Union Station 1950

     Joyce Willecombe has just boarded a train and she notices out the window that a car is speeding on the highway by the train.  The car comes to a screeching halt and two men board the train.  Joyce observes that the man sitting behind her has a concealed gun under his suit jacket.  The men are not sitting together either?  Joyce reports what she’s seen to the conductor and he advises her to contact the police at the next station.  Lt. William Calhoun is head of the Union Station police and tells Joyce that he will put a tail on the men.  Later, Joyce learns from Calhoun that her wealthy boss Henry L. Murchison has received a ransom note for $100,000!!  It for the return of his blind daughter Lorna.  Joyce is very upset and the police believe that Lorna is already dead?

     It’s surprising how well done a black and white movie from 1950 can be!!  There are more on the edge of your seat scenes in this film than a LOT of current action movies!!  Time is short and the money will need to be withdrawn on a Sunday.  Union Station is very busy and they are expecting more travelers on the ransom payment day.  The police will need to always be one step ahead of the criminals.  One advantage is that they can fill the Station with policeman and they won’t be spotted.  4 ½* (I really liked this movie)     

81 min, Crime directed by Rudolph Mate with William Holden, Nancy Olson, Barry Fitzgerald, Llyle Bettger, Jan Sterling, Allene Roberts, Herbert Heyes, Don Dunning, Fred Graff, James Seay, Parley Bear, Ralph Sanford.

Note:  Imdb 6.8 out of 10, 64% critic on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 107 reviews, TCM Leonard Maltin 2.5* out of 4* average user rating 4.56* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Union Station, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Saugus, East Los Angeles, and Paramount Studios, California.

Special Note:  The chase scene on the elevated train used the Third Ave El in New York City for long shots and the Pacific Electric Railway cars in LA for close-in shots on the train.  Underground scenes were filmed in the tunnels of Chicago’s Downtown.  In 1992, the river flooded them this area.  The basements of downtown buildings were also flooded.  The Loop was shut down and the water caused an estimated billion dollars in damage.  Originally, John Lund and Alan Ladd were offered the role of Lt. Calhoun.  Lux Radio Theater broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the movie on April l7, 1952.  William Holden reprised his film role for the program.  William Holden and Nancy Olson were also together in Sunset Boulevard of 1950.  The two films were released only about a month apart.