughest convict of a remote Alaskan jail, devises an audacious plan and manages to escape with his jail mate Buck. Riding a goods train, they are both heading to freedom, but, suddenly, the train driver has a heart attack and dies. The two convicts then feel trapped and lonely on a train at full speed heading towards a sure death. Until they discover a third passenger: a beautiful female railway worker who is as desperate and determined to save herself as they are.

An odd film, based on the story of Japanese director Kurosawa, giving this action story a metaphysical nuance. Director Andrei Konchalovsky resorts to the veteran and tested Jon Voight, who finds his partner in the beautiful Rebecca De Mornay.

"The Machinist"

Versatile Christian Bale is the protagonist of this pyscho-thriller of insomnia and horrific hallucinations, co-produced with Spanish capital. Famous for Bale's huge weight loss/malnutrition, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and other Spanish actors also play a role in the film. A fantastic production and a magnificent protagonist are worth the trip.