Most Ealing films are worth watching, and this one I feel does deserve a bit of a wider audience. I'll start by saying it does have a major flaw, which I'm sure also provides the reason for the films original poor reception. A train crash is an extraordinary, life-changing event. Although the crash in this film does affect the outcome of one of the tales, in the main it simply provides a trite plot device to link together all our groups of disparate characters. Although trains do play a role in one of the tales, the crash in this film feels as artificial as one of those TV soap episodes when viewing figures have started to drop off and they want people to come back and see which major character is killed off. Still, that flaw aside, the whole thing is filled with some delicious cameos - Stella (Valerie Hobson) delivering a perfect raspberry to Irina Norozova (Irina Baronova) - a tempestuous Russian pianist driven to such heights of passion by the conducting of Stella's husband (John Clements), the climax of her performance is as vivid as the Cafe scene from When Harry met Sally. Peter Finch is noteworthy as the jilted actor, but his performance is overshadowed by Mary Morris as his floozy, shameless wife. Jack Warner's engine driver piece is perhaps more basic fare, but several flawless parries with Miles Malleson, particularly discussing whether a hen suffers from gapes, bumblefoot or pip serve to raise the game. Joan Dowling, as the selfless, piteous, adoring Ella also gives a wonderful performance, and it's very sad to read that her own life ended so tragically before it had really begun.
Review of Train of Events
