BBC2 Playhouse (TV Series) Caught on a Train (1980) User Reviews

This film makes one yearn wistfully for a BBC at its zenith of creativity

[chua · 9/10 · 6 May 2001]

Caught on a train remains one of the most powerful British TV films to ever grace the small screen. Peter, an ambitious young publisher chooses to take a transcontinental train to travel to a book fair in Germany than fly. This decision has consequences which he could never have anticipated.

The train is in itself symbolic of the chaotic state of post-war Europe. It is inhabited by a melee of anachronistic elderly passengers, ambitious business men and thuggish volatile youths.

Early on one gets a sense of romantic intrigue when Peter befriends a mysterious young American woman with whom he is sharing a carriage. This soon subsides when Frau Messner (Peggy Ashcroft) makes her dramatic entrance. From that point she dominates the drama entirely with her steely, matriarchical, petulant yet ultimately vulnerable personality.

Peter is subjected to a series of humiliations courtesy of Frau Messner's dictatorial personality. These include, being harangued into giving up his seat, almost missing the train in order to buy her magazines and ultimately being arrested by brutish german police on suspicion of being a terrorist.

Peter's ambitions of a romantic liason with the American tourist are finally dashed when she declares somewhat callously that she hates Europe and Europeans and present company is by no means excepted.

The film concludes with a scene which is a mastery of economy but yet which dramatises graphically the replacement of the old aristocratic order with that of the unfeeling ambition of modern capitalism in Western Europe.

The film deftly touches on European values at a cusp of transition, Anglo American relations,terrorism and even the rise of fascism in Hitlers Germany.

Stephen Polliakof's masterly script and Peter Duffel's crisp yet undrestated direction make one yearn for a BBC at its zenith of creativity

Almost flawless..superb drama

[analoguebubblebath · 8/10 · 6 May 2001]

I finally got to see "Caught On A Train" last night on BBC2 having heard a considerable amount of positive views about it over the years. It's a wonderful piece of film-making; detailing the events of a train journey from B to A featuring a number of fanciful characters. Peggy Ashcroft plays the part of a grand Austrian dame who still imagines that she has a troupe of servants around her. She hasn't and Peter (A youthful Michael Kitchen) fills that role with hostility, reluctance and almost submission.

The film concentrates on the relationship between those two while simultaneously introducing a number of peripheral characters:- the cold, austere American girl Lorraine whom Peter fancies but who hates everything about Europe; the irritating know-it-all Preston and a hideous fat man who has a carriage all to himself with a variety of electrical goods. A rather manic youth features sporadically too.

Peter scorns Frau Messner and her demanding ways initially but gradually begins to submit to her iron will. In many ways he is like her. The ending is surprising and quite moving....

"Caught On A Train" is a superb piece of television drama that is almost flawless throughout. Highly recommended

9/10

A landmark in British television

[MOscarbradley · 9/10 · 17 May 2007]

Stephen Poliakoff's wonderfully dark and darkly comic "Caught on a Train" could just have easily been written by Kafka as Michael Kitchen's Joseph K-like young Englishman finds his train journey across Europe turning into something of a nightmare after meeting a supercilious, interfering old German lady who is the ultimate passenger from hell. Poliakoff uses these two characters to contrast the old and the new Europe. Ashcroft's aristocratic old Nazi may be symptomatic of a nightmarish dying breed but it is she who has the strength; her kind may have died out but she is a survivor while Kitchen's facile young go-getter 'just doesn't care' as Ashcroft's Frau Messner says. He typifies a divided and largely inconsequential modern Europe.

In these roles both Michael Kitchen and Peggy Ashcroft are superb. Ashcroft's performance here is a legendary piece of television acting and Poliakoff's play, (it is beautifully directed by Peter Duffel), a landmark in British television drama. Ashcroft may be the instigator of all Kitchen's troubles but almost everyone he meets adds to them in some way; his attempt to pick up a beautiful American girl is rebuked by her denunciation of virtually everyone she has met since crossing the Atlantic. Nor is the hint of violence very far away, (Kitchen is finally driven to lift his hand to the old lady). Yes, this is sublime and disquieting stuff. Poliakoff may have borrowed from Kafka but his vision remains truly his own.

Darn near faultless

[johnrowb · 10/10 · 14 January 2007]

Since it's first showing, I have seen this film about five times over the intervening years, just yesterday acquiring the DVD. It's a 'must-see' classic piece of television drama (but very much a 'filmic' experience). The quality of the writing, acting and direction are pretty much near faultless. Watch, appreciate, and don't let anyone disturb you for its 80 minutes running time. Ban all talking in the room if you are watching it with others.

