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Sleepers West

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Wikipedia article




'Sleepers West' is a 1941 drama film directed by Eugene Forde and starring Lloyd Nolan and Lynn Bari.

This second entry in 20th Century-Fox's 'Michael Shayne' series was a remake of the 1934 Fox romantic drama 'Sleepers East' from the novel 'Sleepers East' (1933) by Frederick Nebel. The film 'Michael Shayne - Private Detective' (1940) was the first in a series of 12 films. Lloyd Nolan starred as Shayne until the series was dropped by Twentieth Century-Fox and picked up by PRC. In the PRC series, Hugh Beaumont played Shayne.

Plot summary



On a fateful weekend, private detective Michael Shayne (Lloyd Nolan) secretly escorts murder-trial witness Helen Carlson (Mary Beth Hughes) by train from Denver to San Francisco. Helen's testimony will free a man falsely accused of murder. His acquittal will also effectively destroy the election chances of a crooked politician. By coincidence, Shayne is shadowed by his ex-fiancee, Denver newspaper reporter Kay Bentley (Lynn Bari). Furthermore, it so happens Kay is not just sniffing out a story. She is now engaged to marry Tom Linscott (Don Douglas), an associate of that above-mentioned politician. Thus, he accompanies Kay on the train ride to locate witness Helen Carlsonbut for different reasons.

Eventually, Kay discovers Linscott's duplicitous, self-serving intentions and breaks her engagement. This clears the way for Kay and Shayne to unite in order to save Helen from harm. At one point, their train is involved in a wreck. This results in Kay, Shayne, Helen, and a runaway husband, Everett Jason (Louis Jean Heydt), taking a taxicab the rest of the way to Frisco. During a stopover at a farm, tension mounts between Kay and Shayne when the intrepid girl reporter phones in a story to her editor back in Denver. Shayne angrily reminds Kay that an innocent man's life is at stake, and any publicity of Helen's whereabouts might keep her from testifying.

The trial resumes the next morning in a San Francisco courtroom. At first, Helen Carlson is not there. However, she appears at the last second, just in the nick of time to present her life-saving testimony. Thanks to her, not to mention Michael Shayne and Kay Bentley, an innocent man is freed.

Cast



* Lloyd Nolan as Michael Shayne

* Lynn Bari as Kay Bentley

* Mary Beth Hughes as Helen Carlson

* Louis Jean Heydt as Everett Jason

* Edward Brophy as George Trautwein

* Don Costello as Carl Izzard

* Ben Carter as Leander Jones - Porter

* Don Douglas as Tom Linscott

* Oscar O'Shea as Engineer McGowan

* Harry Hayden as Conductor Lyons

* Hamilton MacFadden as Conductor Meyers

* Ferike Boros as Farm Lady

Production



The film was based on the novel 'Sleepers East' which was published in 1933. The 'New York Times' said "though lacking credibility as to plot, the story has full measure of action, suspense and emotional conflict."Drama on a Train: SLEEPERS EAST. By Frederick Nobel. 283 pp. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. $2. Latest Works of Fiction

New York Times 25 June 1933: BR15.
Film rights were bought by Fox and turned into a 1934 movie.MAY ROBSON SCORES IN PICTURE AT PANTAGES

von Blon, Katherine T. Los Angeles Times 3 March 1934: 7.


In October 1940 it was announced that the novel had been bought by Fox as a vehicle for Lyn Bari and would possibly co-star Dean Jagger. Lou Breslow would adapt the script, with filming to start in December.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: 'Sleepers East,' by Frederick Nebel, Purchased by Fox as Vehicle for Lynn Bari--7 NEW FILMS COMING HERE 'The LongVoyage Home,' 'They Knew What They Wanted' and 'Whirlpool' Included

By DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL New York Times 7 Oct 1940: 21.
Eugene Ford was to direct.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: New York Times 23 Oct 1940: 27.

Fox then announced that the film would be called 'Sleepers West' instead of 'Sleepers East', and that the film would star Bari and Lloyd Nolan instead of Jagger.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: New York Times 25 Oct 1940: 28. It was the third time that Nolan and Bari co-starred.O'Neill Plays Form Basis of 'Voyage Home'

Los Angeles Times 5 Nov 1940: 10.


In November it was announced the film was being reconfigured as a Michael Shayne movie. It would be the second in the series, following 'Michael Shayne, Private Detective'. Filming started 18 November 1940.NEWS OF THE SCREEN: New York Times 20 Nov 1940: 27.

Reception



The 'Monthly Film Bulletin' praised the "polished performances" of the leads, adding that "the direction is brisk, the dialogue amusing, and the settings aboard a train... are realistic."Sleepers West

Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 8, Iss. 85, (Jan 1, 1941): 73.
The 'Los Angeles Times' called it "a lively brew".Lively Film Previewed

G K. Los Angeles Times 14 Mar 1941: A10.


The 'New York Times' called it "singularly unexciting".At the Palace

T.M.P. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]20 Mar 1941: 25.


References




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