This film, "Mail Train", is also known as "Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It". The Inspector (Gordon Harker) is a very talented but very serf-assured member of Scotland Yard. Through much of the film you doubt his competence (since he's so self-assured you can't but think he's a bumbler), but through the course of the film he proves himself to be a very capable and intelligent officer. He is assisted by Sergeant Bingham (Alastair Sim)--a more bumbling sidekick I cannot recall! The film begins with the two being assigned to a rather dull case involving tracking down missing supplies from the army--stuff that's gone missing and probably found its way to the black market. However, along the way the case diverges to a ring of so-called 'fifth columnists'--spies working for the Nazis. At this point in the film, Hornleigh uses his wits and through some good detective work is able to learn about an ingenious German method for smuggling information out of the country. About that time, bumbling Bingham is captured by the enemy and Hornleigh rises to the occasion--in a rousing ending to this exciting film.
"Mail Train" rather surprised me. At first, I wasn't all that impressed by the film but through the course of it, good writing, an excellent mystery and a nice blend of comedy (Sim) and action made this a very good WWII propaganda film. Very nice....I just hope I can find copies of the other two Hornleigh films Gordon Harker made.
"Mail Train" rather surprised me. At first, I wasn't all that impressed by the film but through the course of it, good writing, an excellent mystery and a nice blend of comedy (Sim) and action made this a very good WWII propaganda film. Very nice....I just hope I can find copies of the other two Hornleigh films Gordon Harker made.