The action opens with an attempt to kill Ivan Malov, an Eastern European defector. It then switches to a young American woman, Helen Marlow. She is booked onto a luxury train journey to aid her recovery from a nervous breakdown following the death of her fiance. An Australian traveller, Bob, befriends her but it is tough going as she is still very depressed. Her distress becomes much worse when she seems to see a dead passenger. Bob and others assume she is hallucinating but she is quite convinced. However there are people on the train who are not what they seem, and who have murder on their mind...
Review
My first impressions of this episode were fairly lukewarm but it has grown on me and I would now consider it to be very good, albeit some way from the top rank.
The teaser of an attempted assassination and intelligence conference seems oddly disconnected from an anxious young woman boarding a train but later it makes sense. The choice of such a clearly English actress as Judy Geeson to play an American did not inspire early confidence. This is no criticism of Judy but rather a wish that either an American actress had been hired or - better still - the character rewritten as English. Either solution would have created a better result. As it transpired Judy does a very good job in a demanding role but I'd always prefer a character to be played by someone of that nationality.
The smoothie Bob (played by James Smillie), the only Australian character seen in the programme, is a little annoying at first with his rather obvious charming of Helen but when he moves into serious mode the results are much better. Helen's experience of loss and depression is very well depicted. Her struggle to be taken seriously as she starts to see very disturbing things is skilfully conveyed. This scenario occurred on a few occasions in Thriller, with Bob in the familiar intermediary "sceptical but open-minded" position, but it is neatly accomplished.
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| Bob tries to support a shaken Helen |
Although these two might appear to be at the centre of the story there is no doubt that the dominant character and the chief reason for its appeal is that of Hillary Vance who is possibly the most entertaining figure seen in all of Thriller. He is brilliantly funny. Unlike Matthew Earp in his two episodes, Vance uses his wit against others. A remarkably cultured man, he is devastatingly sarcastic, turning particularly on the hapless waiter. Charles Gray is quite superb in this part and there is no doubt that it raises the episode above the ordinary. Again in a typical Thriller touch it is never quite clear what Vance does. Granted he is a diplomat - but where does he work, and why should he be so important to Malov - and to Malov's opponents? Vance never talks of anything political but of course that does not mean he has no such interests. As in all the espionage stories it is clear that the Eastern bloc are up to no good but the exact nature of their activities is unclear. Evidently they want to eliminate the defector Malov but why is never established.
The theme of impersonation was used in the other two espionage stories but this is the most elaborate of all. The physical and vocal impersonation of a key character is perfect and is effectively science fiction; it may be stretching credibility but it's important to make the story work.
The climax is a strong one and matters are rounded off with a great final line. In addition the episode provides an early sight of Duncan Preston - later a long-time Victoria Wood stalwart - in a straight role as part of a newly-wed couple with his wife played by Jacki Piper, another performer more associated with comedy but in no way out of place here. Overall a strong and often under-rated effort, and definitely for me the best of the three espionage tales
Notes
For the third time in the first four episodes of Series 4 a train is a key setting, although this story is set almost entirely "on board". Euston station is featured. Bob's leaping across the tracks at the climax may not have impressed safety experts! The TV Movie version was retitled "Murder on the Midnight Express" and the new titles were one of Dolphin's better efforts backed by an excellent strident piece by Syd Dale - "Danger - Musicians at Work".
Although Jim Smillie as Bob played the only overtly Australian character in Thriller other Australian actors did appear in the show including one in this episode - Alister Williamson as secret service agent Barkley - but he was playing an apparently British character. Reg Lye was another Australian actor to appear in Thriller (two episodes - Spell of Evil and Good Salary - Prospects - Free Coffin, playing a caretaker on both occasions) but no reference was made to his Australian background. Australian actors appearing in British shows in that era played apparently and sometimes overtly British characters quite frequently, something that meant they weren't restricted to just playing Australians.
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