Eventuallyequalsalways Review of Murder in the Pullman

Murder in the Pullman (1932)

Portly Edward Arnold has an unfaithful wife

[7/10 · 26 March 2009]

Edward Arnold stars in this mystery gem which packs many details into the 20-minute running time. In the beginning, we see Mr. Arnold as an apparently happy husband planning a harmless train trip with his loving wife. Once on the train, however, we begin to learn all is not as cozy as it initially seemed. The young lady who is the wife of the portly Mr. Arnold has, not one, but two lovers who are also passengers on the train. Furthermore, we learn the wife is strictly into the marriage for the money when she sneaks away from her husband for a quick assignation with one of her lovers, and she proudly shows him the diamond ring recently purchased for her by Mr. Arnold. Looking for her, Mr. Arnold discovers her with the lover. The meeting is casual and apparently harmless. Did Mr. Arnold witness the gleeful conversation which the wife and lover were having? We cannot be certain from what we are shown. Later in the evening, Mr. Arnold leaves his compartment to go to the club car for a drink, and the porter overhears him conversing with his wife. In the club car, we see the train passengers include the great crime detective, Mr. Crabtree and his friend, the Inspector. Their presence will become important in the plot because after only one drink, Mr. Arnold asks the waiter to accompany him back to his sleeping compartment with a second drink. Mr. Arnold enters his compartment and finds his wife, apparently sleeping, on the couch. He attempts to rouse her, but she will not stir. He calls for a doctor and several men, including the Inspector and Mr. Crabtree, quickly respond, but she is beyond help. The doctor quickly determines the lady has been strangled. All of her jewelry is missing. Interrogation of the porter and waiter quickly reveals the lady has other men friends on the train. A search of the bunk of one turns up the jewelry, apparently incriminating evidence of his guilt. But further inspection of the quarters reveals other clues. One murder, three suspects. Will the sleuthing skills of Mr. Crabtree and the Inspector reveal the murderer? In the end, all the clues point to only one conclusion and the guilty man attempts to escape. But on a moving train, how many places can he possibly go? All in all, this little Vitaphone short delivers a powerful and entertaining punch. It is well worth watching.