And now, some fill-in to make this review 10 lines in length (why does IMDb insist on a minimum of 10 lines for a review?). With such a requirement, one has to waffle if one does not wish to go on at length and encapsulate one's feelings about the film in question in a mini-review. IMDb, please alter this ridiculous requirement of 10 lines minimum personal reviews. Short and succinct and "to the point" should be the order of the day. Many noteworthy film review books (not Halliwell's by the way) have four or five line length film reviews, and that does not in any way detract from their readability or opinion or contribution.

British television drama at its best

[Chris-39 · 10/10 · 6 May 2001]

A repeat viewing over twenty years after its original broadcast has done nothing to diminish the power of this drama. It is still as fresh today. The care and attention to detail of the writing, direction and acting are seldom matched today and this is still a gols standard against which other productions should be judged. Nobody can forget the superb portrayal of the indomitable Frau Messner by the late Dame Peggy Ashcroft, and I am sure, like poor Peter, we have all met such a person at some time in our life.

Excellent!

[markbickerton · 10/10 · 4 February 2007]

I saw this for the first time when I was about 13 and the memory of it, and my reaction to it, have remained with me ever since. The interplay between the characters is excellent, and the sense of blurred boundary between 'normal' and 'odd' is excellent.

Frau Messner is engaging and hypnotic. You can see how he gets pulled into her slightly disturbed world.

A film that on the surface is just about people making polite conversation on a train journey turns into a statement on the lonely emptiness of life, of the desperation of people for human company, and of the strangeness of ordinary people.

Perhaps the best TV-film I've ever seen!

[colorfulbeard · 8 September 2003]

I can't remember exactly when did I see the drama, maybe when I was in junior high school or so. To tell the truth, I was too young to understand the plot and it's meanings at the time, but, I was moved indeed! And I remembered the name "Caught on the train" when the movie was over. Since then I tried many times to find out more about it, it's incredible that I could remember a moive's name for so long, I never did so with other movies!!!

Superb - an old favorite which still holds up

[Cassiel · 9/10 · 11 October 2023]

I first saw this movie on television in the States in the early 1990's and loved it. Then I saw it again when the DVD was released around 2004. Finally, I've seen it yet again in 2023 and this film holds up. It remains just as good as I've remembered it on previous occasions.

The plot details can be read elsewhere, but a big part of the appeal of the film to me has to be the late night atmosphere it captures while traveling. Mike Westbrook's excellent jazzy (and at times, avant-garde) soundtrack certainly further adds to that. Indeed, I think that the atmosphere of this film is perhaps even more important than the plot itself.

Beyond any of that, the film does a fine job of capturing the international flavor of what it's like to travel in European train compartments while crossing borders in early 80's Europe.

I expect that I will continue to love this film when I see it again in the years to come.

Caught Between Two Minds

[ian_harris · 6/10 · 11 March 2003]

I'm a great fan of Poliakoff's work. I had also been looking forward enormously to seeing this film - I am a great admirer of Peggy Ashcroft's work etc. etc.

Well it didn't really work for me. I know that it is loosely based on Poliakoff's own experience and I know that he thrives on unexpected behaviours - nevertheless Peter's behaviours given that he really didn't like the Alte Frau are so implausible as to be irritating.

Some scenes work - the scene when the American girl confesses that she hates Europe and all Europeans is terrific drama. The final scene between Michael Kitchen and Peggy Ashcroft is first rate.

This piece is a little like the UK rail system - the waits are too long and the journeys should be faster, but where it works it works great.

A fabulous drama.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 12 April 2020]

Absolutely perfect. A drama that has it all, a captivating narrative, brilliant acting, and a snapshot of culture that is quite amazing. We see the former rich, the new rich, the thugs and hooligans, all clashing on a train.

Stephen Poliakoff is a genius, whatever he touches is golden, this certainly was, what a journey for Peter, it could have all been so simple had be been allocated a different compartment, instead he meets Frau Messner, a relic from the past. The tension, annoyance and subsequent understanding between the pair is a joy to watch.

If ever there was a time for The BBC to make the BBC2 screenhouse dramas commercially available it is now. I'm not sure others are up to this standard, but wouldn't it be great to find out.

