CAUGHT ON A TRAIN

UK, 1980, 80 minutes, Colour.
Michael Kitchen, Peggy Ashcroft.
Directed by Peter Duffell.

Caught on a Train is an entertaining British telemovie written by Steven Poliakoff, writer of many plays for the theatre. It has a strong cast led by Michael Kitchen and Peggy Ashcroft. The film won British Film Academy Awards for the drama for television as well as for Peggy Ashcroft as Best Actress in a Television Film.

A psychological drama, it has the atmosphere of train journey (with its echoes from many films) and European settings. The film is basically a two-hander between the two stars, yet it has a number of interesting supporting characters and is an interesting and entertaining duel of wits.

1. A British telemovie, cinematic style? The focus on situation and character? Psychological and a social atmosphere?

2. The European locations, the atmosphere of the train, the countries through which the train passed? Musical score?

3. Trains and their place in the film tradition? Dangerous journeys? Psychological confrontations on trains? Trains as a microcosm? Railway stations, the rails, the running of the train, carriages and compartments, the personnel working on the trains? A train life-style? The background of international thrillers, disaster films? This telemovie relying on that atmosphere for audience involvement
and response?

4. The basic situation, the station, the introduction to the characters? Peter and his arrival, the meeting of the girl? Space in the compartment? The rowdy tourists? The businessmen in the Club compartment? The arrival of Peggy Ashcroft? The dynamics of the journey?

5. The portrait of Peter: in himself, usually flying, his work as a publisher, going to Austria, ordinary, the friendship with the girl, attraction towards her, sharing perspectives, criticisms? His taking his seat, the window and the woman wanting it? Smoking and defying her? Going to sleep? The suspicions about the disappearance of her food? The corridor, the German students and their rowdiness? The Buffet car? The interaction with the old woman, his dislike of her, clashes, prejudice and suspicions? Her German and aristocratic background, his Nazi taunts? The English manner? The buffet and her behaviour and humiliation? Getting of at Frankfurt, her taking him to the Opera House for food, his hurrying back, the train absent, the wrong platform? The continuance of the journey? The dissatisfaction of his life? The beds and her tantrum? The ticket, the arrest and the police? His being allowed to go after the woman identified him? His dependence on her? Her offering to take him home? His reflection on his life? The journey of his life in the train? What happened to him?

6. The woman and her haughtiness, dress and manner, the question of the seat, the smoking, the food, her accusations, her imperiousness, walking over people, her explanation of her background, the Nazis, spoilt and her expectations? Being waited on? The buffet, the dirty table, the calling of the waiters? The Opera House, seeming to want him to miss the train, the return, the sleeping arrangements, her rescuing him from the police, the final confrontation? Her being about to die? The summing up of her life? Her confronting Peter's?

7. The girl and her American background, friendliness with Peter, her change of attitude, considering him too harsh towards the old woman? Giving her seat? The various men in the compartment, their types, the stealing of the food? The waiters and ticket-collectors? The people at the opera? The police and the interrogation?

8. The students, the violence and the attack, the blood in the wash-basin? The taunting of Peter?

9. Audience expectations about a train thriller? The response to the psychological interaction and drama? Insight into human nature?