ONE MORE TRAIN TO ROB
US, 1971, 108 minutes, Colour.
George Peppard, Diana Muldaur, John Vernon, France Nuyen, Steve Sandor, John Doucette, Marie Windsor, Hal Needham, Joan Shawlee, Harry Carey Jnr.
Directed by Andrew V. Mc Laglen.
One More Train to Rob is yet another western by veteran director Andrew V. Mc Laglen (son of Oscar-winning Victor Mc Laglen). Mc Laglen had worked as assistant director and on the crew of many a film during the 1950s. He began to direct in the mid-50s and by the 1960s was making a number of westerns often with James Stewart and John Wayne: Mc Lintock, Shenandoah, The Rare Breed, The Way West, Bandolero, The Undefeated, Chisum, Something Big. He was to continue in that vein making one of the last of the westerns in the 70s, The Last Hard Men with Charlton Heston. He continued making action films moving more to war films like The Wild Geese, North Sea Hijack, The Sea Wolves.
The film is also a star vehicle for George Peppard who had emerged as a star with Home From The Hill and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Peppard moved to television with such series as Banacek and showed himself adept as a private eye (P.J., House of Cards).
The film has the usual ingredients, a cowboy released from jail seeking revenge on his partner who went off with the money and his girlfriend.
The film has a lot of action sequences, well staged, showing the skill of Mc Laglen at this kind of action entertainment.
1. An enjoyable western? The humorous and ironic tone of the title?
2. How conventional a western about hero, friends and villains, robberies? Was it in any way different? better?
3. The use of Panavision, colour, locations? The emphasis on the train robberies?
4. How interesting was the plot? The focus on Harker Fleet? His character, involvement in robberies, prison? His greediness, helping the Chinese, getting vengeance on Timothy? The happy ending? How straightforward, how ironic? Drama, comedy?
5. How interesting a hero was Harker Fleet? The fact that he was a criminal, his presentation during the credits sequences, his involvement in the robbery and his skill, his love for Kathy, his womanizing? His relationship with Timothy and his betrayal? His sense of righteousness with the Chinese, the dramatics of proving his fidelity to the Chinese by the brawl at the party, his out-tricking Timothy, his reaction to Timothy's death, having Kathy and being bound down? The happy ending? A credible and likable hero? The morals and background of the west?
6. The contrast with Timothy, the smooth villain in the train, arranging the imprisonment, using the money, marrying Kathy, his Irish blarney as well as his cruel streak, especially with the Chinese? His vengeance on Harker? His repentance at the end? A likable and convincing villain?
7. The character of Kathy and her devotion to Harker, the marriage, her turning back to him, involvement in the robberies? The contrast with Ah Toy and her leadership of the Chinese?
8. The background of the robberies, the confrontation with the corrupt law, the final shootout?
9. The conventional western themes of good and evil, greed, exploitation?
