The Ghost Train (1927) Review: Steam Engines and Silent Drama

If you are looking for something to watch tonight and you don’t mind reading a lot of title cards, The Ghost Train is actually pretty fun. It is mostly for people who like old machinery or Mexican film history, but if you hate slow-moving plots, you should probably skip it.

It’s a silent movie from 1927, so you have to be in the right mood. The story is simple: an engineer named Adolfo comes to town to figure out who is robbing the trains.

He wears this hat that looks a little too big for him. It’s one of those things you can’t stop looking at once you notice it.

While he’s supposed to be working, he falls for Elena, the stationmaster’s daughter. Their romance involves a lot of intense staring and standing very close to each other without saying anything.

The train itself is the real star of the show. I love how much the camera loves the steam and the wheels turning.

It reminds me a bit of the technical vibe in Surging Seas, where the environment feels like a character. But here, the environment is mostly coal dust and iron tracks.

There is a scene where a guy is hanging off the side of the train while it's moving. You can tell they didn’t have safety cables or any of that stuff we use now.

It’s just a guy risking his life for a shot. It makes the modern CGI stuff look a bit wimpy in comparison.

The 'ghost' part of the title is a bit of a trick. It’s not really a horror movie, so don’t go in expecting monsters or spirits. 👻

It’s more of a mystery about how the robbers are disappearing. The explanation is actually kind of clever for the time.

I noticed that some of the actors seem to be having a hard time not looking directly at the camera. Especially the extras in the background who just look happy to be there.

It feels a lot more grounded than something like Bobbed Hair. It’s gritty in a way that only old black-and-white film can be.

The stationmaster is played by Sr. Sánchez Tello and he has this very expressive face. He looks like he’s constantly about to sneeze or yell at someone.

One shot of the tracks stretching into the distance goes on for way too long. I think I counted twenty seconds of just... tracks.

But then it cuts to a fistfight, so it balances out. The fights are very theatrical, like they’re dancing more than punching.

It’s interesting to compare this to Unseeing Eyes because both movies rely so much on visual cues since there’s no sound. The Ghost Train feels faster, though.

There is a subplot with a rival suitor that feels a bit tacked on. He mostly just shows up to look mean and then leaves.

The bridge in the movie looks like it was built out of toothpicks. Every time the train went over it, I got a little nervous for the actors.

The print I saw was a bit grainy, but that adds to the charm. It feels like you’re watching a secret piece of history that was dug up from a backyard.

If you enjoy this, you might also like The Galley Slave for that heavy melodrama feel. But this one has more cool engines.

The ending is pretty abrupt. It just kind of stops once the bad guys are caught and the girl is happy.

I wish we saw more of the actual 'ghost' train mechanics, but I guess the budget only went so far. 🚂

It is a short watch, which is nice. It doesn't overstay its welcome like some of the epic silents do.

Overall, it’s a solid little adventure. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got heart and a lot of smoke.

I’m glad I watched it, even if the romance was a bit cheesy. Sometimes you just want to see a steam engine and a guy in a big hat.