On S List of Movie Reviews
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Sleepers West (1941)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
2/09
2/09:
After seeing Michael Shayne: Private Detective, I expected
Sleepers West to be better and funnier, but it didn't turn out that way.
Rather, I'm introduced to unlikable characters (and a few of them appear out of nowhere!), hackneyed subplots, and a lot
of uninteresting banter. In other words, not much happens. Then there's the sugarcoated wrap-up before it's finally over.
I don't know if it's just me, but is there hidden racism in some parts? Then again, I'm sure that's a reflection of the
period, but still, it's disappointing. As for films that take place on the train, I've seen better such as
Narrow Margin, Strangers on a Train,
and The Manchurian Candidate.
Whenever I saw Everett "The Stupid Girl Keeps Calling Me Jase" Jason, I was thinking, "Is that Ed Begley's father?
Or perhaps Bill Fagerbakke's?" The silly scene involving an oil tanker stuck on the rail track brings back memories of
Plan 9 from Outer Space.
All in all, Sleepers West is a major departure from the style and humor that made
Michael Shayne: Private Detective distinctive.