Quality drama never dates, 10/10

Caught on a Train - Characters in search of an End

[inquiryworks · 7/10 · 3 October 2007]

Excellent character study, with, as one of the other writers helped me understand, really no plot at all. That would be OK if it wasn't studying several really annoying people. Michael Kitchen was excellent, showing in his face and actions changing feelings of guilt, lust, self-importance, etc., but seldom happiness. Dame Peggy Ashcroft never left character, lifting one veil of imperceptible change, only to return to the imperious, impossible aristocrat riding in 2nd class.

I read a review before I saw this, that the young American girl had some important activity at the end. Can anyone explain where she went? Did I doze off? Although I liked the acting, I would have been exhausted and annoyed with such a trip and such partners, and so breadth and strength of nature would have been difficult for me also...

Magnificent!

[garethcrook · 9/10 · 31 July 2020]

An old favourite, but one I've not seen in years. Peter (Michael Kitchen) is Caught on a train in Stephen Poliakoff's comedic drama. Travelling across Europe, he finds himself in a carriage with the irritating Frau Messner (Peggy Ashcroft), the busy-body Preston (Michael Sheard), the fairly indifferent Kellner and the lovely Lorraine (Wendy Raebeck). It's going to be a long journey. Not helped at all by a group of excitable young Germans and a load of football fans. It's the Frau Messner show though, Ashcroft is magnificent, she grates on Peter from the off, wanting his seat, not letting him smoke, stifling his attempts to chat up Lorraine. It's a beautiful piece of slow searing tension, scored with some lovely jazz interludes. I have to say intercontinental train travel in the late 70s looks like hell, but it does provide a wonderful setting for this. Peter has nowhere to escape. The corridor, the dining car, Frau Messner always seems to be there. Her aristocratic rudeness needling at Peter's British reserve. A stop off in Frankfurt sees the unlikely pairing head off to the Opera for cake, it's a nice respite from the train and an opportunity for Peter to get to know Messner better, including her Nazi affiliations and wartime stories. Back on the train, he's spurned by Lorraine, hassled in the sleeping car and arrested by German police for having muddy trousers! "This journey is turning into an assault course". The arrest is quite terrifying as he's marched off the train in the snow, half dressed, looking for an unlikely ally. We know where Peter's headed, but it's really not important. The journey really is more enjoyable than the destination and for 80 near perfect minutes I'm transported effortlessly.

Good in parts

[fortean2 · 6/10 · 25 September 2007]

I'm of the same line of thinking as Ian Harris - basically this is good in parts with some very fine performances and some mesmerising exchanges, but the story as a whole left me somewhat cold.

Poliakoff I think is a rather acquired taste and it most definitely not a writer who you can come into cold. He seems to get rather stuck into the events but you end up finding that there is little or no story.

Generally speaking this train doesn't really go anywhere and is firmly stuck in the station - it's a rather dull experience in between the interesting exchanges between Ashcroft's and Kitchen's characters.

A pity as I had hoped that I would enjoy this.

Loved this movie. It really sneaked up on me and I loved the ending most of all.

[blomba · 8 February 2000]

Such a great study of human relationships in a humorous and touching way. Great pathos. I saw this movie about 2 years ago on American television during the day. It captivated me and I have been trying to find out more about it ever since. I even came to London last year (not to search for the film) and hoped to find someone who might know of it. But I didn't even know the title! I just found out through a television host of daytime movies here in California. I really need to see it again so I can remember more. It's been a long time but I have never forgotten the impact it had on me. I particularly loved the relationship between Peter and Frau Messner at the end. I absolutely loved it! Anybody else?

European Trains

[doxazo · 10/10 · 11 March 2015]

Having worked on European Trains for a year, let me say that this film is extremely true to life. As for Peggy Ashcroft, she does an outstanding job playing a German Lady, (perhaps from Old Berlin). I say outstanding because I believe in fact that she is English. Michael Kitchen is a breath of fresh air. I'd assumed that Christopher Foyle was a result of years of experience but it seems that Michael Kitchen was gifted to be a major talent from a very young age. The American Girl, Wendy Raebeck, leaves the film a bit too early for my taste. However she is quite realistic with her disdain for everything European. If you've ever ridden any train, even here in No America, you will immediately identify with these folks in the film. Now I'm always apprehensive whenever the critics promote a film as a "must see." However in this case the "must see" is right on. While all the trains I worked on were a bit more civilized than the one in the film I must recommend that you purchase your ticket including "Essenskarte" (meal ticket), asap. The train is just ready to depart. I Cr 13:8a, Love never fails !