Romance on the Orient Express

Cheryl Ladd and Stuart Wilson played an American student and a British man who meet aboard a train ten years prior and have a romance. They're romance ends abruptly. Viewers learn the history through flashbacks. Ruby Wax has a supporting role as Susan Lawson, an American photographer from New York City, traveling with Lily Parker (Cheryl Ladd) from Venice, Italy to Paris, France aboard the Orient Express. Stuart Wilson played Alex Woodward, a British suitor who falls in love with Lily Parker. The love story could have been better told though. The scenery was lovely especially Paris and Venice. Sir John Gielgud played Alex's father in a few scenes. This film was probably a made for television movie in the mid-eighties. Cheryl Ladd and Stuart Wilson were fine and believable. I actually wanted to see Ruby Wax in the film and she does a fine job.

Cheryl ladd is lily parker, traveling in venice. She gets on the orient express, and bumps into an old boyfriend. But it's no accident. Now we're in flashback, seeing how they met the first time. Alex falls for lilly immediately, and wants to spend every minute together. Forty minutes in, they hint at some big, horrible devastating secret, which is probably what drove them apart back in the day. We finally find out the big secret, and it's really no big deal. Now that they have met up again, can they patch things up? John geilgud costars as theodore, alex's father. It's all a bit silly and campy, but no big plot holes. The eighties hair, the eighties makeup. Ladd spends a lot of time fixing her hair. Meh... directed by lawrence clark. Story by jan worthington.

It's my favorite movie, and I love the story very much from the first time I saw it. Now I taped it to make a video CD, so that I can keep it ever, and review it anytime.

I cannot forget Lily's eye sight, Alex's face, and the beautiful song when they were sightseeing on a river boat: If you could-- save the time-- in the box--

Where to start?

'A prize for every ticket bought'... A well known and popular TV star in the leading role: Cheryl Ladd - I'm glad she made a success of her career. However she is not the greatest actress ever, certainly not strong/charismatic enough to raise this tv movie to any level above cliché.

A legend in a subsidiary.. no... guest appearance, role - a few days easy work for the grandchildren's college fund. Sir John in automatic pilot... in fact he is asleep at the wheel: businessman, company in trouble Alex (his son being forced to give up his love.. blahdy blah).

Truly dreadful music! Really, truly hackneyed: saxophone and strings... even an exterior shot of a train - unfortunately not entering a tunnel for true comedic value, this movie is far too po- faced for that...as the returned love of Cheryl's life (Alex) gets her kit off and they 'do the dirty' in her cabin. Tho dirty+Cheryl Ladd in the same sentence is textbook oxymoron.

Bizarrely the producers have 2 marvellous musical tracks amongst the tired clichés. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (yes, Elton John) and Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce.

I'll list without comment more of the head-shakingly lazy, too satirical to satire threads.

Flashbacks - Cheryl is younger cos she has pigtails! Meets Alex (younger cos he is wearing a tank-top). Fun, joyful, 'best times of our lives' being wacky on our gap year music over appropriate scenes.

Cycling in France... as Middle - class students.. finding love?.. hey, but mummy and daddy will bail them out if reality bites.. but at a cost... They will grow up to be successful... but with secrets and regrets!

Then the Planes, Trains and Automobiles (without the comedy) scene.

Now... poor Ruby Wax. Big on tv comedy/talk shows in the early 1980s, "this is a TV film and we need some 2 dimensional comedic relief" She lives in the moment, isn't the brightest it was Ruby all the way! (If this had been a totally American production poor Ruby would have missed out to a feisty 'says it how it is' wise, not book smart, but huge fun Black woman!) anyway she is best friend and alter ego of oh so tormented Cheryl - her alter ego. A sounding board for Cheryl - verbalising the flashbacks and pivotal moments for those at home who have been making a cuppa!

Ruby is given a great billing in 1985. Now, barely a mention.

Oh yes, Frenchmen do keep their brains in their underwear.

However - a positive - it must be said, Paris as a film set might well be cliché... but what a cliché! The filthy, rubbish strewn French capital is seen at its best in movies, even with the 21 inch tv variety in 1985.

First off, cheryl ladd isn't a virgin by any stretch of the imagination and she implies any man in pants will do so there you go .. ready set go ...let me exit before i puke ...awful bad film...wretching