Reading and writing about Frederick Nebel's first novel Sleepers East last week reminded me of still another movie I've never seen. And this is it - the no doubt tortured and twisted Hollywood adaptation of the story - Sleepers West.
The movie stars Lloyd Nolan, in his second of seven appearances as Michael Shayne, so it's pretty obvious that he - a private detective - is the hero of the piece. The twisted thing about this is that in the book, the private detective, appropriately named Izzard, is the only true villain. While the other eleven main characters are motivated by some small sense of honor, Izzard is ready and willing to become (if he isn't already) a cold blooded killer. Of an innocent woman, no less.
I'd also like to see this film for personal reasons. My grandfather was an engineer for the Northern Pacific, and my father was a brakeman, conductor, trainmaster and assistant superintendent. Me, I took a lot of trips from one end of the line to the other, usually riding in sleeper cars just like the one described in the book. I even worked for the NP (and later the BN) myself, doing vacation relief stints in a variety of menial positions. Guess I still have a little railroading in my blood.
But don't forget. It's really . . .
More Overlooked Films, as always, at SWEET FREEDOM.
I think, Evan, that you are still our primary exponent of films one hasn't seen but wants to, rather than films one has seen. But it definitely argues for their overlooked status...
ReplyDeleteI remember Lloyd Nolan movies from when I was a boy but never knew he'd done a detective series. Both the poster and the book cover are excellent. The number of railroad novels in the early western novels I'm reading was surprising to me. I've covered a lot of miles on fictional trains.
ReplyDeleteSleepers West is available in the 4-film Michael Shayne Mysteries DVD box set. All Nolan films, nicely restored, with new box art by Robert McGinnis and a bonus feature on his Mike Shayne covers for Dell.
ReplyDeleteArt Scott
My grandfather was a conductor on the New York Central System. I like trains, too.
ReplyDelete