The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1952): Cast & Plot
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By is a 1952 crime drama directed by Harold French, starring Claude Rains as Kees Popinga, Lucie Mannheim and Herbert Lom. It runs 1 hour 22 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 22m (82 min)
- Director
- Harold French
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Josef Shaftel Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Man Who Watched Trains Go By About?
The premise of The Man Who Watched Trains Go By without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A relentless suspense thriller follows a Dutch company’s owner who deliberately drives his business into bankruptcy, destroys the incriminating ledgers and intends to flee to Paris with the remaining funds. His accountant, however, witnesses the act, confronts him and forces a dramatic reversal of power, turning the tables on the desperate entrepreneur.
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Themes & Keywords
· 31 tags- currency racket
- train station
- train
- railway
- accidental drowning
- drowning in a canal
- drowning
- british noir
- vacant lot
- death
- murder
- employer employee relationship
+19 more Show fewer
- man murders a woman
- paris france
- car lot
- revenge
- insanity
- deception
- street prostitute
- nightclub
- hidden money
- money exchange
- black market
- police detective
- cigarette smoking
- fake suicide
- death of employer
- thief
- prostitute
- foreign language adaptation
- based on novel
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Cast & Characters
Claude Rains leads the cast as Kees Popinga, with Lucie Mannheim as Maria Popinga and Herbert Lom as Julius de Koster, Jr.. Directed by Harold French; 22 actors are credited in all.
- Director Harold French
-
Claude Rains as Kees Popinga -
Lucie Mannheim as Maria Popinga -
Herbert Lom as Julius de Koster, Jr. - Robin Alalouf as Karl Popinga
Also Starring in The Man Who Watched Trains Go By
· 18 more- Joan St. Clair Frida Popinga
- Gibb McLaughlin Julius de Koster Snr.
- Felix Aylmer Merkemans
- Marius Goring Inspector Lucas
- Mary Mackenzie Madame Lucas
- Märta Torén Michele Rozier
- Ferdy Mayne Louis
- Anouk Aimée Jeanne
- Eric Pohlmann Goin
- Pat Ryan Joie de Vivre Patron (uncredited)
- Michael Nightingale Clerk
- MacDonald Parke American Businessman
- Roy Purcell Pierre
- Louis Matto Joie de Vivre Barman (uncredited)
- Charles Wood Chess Player (uncredited)
- Michael Alain Train Conductor
Show all 22 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Jean Deveaux Train Official
- Arthur Mallard
More from Harold French
More films directed by Harold French: The Man Who Loved Redheads, Forbidden Cargo, Isn’t Life Wonderful! and Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue.
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Plot Summary
What happens in The Man Who Watched Trains Go By from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the Dutch city of Groningen, Claude Rains stars as Kees Popinga, a dedicated chief clerk and bookkeeper for an esteemed 300-year-old trading company managed by Herbert Lom as Julius de Koster Jr. Kees leads a modest, routine life; he’s passionate about trains but has never ventured beyond Amsterdam, living comfortably in his predictable world.
Full summary
The whole story of The Man Who Watched Trains Go By, scene by scene
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Man Who Watched Trains Go By.
How Well Do You Know The Man Who Watched Trains Go By?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the chief clerk Kees Popinga?
Seen The Man Who Watched Trains Go By?
Movies Like The Man Who Watched Trains Go By
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Man from London, A Man Betrayed and The London Man.
-
The Man from London 2007 -
A Man Betrayed 1936 -
The London Man 1943 -
The Train 1970 -
The Man on the Eiffel Tower 1949 -
The Train: Some Lines Shoulder Never Be Crossed… 2007 -
The Man Is Armed 1956 -
The Running Man 1963 -
The Railroad Man 1956 -
Elevator to the Gallows 1958 -
L’Homme aux yeux d’argent 1985 -
Money Train 1995
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Man Who Watched Trains Go By, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Man Who Watched Trains Go By?
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By runs 1 hour 22 minutes (82 minutes).
When was The Man Who Watched Trains Go By released?
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By was released on December 1, 1952.
Who directed The Man Who Watched Trains Go By?
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By was directed by Harold French.
More films by Harold French Who is in the cast of The Man Who Watched Trains Go By?
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By stars Claude Rains as Kees Popinga, Lucie Mannheim as Maria Popinga and Herbert Lom as Julius de Koster, Jr., among 22 credited actors.
Does The Man Who Watched Trains Go By have a post-credit scene?
No. The Man Who Watched Trains Go By has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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