GB / US 2019 1hr 49mins Dir: Bill Condon Starring: Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen
A career con artist meets a wealthy widow online, and then discovers that his plan to steal her fortune has unexpected roadblocks
This commendable Anglo-American crime thriller is based on the 2015 Nicholas Searle novel of the same name. It features a number of good railway sequences, the most notable of which is an all to realistic death scene filmed at the closed Charing Cross Jubilee Line station. Trains of 1996-stock are visible, erroneously announced as working Bakerloo Line services to Elephant & Castle! There is also a scene filmed at Slough station that opens with a passing shot of a Class 345 Crossrail EMU, the first time one of these has appeared on film. Also seen arriving into the station is GWR Class 387 ‘Electrostar’ No.387169 which forms Ian McKellen’s train to London, though in reality it is forming a down service to Reading and beyond. Finally, there is an early scene with both Mirren and McKellen outside Teddington station, which is playing the role of Pangbourne.
Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen outside Teddington station
A Jubilee Line train of 1996-stock is visible at the end of the cross passage in this scene at Charing Cross
Ian McKellen is going against the flow of the passengers on the old platform 4 at Charing Cross
Mark Jones on platform 4 with a train of 1996 stock departing into what was, in reality, a dead end stabling siding. Here’s a little known fact, these overun sidings ran right through to Aldwych, nearly reaching the (now disused) Piccadilly Line station there.
Ian McKellen alone on the platform at the disused Charing Cross
An apparently empty Jubilee Line train squeals to a halt at Charing Cross. Note the dust rising from beneath the train. The train in this instance may be a CGI creation as it was used in a rather graphic death scene.
The circulating area for the Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross. The rather tired appearence is clear evidence that this part of the station is now no longer open to the public.
A Crossrail Class 345 arrives into platform 5 at Slough
Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen on a bench at Slough station
Ian McKellen’s train arrives into platform 4 at Slough, the wrong direction for his trip to London. It is formed of a Class 387 ‘Electrostar’ EMU.
Helen Mirren watches the train depart. Its identity is revealed to be unit 387169.
