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Genres: DramaFilm-N
Starring: Lyle Bettger, Parley Baer, William Holden, Herbert Heyes, Nancy Olson, Richard Karlan, Jan Sterling
Director(s): Rudolph Maté
Country: USA
Year: 1950
Available Quality: DivX, iPod
IMDB Rating: 6.9 out of 10 (758 votes)
Secretary Joyce Willecombe grows suspicious of two men boarding her train and is referred to Tough Willy Calhoun, head of the Union Station police. The all-seeing, no-nonsense Calhoun is initially skeptical, but the men (who escape) prove to be involved in a kidnap case. Calhoun calls in equally tough police Inspector Donnelly, but the ruthless kidnappers precision planning stays one jump ahead of them. Most of the action centers around bustling Union Station.
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Visitors Review
edwagreen (19 May 2012)
Union Station- Caution: Subway Riding May Be Hazardous to Your Health **1/2
In the same year that William Holden and Nancy Olson earned Oscarnominations for "Sunset Boulevard," they both appeared in this crimethriller.When Olson observes the forever villainous Lyle Bettger with a gun, theaction begins. Olson and his gang have kidnapped a wealthy blind girl.A faux pas in the film is when the father shows pictures of the girlwhen she is between 12-13 years of age. At that time she had her sightbut she looks more like she is 21 years old there.Jan Sterling shows that she had what it takes as Bettger's moll whotakes a bullet during a shoot out with a police officer. Sterling'svoice comes across as the typical dumb blonde.The Bettger character is a mean spirited thief driven to murder for$100,000. The below the subway sequences are very good even though weknow how this will all turn out.William Holden smokes his way as usual, this time as the cop assignedto the station. Barry Fitzgerald showed his mettle again playing apolice officer. He seemed to get these parts after the memorable "GoingMy Way." Fitzgerald's Irish brogue is so suitable for the part.Why is Nancy Olson still in harms way after she has informed the policeabout the dangerous Bettger and after they begin to eliminate themembers of the ruthless gang?
(19 May 2012)
Union Station
This review is from: Union Station (DVD) Very good Film Noir film. Fast action and good suspense.William Holden and Barry Fritzgerald did a great job of acting in this film. Has to do with a kidnapping of a wealthy man's daughter. The picture quality is very good. Recommended.
planktonrules (17 May 2012)
A very good film and YES the kidnap victim really is quite annoying!
I noticed that one of the other reviewers mentioned how he hated thekidnap victim, as she was very annoying. Yes, the kidnapped girl isannoying...very annoying. She screams and screams so much, I was hopingeventually that the bad guys shot her to shut her up!! Despite this,it's still a pretty good crime film.The film begins with a lady on a train (Nancy Olson) noticing a coupleguys acting strangely. She alerts the conductor--who seems to thinkshe's crazy. But she insists he contact the police who investigate.Eventually, they discover the lady is right--something IS amiss. Itseems they are part of a gang that have kidnapped a rich man's blinddaughter. And, it turns out their boss is very blood-thirsty and has nointention of letting the girl go free once he obtains the ransom. Canthe good cop (William Holden) catch these big jerks before it's toolate? The toughness of the plot and the villain make this a film worthseeing. I noticed another review that complained about the casting ofBarry Fitzgerald as the cop heading the investigation. I thought herwas fine and played a nearly identical role in "The Naked City"--sosimilar a person might mistakenly think "Union Station" is a sequel.It's not, but both are very good, taut crime dramas that are worth yourtime.
(17 May 2012)
The star of this movie is Union Station itself
I found this movie riveting although I would agree that it is flawed in some of the ways other reviewers here have pointed out.To me, the star of this movie is the main setting itself -- Union Station. (It's supposed to be Union Station-Chicago tho it was actually filmed in Union Station-L.A.) So much of the action takes place amidst the corridors and passageways and train tracks and tunnels underneath Union Station. (And at one point the action shifts to the Chicago "El" train.) And since every cop in the movie (with one brief exception) is in plain clothes (which in 1950 apparently meant a dark grey suit and tie), there is a constant sense of tension and suspense as they try to follow and trap the criminals amongst the hustle and bustle of the ordinary folks commuting or working in the vast train station. The station cops have hidden offices on a sort of mezzanine level overlooking the station and constantly spy on the throngs below, trying to spot the kidnappers and ransom bag guys. An ordinary train station is converted into a eerie locale of spying and cat-and-mouse between cop and criminal.In fact, the setting is more noir-ish than the characters. To me, the main characters in the film are not "true" film noir characters, it's more an ordinary "good guy" vs "bad guy" sort of crime movie. But the film transforms an ordinary busy big-city train station into "Dark City Central."
