The movie has its place in history. It’s half silent, half talkie and the debut of Ray Milland. It’s also a good one. The actual Flying Scotsman train was used. It was built in 1923 and made the run from London to Edinburgh.
Fireman Crow is turned in by Chief Engineer Bob White for drinking on the job. He’s fired and vows revenge. Bob has been with the railroad for thirty years and tomorrow will be his last run. He has a perfect safety record and has always been on time.
Since Crow has been fired. Jim Edwards (Ray Milland) gets his job. He’ll be with Bob on his historic last run. That night Jim goes to a dance hall. He’s a womanizer and starts dancing with a babe. That ends when her jealous husband walks in. Before he can spot Jim with his wife, Jim pushes another man to her and as they dance he gets to a table on the side with a woman sitting there.
The husband comes over and questions Jim. The woman says he’s been with her all night. Jim asks her why she backed him up and she says it’s because she knew he was afraid. On the dance floor the husband is shoving the man around. Jim wants to show he’s not afraid. He slugs the husband and then ducks out the window. Then he gets the girl he was sitting with and they leave. He doesn’t have a clue that the woman is Joan, Bob’s daughter. She gives him a phony name.
After a couple ham sandwiches at an expensive restaurant he takes her home. He talks his way inside. She warns him to get out before her father comes back. Jim takes a picture of her from the mantle. She says he can keep it. Uh-oh..daddy’s home. Jim hides in a front hall closet.
Bob finds a cigarette burning on the mantle and Joan offers a lame excuse. In the mirror Bob sees the front door open but doesn’t see who was ducking out. He gets mad at Joan for having a man in the house.
Now the movie goes from silent to talkie.
Jim goes to the railroad staff canteen. Crow is there. Jim laughs at him and puts his cigarette in Crow’s coffee. The two duke it out until they’re finally separated. Jim is now outside with Bob.
Time to make the final run. In the train cab Jim has his usual assortment of girlie pictures. Then he tells Bob he’s met the right one and wants to show him her picture. It’s Joan. Bob says he doesn’t want to see it.
On the station platform Joan spots Crow sitting by a window. Knowing what he promised she hops on the train to keep an eye on him. Crow goes to the dining car and Joan follows. She’s too comfortable and falls asleep. Crow makes his move.
He climbs outside and heads for the cab. Joan follows him. In the cab Jim hangs up a picture of Joan. Bob sees it and jumps him. This leads to an exciting sequence including some great stunts.
This is an entertaining movie and worth a look.
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