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The Last Train from Madrid
The Last Train from Madrid
Directed by	James P. Hogan
Screenplay by	Louis Stevens; Robert Wyler
Based on	Paul Hervey Fox; Elsie Fox
Produced by	George M. Arthur ; Hugh Bennett
Starring	Dorothy Lamour; Lew Ayres; Gilbert Roland
Cinematography	Harry Fischbeck
Edited by	Everett Douglas
Production; company	Paramount Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	November 6, 1937;
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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]

Plot

The plot revolves around the story of seven peoples' lives and love affairs in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War. The film is set during one day, a train leaving from Madrid to Valencia being bound to leave at midnight, allowing the protagonists, including prisoners who agreed to fight in exchange for their release, to escape the city under intense bombing.

Cast

Dorothy Lamour as Carmelita Castillo
Lew Ayres as Bill Dexter
Gilbert Roland as Eduardo de Soto
Karen Morley as Helene Rafitto
Lionel Atwill as Colonel Vigo
Helen Mack as Lola
Robert Cummings as Juan Ramos^[3]
Olympe Bradna as Maria Ronda
Anthony Quinn as Captain Ricardo Alvarez
Lee Bowman as Michael Balk
Francis Ford as Pedro Elias
Alan Ladd as Soldier
Evelyn Brent as Woman soldier
Jack Perrin as Guard
Robert Emmett O'Connor as Secret Service Man
Louis Natheaux as Headwaiter
Rollo Lloyd as Hernandez
Nigel De Brulier as Philosopher
Gordon De Main as Gonzalez
Louise Carter as Rosa Delgado
Maurice Cass as Waiter
Hooper Atchley as Martin
Francis McDonald as Mora
George MacQuarrie as Driver
Carl Harbaugh as Militiaman
Otto Hoffman as Fernando
Stanley Fields as Avila

Production

In 1936, it was reported that Paramount had acquired the property as a vehicle for Cary Grant. However, Grant did not sign a new contract and left the studio later that year.

As with Love Under Fire, another film about the Spanish Civil War in production at the time, the filmmakers were careful not to take sides. Paramount executives described it as a "sort of a Grand Hotel theme."^[4] The production experienced several issues with the Hays Office because of the political aspects of the subject.^[2]

Filming took place in April and May 1937,^[5] mainly at Paramount's studios and at the Iverson Ranch, although some secondary location shooting took place in Palencia in Castille.^[6] The sets were designed by the art directors Earl Hedrick and Hans Dreier. Additional filming of background scenes took place at Cecil B. DeMille ’Spanish’ bungalow on the Paramount lot; DeMille himself appears in a crowd scene in the film.^[6]

Reception

Writing for Night and Day magazine in 1937, Graham Greene offered an unfavorable review, describing The Last Train from Madrid as "probably the worst film of the decade." Greene criticized the film's acting and noted that rather than experiencing the dialogue's intended "emotional and uplifting" message, he found it humorous.^[7]

The New York Times suggested that the film should not be seriously regarded: "True, it treats of the Spanish Revolution, but merely as Hollywood has in the past regarded the turmoils of Ruritania and Zenda."^[2]

References

^ The Last Train from Madrid at TCMDB
^ ^a ^b ^c Schindler p.191
^ Vagg, Stephen (29 October 2024). "Movie Star Cold Streaks: Robert Cummings". Filmink. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
^ Spanish War to Be Basis of Two Films: Studios Use Care to Avoid Taking Sides. Shaffer, George. Chicago Daily Tribune 09 Apr 1937: 24.
^ No More Trailers For Bob Cummings The Washington Post 23 May 1937: TR1.
^ ^a ^b "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
^ 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.