(07 May 2012)
Cast Can't Overcome Dreadful Writing in This Post-War Thriller.
"Union Station" is a post-War thriller revolving around a kidnapping plot, unique for the amount of time it spends in Chicago's Union Station. Joyce Willecombe (Nancy Olson), observes two men enter her train car in a hurry, one of them in possession of a gun. She reports the suspicious behavior to Lt. Bill Calhoun (William Holden), the police officer assigned to the train station in Chicago. It later becomes clear that the men whom Joyce observed have kidnapped the blind daughter of Joyce's employer, Mr. Murchison (Herbert Hayes), and are holding her for ransom. Joyce assists in identifying the men, and Lt. Calhoun and his superior Inspector Donnelly (Barry Fitzgerald) pursue the suspects in slim hopes of getting Lorna Murchison (Allene Roberts) back alive.The plot doesn't make much sense. The opening sequence of Joyce on the train contributes little to the story except to maneuver Joyce into it. I suppose that Joyce is supposed to be the person the audience identifies with -down to earth, an average citizen with a strong sense of justice- but she just seems extraneous. The police assume that the kidnap victim is dead for no apparent reason. And they're not much better than thugs when they have a suspect in their hands. There is another superfluous sequence when Calhoun pursues a suspect on a street car. It seems that the writers wanted to include certain elements of suspense, romance, action, and Irish cops in the film, and pieced them together whatever way they could, sense notwithstanding.The mastermind of the kidnapping scheme is a cruel ex-con named Joe Beacom (Lyle Bettger). My interest picked up halfway through the film, when Joe got more screen time. Beacom and his platinum blond moll seem more interesting than their pursuers, but we see too little of them. Joe remarks that he can't understand why anyone would pay to have Lorna back; I was wondering the same thing. She's a squealy, hysterical young woman who inspires no sympathy. The quasi-heroine, Joyce, is equally unappealing, partly because she doesn't do anything, but also because she is rather homely. I kept thinking that it would be great to see William Holden and Lyle Bettger face off in a better movie. The print on the Olive Films 2010 DVD is a little grainy but has no major flaws and good sound.
Varlaam (07 May 2012)
A tough thriller
This film reminded me of others from the late '40's up to 1950, of "D.O.A.",in some ways, with its tense realism. The cold, merciless criminalmastermind played by Lyle Bettger was a (considerably) more balanced versionof the sinister characters portrayed by James Cagney in "White Heat" orRichard Widmark in "Kiss of Death".This is an early police procedural, with the railway cops working closelywith the New York City police. According to Leslie Halliwell, "Naked City"-- which I've somehow managed never to see -- is the prototype for all thefilms of this type. The style eventually became overfamiliar, and verydiluted, on television with shows like "Dragnet". "Naked City" cast BarryFitzgerald unexpectedly as the lead detective, and he repeats that rolehere.The two principal stars of "Union Station" are William Holden and NancyOlson, who also co-starred in "Sunset Boulevard" this same year, 1950. Nancyplays Bill's conscience, constantly concerned that the interests of thekidnap victim don't get overlooked in the hunt for thecriminals.Holden is quite good -- he really started to come into his own at this time-- indicating more depth than was strictly required for the stalwart hero ina crime story. Bettger shows calculated menace. The two make worthyopponents.
kenjha (04 May 2012)
Routine Thriller
Holden and Olson went from the set of the magnificent classic "SunsetBlvd." to this routine drama about the kidnapping of a young blindwoman. Although the film seems to have the elements for a tensethriller, including a chase in an underground railroad tunnel and anice film noir look, the plot is somewhat muddled and the narrative isnot well sustained. Holden and Olson are fine, working well together inthe second of four films they would co-star in between 1950 and 1951,and Bettger makes a good villain. However, Fitzgerald, with his Irishbrogue, is rather annoying, as is Roberts as the perpetually shriekingvictim.
