The Ghost Train

A group of passengers find themselves stranded at an isolated rural Cornish station after they miss their last connection for the night, forcing them to rest in the waiting room. The Station Master (Donald Calthrop) warns them of the ghost train that passes through and haunts the tracks, killing anyone who looks at it.

This 1931 early sound version of Arnold Ridley's 1923 play and subsequent West End hit was the second version made; the first an Anglo-German version made in 1927. It was adapted for the screen by Hungarian Lajos Biro (who would become better known as the screenwriter for most of Alexander Korda's films) and Angus MacPhail, who had also adapted another Arnold Ridley train themed play, THE WRECKER in 1929. There is a fairly impressive modelled crash scene later in the film, re-used in the 1941 Arthur Askey remake. This film was the first film for the foppish Jack Hulbert, here also appearing with his regular screen partner and wife, Cicely Courtneidge as Miss Bourne. Hulbert would become a popular star in early 1930s British cinema.

Only the last couple of reels are complete with sound, the first two reels are completely missing and the middle three are without sound making for a total of 52 minutes available without and with sound.