The Last Train from Madrid

The Last Train from Madrid is a 1937 American war drama film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Dorothy Lamour, Lew Ayres and Gilbert Roland. It is set during the Spanish Civil War.[1] The film was one of the few contemporary Hollywood films made about the war.[2]

The Last Train from Madrid
Directed byJames P. Hogan
Produced byGeorge M. Arthur
Screenplay byLouis Stevens
Robert Wyler
Based onPaul Hervey Fox
Elsie Fox
StarringDorothy Lamour
Lew Ayres
Gilbert Roland
CinematographyHarry Fischbeck
Edited byEverett Douglas
Production
company
Paramount Pictures
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
November 6, 1937
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Production

Like another film about the Spanish Civil War being made at this time, Love Under Fire the filmmakers were careful not to take sides. Paramount executives described it as a "sort of a Grand Hotel theme".[3] The production had a number of issues with the Hays Office due to the political aspects of the subject.[4] Filming took place in April and May 1937.[5] It was mainly shot at Paramount's studios and at the Iverson Ranch, although some secondary location shooting took place in Palencia in Castille. The sets were designed by the art directors Earl Hedrick and Hans Dreier.

In a review the New York Times suggested that it should not be regarded too seriously. "True, it treats of the Spanish Revolution, but merely as Hollywood has in the past regarded the turmoils of Ruritania and Zenda".[6]

Plot

The story of seven people: their lives and love affairs in Madrid during the Civil War.

Cast

Reception

Writing for Night and Day in 1937, Graham Greene gave the film a poor review, describing it bluntly as "probably the worst film of the decade". Greene criticized the film's acting and noted that rather than experiencing the "emotional and uplifting" message that was intended to come from the dialogue, he instead found the efforts to be humorous in effect.[7]

References
  1. The Last Train from Madrid at TCMDB
  2. Schindler p.191
  3. Spanish War to Be Basis of Two Films: Studios Use Care to Avoid Taking Sides. Shaffer, George. Chicago Daily Tribune 09 Apr 1937: 24.
  4. Schindler p.191
  5. No More Trailers For Bob Cummings The Washington Post 23 May 1937: TR1.
  6. Schindler p.191
  7. Greene, Graham (8 July 1937). "Black Legion/Night Must Fall/Top of the Town/The Last Train from Madrid". Night and Day. (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. Oxford University Press. p. 154. ISBN 0192812866.)

Bibliography
  • Schindler, Colin. Hollywood in Crisis: Cinema and American Society 1929-1939. Routledge, 2005.
  • Kear, Lynn & King, James. Evelyn Brent: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Lady Crook. McFarland & Co, 2009.


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