(04 May 2012)
I Really,Really Wanted to Like this Movie More - BUT !!!
The film's story line - the kidnapping of a blind girl with the kidnappers using the huge Chicago Union Railroad Station as the contact point for the distraught father and dropoff for the ransom. William Holden is the "boss cop" { Lt "Willie Calhoun} of the station who working with Barry Fitzgerald {Inspector Donnelly} are going to use their knowledge of the layout of the Station to trap the kidnappers when they try to pick up the $100,000 ransom. Nancy Olson {Joyce Willcombe} knows the victim, works for her father and by a very convienent almost improbable plot twist has put the police on-to the kidnapping even before the initial ransom note is even delivered to the father.There are some good episolds in the movie - the tracking and pursuit of one of the kidnappers on the Chicago elevated, the murder of a police officer by the boss kidnapper Lyle Bettger {Joe Beacom} who leaves his wounded mistress Jan Sterling {Marge Wrighter} pleading in the gutter as he speeds away and best of all - the casual brutality- slaps ,kicks, punches and death threats used by Calhoun and Donnelly and their squad playing "good cop, bad cop" to "extract" information from an underling in the bowells of Union Station that in 2010 would consitute a 5-10 million dollar lawsuit and cost a few police their jobs besides. Of course the underling spills his guts and probaly wet his pants in this circa 1950 routine police interrogation. How times have changed!! The best performances are by Lyle Bettger who is excellent as the boss kidnapper cold stare, steely voice and mocking the blind girl as he slaps her around when she wimpers too much and by Jan Sterling as a trashy floozy who has some sympathy for the victim but luvs Beacom while he treats her like dirt. Nancy Olson playing to type as a wide eyed innocent with "Backbone" gives her role some depth and is pretty good. HOWEVER, Barry Fitzgerald reprising his 1948 role from "The Naked City" is too cute / coy as the loveable shrewd Irish " Full of Blarney" Inspector. Allene Roberts as the kidnap victim {Lorna Murchison} is an unsympathetic and whiney victim. Rudolph Mate was a great cameraman but his direction of the movie is pedestrian and the final chase thru the station's underground service tunnels is ok but could have been much better - it's to slowly paced and does'nt have enough tension and falls kind of flat. BUT the film's most serious flaw is the miscasting of William Holden as the hardbitten cop - his performance lacks the hard edge, he's not cynical or tough enough to pull it off. A far better choice for this role would have been Paramount's other male "biggie" - Alan Ladd whose tough guy image, dry voice and laconic manner would have played nicely against Nancy Olson's exasperated innocence. I guess after the successful teaming of Holden and Olson in "Sunset Blvd" Paramount rushed them into this picture to capitilize on their prievous teaming. I wanted to like this movie much more than I did but its elements just did/nt quite jell. Still, I give it a 3 1/2 star rating and would recommend its purchase.
gstevens-2 (02 May 2012)
Railroad lovers' treat
I remember this film shown once on TV. Yes, the story plotline is good andthe characters are entertaining, but the REAL star of the movie is theincredible historical Union Station itself. The movie moves throughoutportions of the building never before seen by the general public andrevealsthe enormous scope of Union Station. As a little girl I and family traveledoften by train. I remember the beauty of the place, the hustle and bustleofa station which was the base for the only comfortable way to travel by landat that time.Union Station itself compares in size and beauty to any otherin the country.This movie was shot during the last hey-days of the railroadpassenger trains and I earnestly wish it could be brought back to video.
GManfred (02 May 2012)
Good picture; A little dated but underrated
Viewers at times have to approach some films with an atavisticdemeanor, as though going to a museum. After all, times change, customschange, people change. Years ago many people smoked, men wore fedorasand Police methods were also different. This last seems to be LeonardMaltin's main objection to the film when he says 'dated policetechniques'. This is 2008, and with the ACLU acting as spoilers, policeno longer 'lean on' suspects.As previously stated, watch this picture with a sense of atavism and itis thoroughly enjoyable. After all, it was 1950 - many of us canremember those times, fondly. William Holden was almost a big star,Lyle Bettger was honing his talent as a heavy and Rudolph Mate was anaccomplished Director. Tension is sustained throughout and the locationphotography is interesting. Do yourself a favor and see it next timeit's on.
(01 May 2012)
Night Train
This is a review for the VHS tape of UNION STATION, a film which wasoriginally released by Paramaount Pictures in 1950. UNION STATION wasdirected by veteran Rudolph Mate from a story by Thomas Walsh, a verypopular pulpster at the time.Secretary Joyce Willecombe , played by Nancy Olsen, notices a gun stuck in the waistband of one of two men who board her commuter train one afternoon and reports it to the conductor. He tells her to wait until they arrive at Union Station, the large train hub for the unnamed urban area. She does report it to the head of security for the station, Lt. William Calhoun, played by William Holden.This is just the start of a path that eventually leads to a kidnapping, attempted murder, a $100,000 ransom, an eye-opening treatise on just exactly how big city police really operate, the desperation of ex-cons for one big score and their willingness to die for it.UNION STATION also portrays what it takes to succesfully run a big operation like the huge railroad station security system and the dedication as well as possesiveness of "My station" to keep it going.UNION STATION progresses from an afternoon commute scenario to a urban noir nightdream, with plenty of rain slickened streets and unidentifiable tenement- like addresses, some of which may or may not house the kidnappers and a kidnapped blind girl. It is a taut, tense ride through the unnamed urban landscape with a well earned satisfying conclusion.UNION STATION also shows, with really fine cinematography,the many different forms of railroads and train transport circa 1950 throughout the movie. It could almost serve as a documentary on the subject of the rail transport system of sixty years ago.Altogther I give UNION STATION four stars for a suprisingly exciting, if little known,film noir suspenser.
theowinthrop (01 May 2012)
Really First Rate Film Noir - And Bettger Almost Walks Off With It!
Looking at the casting and production of this film, and even the title,an informed viewer must wonder about who was the guiding genius behindit. The romantic leads, William Holden and Nancy Olsen, just played thesimilar leads in a tragically doomed love affair in Billy Wilder'sSUNSET BOULEVARD. The director, Rudolph Mate, was better known for hiscinematography up to a few years earlier. But by 1950 he had THE DARKPAST (also with Holden and Lee J. Cobb) and D.O.A. (with EdmondO'Brien) under his belt...and there were more to come. The villain (inonly his third film) was the terrific bad guy Lyle Bettger - about tofully blossom in what was the best role in this film (but bad guysusually got the best roles in "film noir"). Barry Fitzgerald is hereplaying a version of his Police Detective from THE NAKED CITY. Insupporting parts are Jan Sterling, Allene Roberts, Herbert Heyes,Parley Baer, Ralph Sanford, and even Byron Foulger. This film haseverything going for it - even the location is suggestive of potentialtragedy.In 1933 the FBI suffered the worst loss of personal in it's earlyhistory when four of it's agents, while escorting some prisoners, wereambushed in a botched attempt to spring the prisoners. The four menwere machine-gunned to death as were the two prisoners (I said it wasbotched). As a result J.Edgar Hoover got Congress to pass legislationallowing F.B.I. men to carry arms into the field (something the stateshad rejected at first). The killings were later ascribed (probablytruthfully) to "Pretty Boy" Floyd's gang, but nobody was ever punishedfor the killings. The incident happened in the parking area of UNIONSTATION in Kansas City. In fact, it is historically called "The UnionStation Massacre". Oddly enough no regular film was ever done of the true story - althougha fictionalized television film was made in the 1970s. But this is sucha good thriller it will do for it's acting (especially Bettger) andproduction values.Olson is a secretary to Heyes, a very wealthy man who has a singlechild - Roberts. Originally Roberts had all her senses, but she hasbecome blind. When she vanishes, Olson becomes suspicious of two men ona commuter train (Bettger and an associate) who she follows to UnionStation. She approaches Holden and he uses his staff of railway policeto follow them and see where they put away a piece of luggage. Afterthey leave Holden prepares to open the locker to verify that Olsonthinks they have a gun in there. But he insists on doing everything bythe book - much to Olsen's disgust. He does not want law suits againsthimself, his men, the staff of the station or the station itself. Heinsists on her name and address, and Olsen - very angrily - gives it tohim. Then the locker is checked, and Olsen's information verified.This is how the film progresses, and adds to the tensions of the story.Bettger is a border-line psychotic (he enjoys some taunting of hisvictims, but he keeps his eyes on the goal of the kidnap ransom). Hehas spent five years in prison for a hold-up (he angrily dismisses theevent, calling the filling-station robbery a "coffee and cake" affair).While there he thought out this meticulous crime - all centered on thestation. As he is willing to use and kill people to get his results heconstantly keeps one step ahead of his pursuers.But Holden and his regular police force Detective Fitgerald have tomove more slowly. They have to play by limitations and rules they areassigned to uphold (though at one point they give one of Bettger'sassociates a "third degree" good cop - bad cop grilling that getsresults with near violence). They also are hamstrung because of Heyes,who is frightened at the threat to his helpless daughter and agrees toanything Bettger demands.So Bettger, despite the losses of two associates, is always in the lead- and calling the shots to the conclusion of the film. His key tosuccess is his hold on Roberts, a helpless victim who cannot fight onequal terms. If the forces of law and order want to find her alive (apoint that Bettger really could not care about) they have to follow histune.The actors are all good, with Holden and Olsen gradually findingreasons to appreciate each other more and more. Fitzgerald has nomoment (as in THE NAKED CITY) outlining his model for solving crimes.But he and Holden do discuss (after the death of a policeman) thelimits of following the book and rules in moments of danger. Holdenfeels that such behavior only ends with the party on a slab in amorgue, but Fitzgerald says that kind of bravery wins battles. It's alesson Holden takes to heart.The supporting actors too are good - in particular Jan Sterling asBettger's lover and most sympathetic gang member. On the whole UNION STATION is a wonderful film noir, and a must seefilm.
Michael O'Keefe (30 April 2012)
Not just for William Holden fans.
UNI0N STATION is classic film noir directed by Rudolph Matte. Grittyand suspenseful. Joyce Willecombe(Nancy Olson)is a private secretary,who boards a train back home to Chicago from visiting her boss HenryMurchison(Herbert Heyes). While on the train she observes a speedingcar race to a small station and two suspicious looking men get out andboard the train at opposite ends. On board these men act as strangers.Joyce happens to see a gun hidden in one man's coat and tries to alarmthe conductor of the train. He can't help, but Lt. WilliamCalhoun(William Holden)working at Union Station is called. It happensthat the two men are part of a kidnapping scheme...the victim is theblind daughter of Joyce's employer. The young secretary feels guilty;but Calhoun and his boss, Inspector Donnelly(Barry Fitzgerald), insistthat they will thwart the kidnapping and return Lorna Murchison(AlleneRoberts)to her rich father. A lot of cat-and-mouse action and oldfashion gunfire. Holden is cast perfectly and Miss Olson gets her shareof screen time. Fitzgerald is fit as the calm and cool acting Irishmanwith the plan of action. The cast also includes: Lyle Bettger, FredGraff, Don Dunning, Jan Sterling and Parley Baer.
moonspinner55 (29 April 2012)
Prolonged, textbook kidnap-plot with interesting milieu...
