L'homme qui regardait passer les trains

Original title: The Man Who Watched Trains Go By

IMDb RATING

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L'homme qui regardait passer les trains (1952)

A Dutch company's owner bankrupts his own company, burns the incriminating ledgers and plans to run to Paris with the company funds but he is caught in the act by his accountant who challeng... Read allA Dutch company's owner bankrupts his own company, burns the incriminating ledgers and plans to run to Paris with the company funds but he is caught in the act by his accountant who challenges his actions, leading to a reversal of roles.A Dutch company's owner bankrupts his own company, burns the incriminating ledgers and plans to run to Paris with the company funds but he is caught in the act by his accountant who challenges his actions, leading to a reversal of roles.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

814

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Trivia
The 100,000 guilders stolen from the company would equal about $26,320 at the time of this film, or $245,140 in 2017.

Quotes
Lucas: The interesting thing about criminals, Mr. Popinga, is that they are just like anybody else.

User reviews24

Featured review

6/10

The worm turns...but not quite enough.

Claude Rains plays Mr. Popinga, a loyal and relatively dull man who has worked for the same firm for many years. He wouldn't seem to have a vicious bone in his body nor any sort of larcenous attempt. One day, however, he comes upon his boss...and the boss was embezzling the company's funds! They struggle and the boss falls into the river--presumably to drown. His briefcase with all the money, however, is still there and Popinga takes it and flees the country. His plan is kind of nutty...to introduce himself to his ex-boss' sexy mistress and take up with her. This doesn't work out, however, as she laughs in his face....at least until she later learns he's got the money. How did she learn this? From a Dutch detective who is following Popinga.

The idea of a meek man turning like this is very interesting. What isn't as interesting is how dopey Popinga acts during a few portions of the film...at least when it comes to this mistress and hiding the stolen money. You wonder how long he'll team up with her and if he'll ever get wise to the fact that she is bad through and through.

Overall, a good film...nearly earning a 7 but I couldn't help but think they should have had Popinga behave more consistently clever as well as rotton once he got the money. Instead, it was if the writers weren't exactly sure to go with the character.