Narrow Margin

A remake of a thriller set on a train. Carol witnesses the murder of a man she met at dinner in Los Angeles. She runs and hides in a cabin in Canada. Prosecutor Robert Caulfield finds her and persuades her to testify. But on the way back they are followed, and the only way out is to board a train. What follows is confined-space suspense: the train pulls out, the killers are aboard, and they do not know Carol's face. Caulfield tries to hide her and every encounter is dangerous. The film is a remake of a 1952 production. The core idea is the same, but landscape enters here: exteriors shot through the Canadian Rockies and sequences on the roof of the train were added. The strength is in the space: narrow corridors, adjoining compartments and nowhere to run. Gene Hackman plays Caulfield and Anne Archer plays Carol. Peter Hyams directed and also photographed it. A solid example for anyone who likes thrillers and confined-space storytelling. For someone who has seen the original, this version is longer and showier.