Director Rudolph Maté's "Union Station", from Thomas Walsh's novel,pairs William Holden again with Nancy Olson just after their triumphsin "Sunset Blvd." While both stars are solid here, the step-down togenre shtick (particularly for Holden) is disheartening. After seeingwhat Holden was truly capable of, he's reduced here to the oldcops-and-kidnappers formula, with barely a personality beneath hisbadge. Olson plays a worrisome secretary who spots somedesperate-looking men on her train; after reporting them to theauthorities, it's discovered--in an outrageous coincidence--the menhave just kidnapped the blind daughter of Olson's wealthy employer.Aside from some uncommon brutalities, and a sadistically funny game ofgood cop-bad cop between detective Holden, chief inspector BarryFitzgerald and one of the crooks, this paste-up case is pretty cut anddry. The train station surroundings are fun, but the victim (a realscreamer) is a sad sack, as are the dopey villains. Olson has little todo but wring her hands, but she certainly comes out better than JanSterling, playing sweetheart to the bad guys. Sterling, after beingforced to roll about in the gutter, later gets one of those Hollywoodhospital scenes which doesn't even show her off to any great advantage.The picture is smoothly steady, but rather a no-brainer. ** from ****
dougdoepke (28 April 2012)
Depots are for More Than Trains Only
Back when America took the train for out-of-town travel, depots werefull of hustling, bustling travelers, rather like today's airports.Judging from the opening scenes of this movie, you might think half thefolks in those stations were petty criminals and the other half werethere to catch them. Actually, the movie's a pretty good thriller. Therailroad cops are led by Holden who's after a kidnapping gang who'vegrabbed a blind girl (Allene Roberts), while Barry Fitzgerald heads thelocal cop contingent.There are some good imaginative touches, such as the stockyard scene,and the final chase through an underground tunnel. These, along withsome good location photography and a documentary style approach, helpbuild a general air of suspense. However, the documentary style is alsointerrupted by rather obvious studio sets, a none-too-convincingromance between Olson and Holden, and the un-cop like musings ofFitzgerald as comedy relief. Thus we're also reminded at criticalpoints that this is, after all, only a movie.The film has gone down in history books for one particularly memorablescene. In the train station, the cops have caught a gang confederateand need to make him tell the where-abouts of the kidnapped girl. Atfirst, the suspect feigns innocence. Now, in standard films of the day,sentencing pressure would have been brought to bear-- how the guy risksexecution should harm befall the girl, along with maybe some mildpushing around. Not here. Instead, the guy is hauled into a back room and ratherbrutally beaten-- already a big departure from the norm. When he stillrefuses to talk, he's dragged out onto the tracks, where Holden andcompany dangle him before an on-rushing locomotive. Wild now withfright, the suspect spills his guts. To my knowledge, this is eitherone of the only films of the time, if not the only one, to show copsnot only beating a suspect, but torturing him as well. It comes as astartling departure from what audiences had come to expect from theforces of law and order, and how it got past the censors is beyond me.Of course, we already know the guy is a gang member, so we may want toexcuse the extreme police methods. But keep in mind that movies areinherently a medium of manipulation. A good film-maker can make anaudience root for almost anything or anybody if he loads the deckcorrectly. Suppose in this case the movie hadn't tipped us off earlyabout the guy's guilt, and suppose the guy turned out to be innocentinstead. Would we feel the same way about the police methods. I doubtit, but however you respond, this remains an entertaining 90 minuteswith a particularly fine performance from Roberts as the trapped blindgirl.
jotix100 (27 April 2012)
Kidnapped
The great railway stations of the first half of the 20th century, werethe equivalent of today's airports. Los Angeles' Union Station, was oneof the best examples of how these places worked and how it was thecenter of people moving in the country during that period in whichaviation was still in its infancy. The station is the setting for thestory in which the film is based.Directed by Rudolph Mate, who was a great cinematographer himself, weare taken to witness this interesting thriller that still holds itsinterest after more than a half a century since it was made. Mr. Mateconfided his colleague, Daniel Fapp, to photograph the action thattakes place in the tunnels, boarding and waiting areas of the station.William Holden was at the top of the profession. He is seen as Det.William Calhoun, who is in charge of security. Nancy Olson, makes aninteresting appearance opposite Mr. Holden as a young secretary whoreports to the authorities what she witnessed on an inbound train.Barry Fitzgerald, who plays the police inspector in charge, contributesto the success of the film. Best of all Lyle Bettger, an actor thatmade his specialty out of the shady characters he was called to play.Jan Sterling has a small, but pivotal part."Union Station" is worth looking as it reflects that period of time inAmerica. Ultimate the station is the real star of the film where we seeit in all its splendor.
