Some stories lend itself well to numerous film adaptations over the years; case in point: Harry Hervey’s little-known – yet ultimately most consequential for his career – Sky Over China. Paramount Pictures filmed that story three times, but not in its original title. The first adaptation was the expressionistic Pre-Code Marlene Dietrich vehicle Shanghai Express (1932), the second was the WWII adventure Night Plane from Chungking (1943), and the third – and last adaptation to date – was the Hal B. Wallis produced and William Dieterle directed noir-tinged Peking Express. Kino has licensed the third adaptation of Hervey’s oft-filmed story for its home video debut.
The Production: 3.5/5
When a shipment of medical supplies goes missing in Communist China, Dr. Michael Bachlin (Joseph Cotten) of the World Health Organization is sent to Shanghai to investigate. Boarding the titular express train to treat a high ranking general in the capital city of Peking, Michael encounters Father Joseph Murray (Edmund Gwenn), a mysterious businessman named Kwon (Marvin Miller) and Danielle Grenier (Corinne Calvet), a nightclub singer who was once Michael’s lover. However, the route to Peking is blocked off by armed forces and Kwon reveals his true nature: he’s a black-market dealer who’s been stealing the medical supplies that Michael has been trying to recover. But when Kwon also sets his eyes on Danielle as well, he may have just sealed his own fate!
The third adaptation of the Harry Hervey story – and the Jules Furthman screen treatment – Peking Express not only hems to its roots but is also a product of its era. Updated by John Meredyth Lucas, the script takes advantage of the – at the time – newly emerging geopolitical hot spot of China in the Cold War to give the story a timely relevance; there have been claims (most notably by The New York Times prior to the film’s release) that the movie was filmed in China, but given the tensions between the US and China, it’s more likely that stock footage was used and the Paramount backlots filled in for China. However, that lack of location access proved to be the film’s biggest asset, as the movie boasts solid production values all around; the contributions of legendary cinematographer Charles Lang, production designers Hal Pereira (the successor to the legendary Hans Dreier as Paramount’s chief production designer) and Franz Bachelin, costume designer Edith Head and composer Dimitri Tiomkin are huge pluses in creating atmosphere and elegance to the proceedings. Finally, under the direction of William Dieterle, the plot moves along at a nice clip, allowing for both character development as well as sustained tension. While it falls under the shadow of its more well-known predecessor Shanghai Express, Peking Express is still a solid remake and a decent spin on the story into noir territory.
One of the best actors to have never won – or been nominated – for an Oscar, Joseph Cotten makes for a solid lead as Dr. Bachlin; this film also reunited Cotten with director Dieterle for the fourth time (fifth if you include Dieterle’s uncredited contributions on Duel in the Sun). Brought over from France by Paramount in an attempt to find the same success they had with Marlene Dietrich in the 1930’s, Corinne Calvet is decent but still pales in comparison to Dietrich in the same role that was a signature for Dietrich; following several more films that didn’t really give her a chance to break out of the typecast sultry image (save for Anthony Mann’s The Far Country), she returned to Europe in 1955. Fresh off of his second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor with Mister 880 (1950) – having already been anointed with the award for his memorable portrayal of Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – Edmund Gwenn lends solid support as Father Joseph Murray; Marvin Miller – whose deep baritone voice made him a perfect narrator and voice-over actor in this era – solidly steps into the villainous role of Kwon. Rounding out the cast here are Benson Fong as the reporter Wong, Soo Yong as Kwon’s wife Li Eiu, Robert W. Lee as Kwon’s son, Gregory Gaye as Stanislaus, an uncredited Victor Sen Yung as a Chinese captain and an uncredited Hom Wing Gim as a mess boy.
Video: 4.5/5
3D Rating: NA
The film is presented in its original 1:37:1 aspect ratio, taken from a brand new HD transfer taken from a 4K scan of the 35mm camera fine grain done by Paramount Pictures. Film grain, gray scale and fine details appear to be faithfully represented with only minimal cases of scratches, tears and dirt present; these issues are more apparent in scenes where stock footage is utilized. Overall, this release is likely the best the movie will ever look on home video.
Audio: 5/5
The film’s original mono soundtrack is presented on a DTS-HD Master Audio track for this release. Dialogue, sound mix and Dimitri Tiomkin’s music score are all faithfully presented with only minor instances of crackling, flutter, hissing, popping, clicking or distortion present. Again, this release is likely the best the movie will ever sound on home video.
Special Features: 3/5
Commentary by film historian Eddy von Mueller –Â Recorded for this release, von Mueller talks about the film’s production, the story’s previous cinematic incarnations and where this version fits in the intersection between American culture and Hollywood at the time of this film’s release.
Bonus KLSC Trailers –Â Detective Story, The Turning Point, Lady on a Train, I’ll Be Seeing You, Portrait of Jennie & Under Capricorn
Overall: 4/5
Having fallen through the cracks over the years, Peking Express is a nicely done and handsomely produced movie from a well-worn story that’s worth rediscovery. Kino’s new Blu-ray release should aid in said reappraisal with a solid HD transfer and an informative commentary track as a special feature. Highly recommended.
Peking Express
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Mychal has been on the Home Theater Forum’s reviewing staff since 2018, with reviews numbering close to 300. During this time, he has also been working as an assistant manager at The Cotton Patch – his family’s fabric and quilting supplies business in Keizer, Oregon. When not working at reviewing movies or working at the family business, he enjoys exploring the Oregon Coast, playing video games and watching baseball in addition to his expansive collection of movies on DVD, Blu-ray and UHD, totalling over 3,000 movies.
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