blanche-2
"Midnight Limited" was a 1940 B film out of Monogram - well, I suppose writing Monogram and B film is the same thing. It stars John King and Marjorie Reynolds.What to say about the plot...well, Reynolds is on a train when the compartment next door is robbed of $75,000 in diamonds, and her papers that prove she and her mother are entitled to an estate are taken when the perpetrator sees her looking out her door.She gets a fair look at him and insists on helping the lead detective (King) find the criminal.There were scenes in this film that were absolute dead space - like the interrogation of the crew and passengers - a 61-minute movie and that part alone seemed like 61 minutes.It also seemed to me that the police could have done a better job of rounding up this guy faster.Then it was over. Pleasant cast, with the always lovely Marjorie Reynolds who had better things ahead for her. Well, there really was no place to go but up after this.
mark.waltz
George Cleveland, self proclaimed "professional traveler", well known reputation for "expert drunk", is the only key (or clue) to the identity of a phantom robber who seems to know which train passengers are carrying around large sums of money. Detective John King joins forces with robbery victim Marjorie Reynolds to find out who is committing these horrid hold- ups which seem to be related to something than more than just ordinary robberies. Cleveland, playing more eccentric than buffoon, emulates the heavy high class accent of Sydney Greek street. Out of nowhere, King gets a song, setting up romantic subplot between King and Reynolds. No real surprises in this low budget thriller that isn't as thrilling as it makes a claim to be.
kidboots
Marjorie Reynolds was a bright, vivacious leading lady, who could also sing. Her career high point was co-starring with Bing Crosby in "Holiday Inn" (1942) and "Dixie" (1943), but she dressed up any movie she was in no matter how cheap the production.Joan Marshall (Marjorie Reynolds) is traveling on the Midnight Limited, a night train from New York to Montreal. She hears a scuffle in the next compartment and when she goes to investigate is also robbed by "The Phantom Robber"!!! She was robbed of papers that prove that she and her mother are the rightful heirs of a large estate but this plot goes nowhere. When she admits she had a glimpse of the robber she is immediately made a member of the police force (of course!!!) who are investigating the case. There are no surprises - it is obvious that the booking agent is involved after a gambler books a ticket on the train. It is well known that he is carrying $60,000 with him and surprise, surprise - he is robbed. Everything seems to fall into place for the viewer, long before the police figure it out!!!John "Dusty" King is a very lack lustre leading man. I was so surprised to read that he was a band singer. At one point in the film he is sitting down at the piano and sings "Quiet Hands" - very badly I thought!!! I was wishing why couldn't Marjorie have sung - she would have really livened up the film.
dbborroughs
While on a train trip to Montreal a woman is robbed of some valuable papers and man is robbed of some jewels by a man who comes in the night and shines a light in their faces. The robber then disappears off the train and into the night. The woman, needing the papers to collect an inheritance goes to the police. who then direct him to Val Lennon, who is investigating a rash of robberies on the train. The woman hooks up with Lennon and they begin to look into the robberies, which soon turn deadly.Almost coldly clinical, even if the film has some romance and a musical number, this film didn't really work for me. The film is much too talky for an hour long mystery (The interrogation scene early on seems to go one for an hour instead of 5 or 6 minutes) and there are times when very little actually happens despite "movement" (how many trips are actually made?). It also doesn't help that the script seems to clue us in as to whats going on much too early simply as a means of keeping us interested. The cast, of B movie and supporting stalwarts is quite good, though they seem to be simply running back and forth needlessly instead of actually solving a mystery.You can try it if you catch it on TV but otherwise I'd skip it.
AD
