''Streamline Express'' is a 1935 American
comedy drama film
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
directed by
Leonard Fields, starring
Victor Jory
Victor Jory (November 23, 1902 – February 12, 1982) was a Canadian-American actor of stage, film, and television. He initially played romantic leads, but later was mostly cast in villainous or sinister roles, such as Oberon in ''A Midsummer N ...
,
Evelyn Venable
Evelyn Venable (October 18, 1913 – November 15, 1993) was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Grazia in the 1934 film ''Death Takes a Holiday''. In addition to acting in around two dozen films during the 1930s and 1940s, ...
and
Esther Ralston
Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an iconic American silent film star. Her most prominent sound picture was '' To the Last Man'' in 1933.
Early life and career
Ralston was born Esther Loui ...
, distributed by Mascot Pictures.
The film is an adaptation of ''
Twentieth Century
The 20th (twentieth) century began on
January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...
'', released the previous year, in which Ralph Forbes appears in a similar role.
Plot
Broadway star Patricia Wallace (
Evelyn Venable
Evelyn Venable (October 18, 1913 – November 15, 1993) was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Grazia in the 1934 film ''Death Takes a Holiday''. In addition to acting in around two dozen films during the 1930s and 1940s, ...
) quits her Broadway show to run off with wealthy Fred Arnold (
Ralph Forbes
Ralph Forbes (born Ralph Forbes Taylor; 30 September 1904 – 31 March 1951) was an English film and stage actor active in Britain and the United States.
Early life
Forbes was born in Wandsworth, London, the son of Ernest John "E.J." and Eth ...
). Her director Jimmy Hart (
Victor Jory
Victor Jory (November 23, 1902 – February 12, 1982) was a Canadian-American actor of stage, film, and television. He initially played romantic leads, but later was mostly cast in villainous or sinister roles, such as Oberon in ''A Midsummer N ...
) follows them aboard a futuristic
super-speed monorail
A monorail (from " mono", meaning "one", and " rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam.
Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accura ...
, the ''Streamline Express''. In its non-stop trip from New York City to Los Angeles in 20 hours, the double-decker ''Express'' can reach speeds up to 160 miles per hour. Meanwhile, also aboard is John Bradley (
Clay Clement
Clay Clement (May 19, 1888 – October 20, 1956) was an American stage, film, and TV actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1918 and 1947. Clement was one of the earliest members of the Screen Actors Guild.Esther Ralston
Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an iconic American silent film star. Her most prominent sound picture was '' To the Last Man'' in 1933.
Early life and career
Ralston was born Esther Loui ...
), but Bradley's wife Mary (
Erin O'Brien-Moore) ends up on the train as well.
When Elaine gives her crooked pal Gilbert Landon (
Sidney Blackmer
Sidney Alderman Blackmer (July 13, 1895 – October 6, 1973) was an American Broadway and film actor active between 1914 and 1971, usually in major supporting roles.
Biography
Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, ...
) a diamond pendant given her by Bradley, in order to keep Landon quiet about her past, she pretends that the pendant was stolen, in hopes of hiding the truth from Bradley. But Landon manages to throw suspicion on Jimmy Hart, who is masquerading as a steward. It takes confessions by several people to resolve everyone's dilemmas.
Cast
*
Victor Jory
Victor Jory (November 23, 1902 – February 12, 1982) was a Canadian-American actor of stage, film, and television. He initially played romantic leads, but later was mostly cast in villainous or sinister roles, such as Oberon in ''A Midsummer N ...
as Jimmy Hart
*
Evelyn Venable
Evelyn Venable (October 18, 1913 – November 15, 1993) was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Grazia in the 1934 film ''Death Takes a Holiday''. In addition to acting in around two dozen films during the 1930s and 1940s, ...
as Patricia Wallace
*
Esther Ralston
Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an iconic American silent film star. Her most prominent sound picture was '' To the Last Man'' in 1933.
Early life and career
Ralston was born Esther Loui ...
as Elaine Vincent
*
Erin O'Brien-Moore as Mary Bradley (character erroneously credited as "Mary Forbes")
*
Ralph Forbes
Ralph Forbes (born Ralph Forbes Taylor; 30 September 1904 – 31 March 1951) was an English film and stage actor active in Britain and the United States.
Early life
Forbes was born in Wandsworth, London, the son of Ernest John "E.J." and Eth ...
as Fred Arnold
*
Sidney Blackmer
Sidney Alderman Blackmer (July 13, 1895 – October 6, 1973) was an American Broadway and film actor active between 1914 and 1971, usually in major supporting roles.
Biography
Blackmer was born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, ...
as Gilbert Landon
*
Vince Barnett
Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975.
Early years
Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...
as Mr. Jones
*
Clay Clement
Clay Clement (May 19, 1888 – October 20, 1956) was an American stage, film, and TV actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1918 and 1947. Clement was one of the earliest members of the Screen Actors Guild.Bobby Watson
Robert Michael Watson Jr. (born August 23, 1953), known professionally as Bobby Watson, is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator.
Music career
Watson was born in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He ...
as Gerald Wilson
*
Lee Moran
Lee Moran (June 23, 1888 – April 24, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter.
Moran was active in vaudeville before he began performing in films at Nestor Studios in 1909. He transcended the silent film era of motio ...
as Larry Houston
*
Syd Saylor
Syd or SYD may refer to:
*Syd (name), including a list of people with the name
* ''Syd.'', taxonomic author abbreviation of Hans Sydow (1879–1946), German mycologist
* Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
** IATA code for Sydney Airport, New Sout ...
as Smith, a Steward
*
Libby Taylor as Fawn, Patricia's Maid
*
Edward Hearn as Mack, a Purser
*
Allan Cavan
Allan Cavan (March 25, 1880 – January 19, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in 145 films between 1917 and 1941.
Cavan was the son of Mrs. Averila Cavan, and he had a brother, Carl. He began working on films with Sam Goldwyn S ...
as Senior Conductor
*
Wade Boteler
Wade Boteler (October 3, 1888 – May 7, 1943) was an American film actor and writer. He appeared in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943.
Biography
He was born in Santa Ana, California, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart ...
as Baggage Gateman
*Harry Tyler as Steve
*Tommy Bupp as Wilbur, a Boy with Dog
*Morgan Brown as Bartender
*
Jack Raymond
Jack Raymond (1886–1953) was an English actor and film director. Born in Wimborne, Dorset in 1886, he began acting before the First World War in ''A Detective for a Day''. In 1921 he directed his first film and gradually he wound down his ac ...
as Baggage Man #1
*
C. Montague Shaw as Physician
*
Lynton Brent
Lynton Wright Brent (August 2, 1897 – July 2, 1981) was an American film actor and a writer. He appeared in over 240 films between 1930 and 1950.
Brent is best known for his prolific work with Columbia Pictures in the Three Stooges shor ...
as Radio Operator
*
John Ridgely
John Ridgely (born John Huntington Rea, September 6, 1909 – January 18, 1968) was an American film character actor with over 175 film credits.
Early years
Ridgely was born in Chicago, Illinois,Katz, Ephraim (1979). ''The Film Encyclopedia: T ...
as Second Steward
*
Theodore von Eltz
Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March.
Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 ...
References
External links
*
*
*
Review and stillsat Bad Movie of the Week
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Streamline Express
1935 films
1930s mystery comedy-drama films
1930s romantic comedy-drama films
American mystery comedy-drama films
1930s English-language films
American black-and-white films
American romantic comedy-drama films
Mascot Pictures films
Films about adultery in the United States
Films set on trains
Films produced by Nat Levine
Films directed by Leonard Fields
1930s American films