(24 April 2012)
When Willy Held Forth
No question I am a film noir aficionado. Recently I have been on a tear reviewing various film noir efforts and drawing comparisons between the ones that "speak" to me and those that, perhaps, should have been left on the cutting room floor. The classics are easy; films like Out Of the Past, Gilda, The Lady From Shang-hai, and The Big Sleep need no additional comment from me as they stand on their own merits. Others, because they have a fetching (or wicked, for that matter, femme fatale to muddy the waters also get a pass, or as in Gilda a double nod for the plot and for the femme fatale. Be still my heart, at the name Rita Hayworth. I have even tried to salvage some efforts by touting their plot lines, and others by their use of shadowy black and white cinematography to overcome plot problems. Like The Third Man (and, in that case, the bizarre zither-drenched musical score as well). And that brings us to those films, like the film under review, 1951s Union Station, starring William Holden and Nancy Olson that have no redeeming film noir qualities. Now I mentioned the stars and the year of this film for a purpose. 1951 also saw this pair in one of the great film noir, no, flat-out great films of all time, Sunset Boulevard, so it is not the acting capabilities, although Brother Holden may have been a little tired from playing Norma Desmond's pet or maybe just a little bloated from being in that swimming pool too long. What is missing here is though is any spark in order to get interested in actors or plot. The plot line, in any case, is rather conventional. A con, or rather ex-con, who had plenty of time on his hands up in stir, decides that from here on in he is going to live on easy street and so whiled away those lonely prison cell hours devising a plot to get, what else, some serious dough. Easy street, after all, is no place for chump change. So naturally the idea is to kidnap a wealthy guy's daughter (who is also blind, so a conveniently easy target), hold her for ransom, and easy street here we come (of course, said con has a moll, a moll who in the end he does wrong as such bad guys will do out of habit, a blonde moll, although such molls are not always blonde). So you see, a pretty conventional plot, played out very conventionally. See said con used to work at, where else, Union Station (Chicago version), and so the swap (dough for daughter) is to take place there. What brother con did not figure on was that head railroad detective Willy Calhoun (the part played by William Holden, but don't call him Willy to his face, okay) is like some avenging angel-god when criminal hijinks take place in his precinct. A fatal mistake, a very fatal mistake, for brother con. But it takes time, too much time, for him to learn that sad lesson. Oh, and along the way, Willy (remember don't' call him that to his face) "falls" for Joyce (played by Nancy Olson), who is the one who tipped him to the possible criminal enterprise that was looming at his place of work. I will take any five minutes, no, any two minutes of Sunset Boulevard over this whole one and one half hour stew. I guess Willy (oops, William)and Nancy needed dough that year themselves.
MARIO GAUCI (24 April 2012)
UNION STATION (Rudolph Mate', 1950) ***
Obviously modeled on Jules Dassin's superior THE NAKED CITY (1948) Âco-starring Barry Fitzgerald, meticulous police procedural, filmed onactual locations  this film can certainly stand on its own two feet,being a tight and neatly-handled little thriller with plenty of actionand suspense. Especially effective is a game of cat-and-mouse on atrain between criminal and cop, which must have influenced THE FRENCHCONNECTION (1971)! While it doesn't quite have the scope of the earlier classic, the filmnonetheless makes the most of its situations (revolving around arace-against-the-clock to save a kidnapped blind girl) and settings(the majority of the action taking place, naturally, inside the titularlocation  with the tunnels underneath the station itself providing thebackdrop for the climax, and which may well have been inspired byending of THE THIRD MAN [1949]).Fitzgerald is once again excellent though, here, he rather playssecond-fiddle to the nominal stars  this being a Paramount film, itcouldn't but be contract players (William Holden and Nancy Olson in thesecond of their four teamings). Lyle Bettger is appropriately menacingas the sly chief kidnapper, while Jan Sterling appears as hissoft-hearted girlfriend (who suffers the consequences for demonstratingcompassion towards her charge).
jpdoherty (23 April 2012)
Finally, Another Classic Noir Unearthed.
