''Paradise Express'' is a 1937 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Joseph Kane Jasper Joseph Inman Kane (March 19, 1894, San Diego – August 25, 1975, Santa Monica, California) was an American film director, film producer, film editor and screenwriter. He is best known for his extensive directorship and focus on Western f ...

Plot summary

The Moon Valley Railroad is losing money to the Armstrong Trucking Company, which is owned by gangsters. When the railroad goes into receivership, it is forced to lay off several people. The president of the railroad, Jed Carson, has acquired a hatred for the new receiver, Lawrence 'Larry' Doyle. His granddaughter, Kay Carson, also does not like Doyle. After getting himself acquainted with both Jed Carson and Kay Carson, Doyle goes and wins back some business. Kay starts to take a liking to Doyle, but her grandfather still hates him. When the new customer's freight is damaged, Doyle knows it is the Armstrong Trucking Company. After talking to Doyle, it is revealed that the owner of Armstrong Trucking, Mr. Armstrong, had Doyle appointed as the receiver, thinking it would benefit him. However, Doyle has no plans to help the Armstrong Trucking Company. Now that the railroad has won some business back, it must work on its speed, to attract more business. Doyle asks a former railroad employee to run a fast freight to beat the trucking company's schedule. When the train is mysteriously wrecked, the town blames Doyle. However, Jed Carson does research and finds that the wreck was not Doyle's fault, and reveals it to the people of the town. Before the wreck occurred, the train beat the trucking company's schedule. When the trucking company challenges the railroad to a race for a contract, the railroad starts to win, but when the train stops for water, they find out that the water tower has been vandalized by the trucking Company. Without water for the tender, the locomotive cannot run, However, Doyle thinks up the idea to cut up the ice in the refrigerator cars, and pass it to the tender. Soon, the locomotive Is running, and after a Close call at a railroad crossing, the Train rolls into paradise. Armstrong and his henchmen are convicted when one of the trucking company's employees writes a confession. The film ends with Kay embracing Doyle, for she has fallen for him.

Cast

Grant Withers Granville Gustavus Withers (January 17, 1905 – March 27, 1959) was an American film actor who acted under the screen name Grant Withers. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into sound films, establishing himself with a lis ...

as Lawrence 'Larry' Doyle *

Dorothy Appleby Dorothy Appleby (January 6, 1906 – August 9, 1990) was an American film actress. She appeared in over 50 films between 1931 and 1943. Career Appleby gained early acting experience as an understudy and a chorus member in plays in New Yor ...

as Kay Carson *

Arthur Hoyt Arthur Hoyt (March 19, 1874 – January 4, 1953) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34-year film career, about a third of them silent films. Career Born in Georgetown, Colorado, in 1874, Hoyt mad ...

as Phineas K. Trotter *

Maude Eburne Maude Eburne (born Maud Eburne Riggs, November 10, 1875 – October 15, 1960) was a Canadian character actress of stage and screen, known for playing eccentric roles. Early years Eburne was born the daughter of John and Mary Riggs, in Bront ...

as Maggie Casey *

Harry Davenport Harry Davenport may refer to: * Harry Davenport (actor) (1866–1949), American film and stage actor * Harry Davenport (footballer) (1900–1984), Australian footballer * Harry J. Davenport (1902–1977), Democratic Party member of the U.S. House ...

as Jed Carson * Donald Kirke as Armstrong * Arthur Loft as Glover *

Lew Kelly Lew Kelly (August 24, 1879 – June 10, 1944) was an American stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1928 and 1944. He was born Louis Kelly in St. Louis, Missouri, and died in Los Angeles, California. Selected ...

as Tom Wilson *Anthony Pawley as Stymie *

Fern Emmett Fern Emmett (March 22, 1896 – September 3, 1946) was an American film actress. She appeared in 212 films between 1930 and 1946. Emmett's film debut came with Universal in a two-reel production in 1914. Personal life Emmett was married to ...

as Landlady *John Holland as Gus *Robert McClung as Harmonica Player * Bruce Mitchell as Train Conductor *

Guy Wilkerson Guy Owen Wilkerson (December 21, 1899 – July 15, 1971) was an American actor, known primarily for his roles in Western B movies, who with his tall, lanky frame, he often played sidekick or comedy relief parts. Biography Wilkseron was ...

as Skinny Smith *

George Cleveland George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954. Career Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...

as Farmer Beasley *

Ralph McCullough Ralph McCullough (1895–1943) was an American film actor of the silent era who occasionally played male leads as well as more numerous supporting roles. Later in his career he mostly appeared in smaller, often uncredited, roles in the sound er ...

as Dispatcher * William L. Thorne as Farmer at meeting

Soundtrack

External links

* * * 1937 films 1937 drama films American black-and-white films Republic Pictures films American drama films Films produced by Nat Levine Films directed by Joseph Kane 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub