Film: The Cassandra Crossing

Today, I was thinking of film again - Mubi's highest rated offering is still I Vitelloni. But I have to compliment the tv schedulers - the listings today were excellent! In particular, my afternoon was mostly occupied by The Thorn Birds, which they're showing weekly, starting today. Always worth a look.

Tonight's film - also on tv - was The Cassandra Crossing. A couple of activists break into an American medical research institute in Geneva. In the ensuing gunfight, they are exposed to a virus (v topical). One is captured, and soon dies - the other makes it onto an international express train. Once the military - who never thought to mention to anyone that they were storing a deadly virus - find out, they deny permission to let anyone off, and divert the train - using the Cassandra Crossing - towards an isolation camp in Poland.

So - for a start, it ain't actually a virus: but then, it was the tv schedule that said it was. They probably have viruses on the brain. Nope, this is, apparently, pneumonic plague. (This is the most contagious kind and kills the fastest, which is probably why they used it for the film.) And if that's what it is, then they're incorrect in observing a dog that has contracted it. Apparently, this is the one type of plague that dogs actually don't tend to get. (I looked it up.) But what the hey.

Packed with stars, this - but much better than the other star-packed train film I saw recently, Murder on the Orient Express. Burt Lancaster is the colonel, directing operations from Geneva. Onboard, we have Richard Harris as an internationally renowned doctor - apparently the only doctor on the train, of all the 1,000 passengers. And isn't it handy that he hasn't forgotten his GP skills, despite being a neurosurgeon in his day job! His ex-wife, Sophia Loren, is also there. Ava Gardner is a passenger, accompanied by her toyboy, Martin Sheen! Almost didn't recognise him, with the long hair. Lee Strasberg does a nice turn as the camp survivor, who has terrible flashbacks when they stop the train at a remote location, to nail shutters on the windows. And yes, that is O. J. Simpson, as the wisecracking priest.

Very stylish, good plot development, very watchable. Nice little digs at the Americans for storing deadly compounds on foreign soil without mentioning it to anyone, and at the military for being more concerned with the news leaking out than with the welfare of the passengers. Dunno about their theory of how it can be treated, or indeed what the logic is of how the passengers try to stop the train - but never mind, just trust the main actors, you'll sail through. Enjoyed this film.

London Literary Walks' music quiz is still running.. haven't yet done the latest round of questions, I must get around to it! He's just mailing us the questions now, can't schedule as a new event unless he organises it on a video-sharing platform, apparently. Rules of Meetup.

And on Saturday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for - ooh! Matthew Bourne's production of The Nutcracker! Wow, delighted - I love Matthew Bourne, and haven't seen this. And hopefully, the audio issues from yesterday will be sorted! That doesn't usually happen.