Plots(1)
The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. (They) take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (4)
Why they keep on making movies about the Great Train Robbery I don’t know. It’s just regurgitating the same old story with slight variations over and over. Porter rammed absolutely, and I mean absolutely everything that the viewer might wish to see into these very few minutes of footage. If you could only watch one movie in your life, this is the one to watch. Of course, by far it isn’t the best, but it is the pure essence of cinema as such. And I say that without my tongue in my cheek and without any irony.
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Everything I love about westerns, crime, action and adventure films was already there 110 years ago. And it was very good. I was surprised by the rough scene on the locomotive, where I didn't notice the editing trick at first, and I was actually surprised by how rough the whole thing was.
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The first western, 107 years ago, must have taken many viewers' breath away. Sometimes the problem with silent films is that you don't really know what they're about - good thing there's such a thing as content :-) ... Well, the story is interesting and since it lasts just over ten minutes, it doesn't get boring. I would have a big complaint about the colour intrusions during the film, they really hurt my eyes. On the other hand, with such a budget it's better than some of the current dreck.
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Let's look a little further back in history at a film that is now 110 years old. It's a beautiful age. I hope to live to be that old. The almost sacred music will immediately put you into the action. Nothing was spared here. A group of men ambushes a railway employee to secure clear space for robbing the train. He will arrive shortly and depart with black passengers as well. Straight to the point again. The theatrical acting is amazing, and it's coupled with believable action. It seems like one of those videos where a long movie is condensed into a few minutes, but here you have action, tension, and drama, all combined in a way that really works. The beginning of the film is beautiful.
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