Thursday Afternoon Film Series @ Williamsburg Library Theatre October 2, 2008

In October the Thursday Afternoon Film Series will be riding the rails for All Aboard! month with a host of movies set on board trains. The films will be shown in the Williamsburg Library Theatre, 515 Scotland Street. They are free of charge and tickets or reservations are not required. Call the Adult Services Department at (757) 259-4050 for more information.

October 2 The Lady Vanishes (1938, 2:00-3:45)
Just before the Second World War, a sweet little old lady disappears from a moving train en route to England. Her younger friend investigates and uncovers a mystery with international ramifications. This wonderful comic thriller was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and stars Dame May Whitty, Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave.

October 9 The Narrow Margin (1952, 2:00-3:15)
A hard-nosed cop must protect a tough gun moll from hired killers on board a train from Chicago to Los Angeles in this exciting film noir. Although the studio considered this a B film the script was nominated for an Academy Award and the director Richard Fleischer and stars, Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor, all do great work.

(Special Wednesday Screening)
October 15 Murder on the Orient Express (1974, 2:00-4:15, Rated PG)
Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) investigates the murder of a much hated businessman (Richard Widmark) while traveling on the Orient Express to Istanbul. The suspects are played by an all-star cast that includes Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman. Vanessa Redgrave, and Sir John Gielgud. Sidney Lumet directed this classy whodunit.

October 23 Twentieth Century (1934, 2:00-3:40)
Bedlam reigns on board the Twentieth Century Limited as an egomaniacal Broadway producer attempts to salvage his floundering career by conning a temperamental actress into appearing in his next dreadful production. This wild screwball comedy was written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, directed by Howard Hawks and features some hilarious hammy acting by John Barrymore and Carole Lombard.

October 30 The Train (1965, 2:00-4:15)
At the end of the Second World War, a German officer (Paul Scofield) commandeers a train to steal a collection of French art masterpieces. A train engineer, and member of the French Resistance (Burt Lancaster), conceives an elaborate and highly dangerous plan to prevent this from happening. This tough action film from director John Frankenheimer is loosely based on an actual incident.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of programs.