Rome Express is a film made in 1932. It was directed by Walter Forde and written by Sidney Gilliat and Clifford Grey.
Cast
Plot
The film's action takes place almost entirely on a train travelling between Paris and Rome.
Before the journey starts, a valuable painting by Van Dyck has been stolen from an art gallery in Paris.
Zurta, a mysterious and sinister character, boards the train with an accomplice, searching for the stolen painting which he believes to be in the possession of Poole. Poole attempts to avoid being found by hiding in his sleeping compartment.
As Zurta searches for the painting, he is soon involved with several other travellers, including an adulterous couple, an English golf-bore, a wealthy but tight-fisted businessman and his brow-beaten secretary/valet, a French police officer and an American film star with her manager/publicist.
The painting is discovered by accident and passes through the hands of several people on the train, but when Zurta kills Poole, he is eventually confronted by the police inspector. In an attempt to escape, he leaps from the train and presumably killed. The painting is presumed to be returned to the owners.
Back story
Like the post-war remake of this film, Sleeping Car to Trieste, details of the 'back story' of the film are few. Zurta are assumed to be a professional criminal who organised the art theft. MacBain also covets the painting and has previously attempted to buy it.
External links
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