During the 1930s, Hollywood had a huge infatuation with British colonialism. Film after film (such as "Wee Willie Winkie", "Gunga Din" and "Lives of a Bengal Lancer") portrayed the Brits as a good, civilizing force on their colonies and the colonials as either evil or subservient lackeys. When seen today, with modern sensibilities, you can't help but be a bit horrified and wonder why American films were promoting imperialism and racism. Well, "Bombay Mail" is yet another one of these films and like the rest, the Brits are mostly Americans with American accents and the natives are mostly folks who seem about as Indian as Chicken Chow Mein!!
This film is set aboard a train. It doesn't show the way the Indians ride (in cramped crappy conditions) but is set on the first- class car. When the Governor is murdered, there are many suspects...and one has a letter on him imploring him to 'stop the man from talking to the governor at ALL costs'...and the authorities conclude that killing the Governor would fall within the instructions of this letter! But soon the viewer sees that there are many folks who would benefit from the man's death and the film is like a typical B-movie whodunnit (such as a Charlie Chan flick) and "Murder on the Orient Express"...minus all the excellent Agatha Christie writing. Investigating all this is Inspector Dyke (Edmund Lowe)...an actor born and raised in California.
If you like B-mysteries, this one will satisfy. It's not exactly a good film but it is entertaining and I always like Lowe's starring roles...even when his accent is all wrong. Otherwise, you might want to pass on this one.
This film is set aboard a train. It doesn't show the way the Indians ride (in cramped crappy conditions) but is set on the first- class car. When the Governor is murdered, there are many suspects...and one has a letter on him imploring him to 'stop the man from talking to the governor at ALL costs'...and the authorities conclude that killing the Governor would fall within the instructions of this letter! But soon the viewer sees that there are many folks who would benefit from the man's death and the film is like a typical B-movie whodunnit (such as a Charlie Chan flick) and "Murder on the Orient Express"...minus all the excellent Agatha Christie writing. Investigating all this is Inspector Dyke (Edmund Lowe)...an actor born and raised in California.
If you like B-mysteries, this one will satisfy. It's not exactly a good film but it is entertaining and I always like Lowe's starring roles...even when his accent is all wrong. Otherwise, you might want to pass on this one.