Time Bomb [Terror on a Train] *** (1953, Glenn Ford, Anne Vernon, Maurice Denham) – Classic Movie Review 7288

Director Ted Tetzlaff’s suspenseful and commendable 1953 MGM British black and white B-movie film noir crime thriller Time Bomb stars Glenn Ford and Anne Vernon as married couple Peter and Janine Lyncort, while John Horsley (Railway Police Constable Charles Baron), Campbell Singer (Inspector Branson), Bill Fraser (Constable J Reed) and Martin Wyldeck (Sergeant Collins) represent various echelons of the British police.

Kem Bennett writes the effective screenplay from his own novel Death at Attention, with a compelling story about an English goods train travelling south from Birmingham, England, transporting sea mines to Portsmouth but also, it turns out, carrying explosive device planted by a saboteur (Victor Maddern). The police reach out to ex-Canadian Royal Engineers munitions expert Peter Lyncort, who is living in Birmingham with his Parisian wife Janine, and give him five hours to dismantle the bomb.

Ford and Maurice Denham, as Birmingham Railway Police security chief Jim Warrilow, have lots to do and give lively performances in this well-cast, tidy piece, tautly assembled by director Tetzlaff, who shows why he is an expert in building tension, handling an ensemble cast and providing good background detail. Kem Bennett adapts his novel, Death at Attention.

Time Bomb also features Harcourt Williams (Vicar), Harold Warrender (as Sir Evelyn Jordan), Herbert C Walton (as Old Charlie), Arthur Hambling (as Train Driver), Harry Locke (as Train Fireman), Frank Atkinson (as Guard), Ernest Butcher (as Martindale), Sam Kydd and Ada Reeve.

Ford must have found it easy to play Lyncort, both character and actor were born in Quebec, Canada.

Time Bomb (also known in America as Terror on a Train, is directed by Ted Tetzlaff, runs 72 minutes, is written by Kem Bennett, based on his novel Death at Attention, is shot in black and white by Freddie Young and Tom Howard, is produced by Richard Goldstone and is scored by John Addison.

Sadly it flopped, with a loss of $517,000.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7288

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