Sleepers West

1941

1h 14m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

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Crime

Mystery

Private eye Mike Shayne encounters a large amount of trouble while attempting to guard a murder witness.

Directors

Eugene Forde

Writers

Frederick Nebel(novel by)

Stanley Rauh(screenplay by)

Lou Breslow(screenplay by)

Stars

Lloyd Nolan

Lynn Bari

Mary Beth Hughes

See production, box office & company info

Top cast

Michael Shayne

Kay Bentley

Helen Carlson

Everett Jason

George Trautwein

Carl Izzard

Lender Jones, a Porter

McGowan, a Engineer

Brakeman (uncredited)

Sam McDaniel

Porter (uncredited)

Directors

Eugene Forde

Writers

Frederick Nebel(novel by)

Stanley Rauh(screenplay by)

Lou Breslow(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

"Long Distance? I need to place a call to the Denver Tribune... In Denver, yes..." Veteran P.I. “Shayne" (Lloyd Nolan) is escorting "Helen" (Mary Beth Hughes) on a train journey so she can give vital evidence that might acquit "Callaghan" of murder charges. Needless to say, she's a bit nervous and when she meets "Everett" (Louis Jean Heydt) and explains the purpose of their journey, he plants seeds of doubt in her mind and "Shayne" is now facing quite a task keeping her on message. Add to his woes the suspicious journalist "Kay" (Lynn Bari) who is also travelling and, well, it's all going to get a bit messy. The conclusion is all a bit rushed, but the scenes with Nolan and Bari are usually quite sparky as they spat and outmanoeuvre each other both on and off their train. Trains always make for a good conduit for crime-noirs and here, as it rattles along, we get a sense of a slightly claustrophobic menace building with other passengers equally determined that "Helen" will keep her trap shut. Permanently! It's not the most memorable of films and is just a bit on the long side, but it does move along entertainingly enough and passes the time ok.

Geronimo196706 Dec, 2023