The Mystery Train 1931

It's curious when you consider the enormous career-ending power Hedda Hopper ended up yielding, that she was actually, herself, a really mediocre actress - and such limited skill as she possessed is amply displayed in this rather dreary amalgam of romance and drama. She's the rather odious "Marian Radcliffe", a woman who is down on her luck but who sees an opportunity to restore her fortunes following a train crash in which she helps prisoner "Joan" (an exceptionally wooden effort from Marceline Day) escape from police custody. In return for her generosity, she manipulates the pretty young woman into a dalliance with the wealthy heir "Stanhope" (Nick Stuart). In cahoots with her lawyer "Mortimer" (Bryant Washburn) she implements their plan to marry her off and and share his inheritance! Sadly this has precious little substance to it. Too stage bound to do justice to the train wreck scenes, and the dialogue and comedy are really too strained and unnatural. It flows well enough, but simply put - nothing really happens. Trains look good, though!

— CinemaSerf