Paramount's UNION STATION (1950) is another memorable noir fromHollywood's golden past making its belated DVD debut. A gritty andcompelling thriller it was adapted for the screen from the violentnovel "Nightmare In Manhattan" by Thomas Walsh. Daniel L. Fapp's starkBlack & White cinematography brought a great style to it with itsshifting use of light and shadow and the genuine locations, especiallyin the bustling Union Station itself in Los Angeles, added a realisticlook and feel to the whole thing.A girl (the resistible Nancy Olson) sees a man (Lyle Bettger) on atrain wearing a gun under his jacket and immediately suspects him ofbeing up to no good (how it never occurs to her that he could perhapsbe a cop is conveniently glossed over). She however reports the matterto the conductor who in turn alerts railway cop William Calhoun(William Holden). It soon comes to light that the man with the gun andanother have kidnapped a blind girl and are holding her hostage for aransom of $100,000 from her well to do businessman father (HerbertHeyes). Things really hot up when Calhoun, with help from the citypolice headed by Inspector Donnelly (Barry Fitzgerald), stakeout UnionStation - the nominated drop zone for the ransom. The picture ends witha climactic chase sequence as Holden pursues Bettger through a maze ofdark tunnels underneath the station for the inevitable and excitingshootout.Performances are generally fine throughout. Holden is terrific in itbut it is unusual to see him as a cop. He plays the part well butwatching him you can't help thinking he is an actor of a much highercalibre than is called for here and deserving of classier and moreartistically challenging parts such as his Acadamy Award winning roleas Sefton in "Stalag 17" (1953) or his perfect Joe Gillis in "SunsetBoulevard" which he and his co-star here Olson would embark on rightafter UNION STATION. Also kicking around his thick Irish brogue againBarry Fitzgerald repeats his role, almost verbatim, from "The NakedCity" (1948) the only difference being his name here is Donnellyinstead of Muldoon. But there's little doubt the movie belongs to LyleBettger as the heartless and sadistic kidnapper. Beside Jack Elam hasthere ever been a meaner or nastier baddie in movies? Born in 1915Bettger made a full career out of playing menacing characters. He had asinister smirk and a scary glare that was positively unnerving. Hisfirst film was Barbara Stanwyck's "No Man Of Here Own" just beforeUNION STATION and with the exception of only one time playing the heroin "Carnival Story" (1954) he continued throughout a busy career to beevery moviegoer's favourite baddie "you loved to hate". Lyle Bettgerretired in 1979 and died in 2003 at the age of 88.Unusually there is no one composer credited with scoring the picture.But there are minor contributions from Heinz Reomheld and stock musicfrom Victor Young and Hugo Friedhofor. There is a spirited main titleover the credits which sounds very much to me like something the greatVictor Young could have written. The score was compiled and supervisedby Irvin Talbot.The DVD release is an impeccable transfer with sharp as a button imagesand smooth sound. Clearly they had access to a new print of the movieand it shows. But there are no extras - not even a trailer. But now fora word of caution! Watch out for the most ridiculous and irritatinglogo you are ever likely to see which comes at the start of the DVDfrom a crowd called Olive Films. This has to be some kind of gag! Butafter all is said and done you can be confident, this silly intro. doesnothing to diminish the excellence of the movie which remains atimeless classic.
miriamwebster (22 April 2012)
Station Identification
Unjustly over-looked B-movie kidnap caper marred by geographicalheresy. Although landmark title locale is unmistakably famous downtownLos Angeles train station of same name, other scenes supposedlyoccurring in same vicinity involve elevated railways and nearbystockyards with no connection to actual LA landscape. Sort of liketitling a movie Empire State Building, then having sequences take placein surrounding deserts, ski resorts and palm-studded sandy beaches. HadParamount simply called it something like Train Station Confidential,this wouldn't have been an issue.Great location photography, though, and a terrific (if somewhat tritelyused) cast including William Holden, Nancy Olsen, Barry Fitzpatrick,Lyle Bettger, Jan Sterling and solid roster of supporting players ofthe era. (With notable exception of justly-obscure one-note actress whoportrays kidnap victim at the top of her lungs.)Well worth a look for film noir fans, LA history buffs and architectureaficiandos.
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