Saturday, January 19, 2019

STOP TRAIN 349 1964 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Excellent Cold War thriller.

During the Cold War a military train carrying passengers from West Berlin thru East Berlin is boarded by an East German refugee hoping to fund freedom.

Russian and German authorities demand that the train be stopped and the refugee handed over to them. This creates a lot of tension and problems for both passengers and the armies of several countries.

Jose Ferrer stars as Cowan, a reporter on the train who is very willing to get the story of the refugee out once he is discovered. A French nurse named Kathy helps the man named Banner hide on the train while everyone else wonders what to do.

Sean Flynn is Lt. Novak, a young officer who is torn between his own superiors and the communists. Hans-Joachim Schmiedel handles the role of refugee Banner very well. His desperation to be free is very realistic and frantic.

The film basically takes place on board the train as well as the Russian train station where locomotive has been stopped. This is a very tight little film that plays very well and moves along quickly.

Again for some reason, this film isn't very well known and it really should be. The film points out how politics and foolish thinking can destroy lives and families. The ending is downbeat and depressing as are most things associated with politics.

I really recommend this film and hope that someone who reads this orders it from Sinister as they seem to be the only company selling it at this point. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

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