IMDb > The Great Train Robbery (1903)

The Great Train Robbery (1903) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   3,349 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Great Train Robbery on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 December 1903 (USA) more
Genre:
Short | Crime | Western more
Plot:
A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
1 win more
NewsDesk:
[DVD Review] Come Hell or High Water
 (From JustPressPlay. 7 April 2009, 4:50 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
It's Easy To See How It Got Its Reputation more (52 total)

Cast

  (Cast)
A.C. Abadie ... Sheriff (uncredited)
Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson ... Bandit / Shot Passenger / Tenderfoot Dancer (uncredited)
George Barnes ... (uncredited)
Justus D. Barnes ... Bandit Who Fires at Camera (uncredited)
Walter Cameron ... Sheriff (uncredited)
John Manus Dougherty Sr. ... Fourth Bandit (uncredited)

Donald Gallaher ... Little Boy (uncredited)
Frank Hanaway ... Bandit (uncredited)
Adam Charles Hayman ... Bandit (uncredited)
Morgan Jones ... (uncredited)
Tom London ... Extra (uncredited)
Marie Murray ... Dance-Hall Dancer (uncredited)
Mary Snow ... Little Girl (uncredited)
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
11 min (18 fps) (TCM print)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White (hand-colored)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Silent
Certification:
USA:TV-G (TV rating)
Filming Locations:
Dover, New Jersey, USA more
Company:
Edison Manufacturing Company more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The final shot of a gun being fired toward the camera had a profound effect on audiences. As cinema was in its infancy, many people who saw the film thought that they were actually about to be shot. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the bandits rob the train and drive away with the engine it is on the right rail-track. When they stop to proceed on horseback the train is on the left. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "I Love Lucy: The Great Train Robbery (#5.5)" (1955) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
22 out of 23 people found the following comment useful.
It's Easy To See How It Got Its Reputation, 11 April 2002
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

It's easy to see why this was such a sensation in 1903, and why today it is still considered to be an icon in movie history. You can enjoy this either as a historical landmark for its use of such a variety of then-new skills, or you can simply watch it for the story. To be sure, the plot is of a now-familiar type, but this is what so many other movies have imitated over the years.

The story-telling is very good, and it is almost not even necessary to add 'for its time', because much of it still holds up quite well. It tells an action-packed story with plenty of detail, and it uses a good variety of effective techniques to increase the excitement, suspense, and realism. From the motion effects in the scenes inside the train, to the occasional use of color tinting, to the use of outdoor scenes, almost everything works nicely. There are only a few occasions when can you tell that it is almost a century old. There are even things like some basic cross-cutting and a pretty good panning shot. There is plenty to see, and it's worth watching more than once to see what else you can notice.

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