Safe Return Doubtful

Poland – 1959

A man named Jerzy is taking a night train to the Baltic coast in Poland, and from his manner, and dark sunglasses, it is evident he wants to be alone. Through a series of circumstances he ends up having to share his compartment with a young blonde woman. Meanwhile, all the talk on the busy train is of a local murder, and the perpetrator who is on the run nearby. 

Many reviewers call it Hitchcockian in its style, chiefly due to the tension that the director, Jerzy Kawalerowicz, builds. In other ways though the style is quite different to Hitchcock. The cinematography is a highlight, including a memorable scene when the train is brought to a halt in the countryside. The claustrophobia of the busy train is captured excellently. The jazz soundtrack is another. 

IMDb score 7.7 / 10 – My Score 8 / 10