This picture is called "Night Plane from Chungking." I just don't see it. About five minutes, at most, takes place on a plane, and it's only in the last scene that night flight is shown. The cast actually spends more time on a night bus. "Escape from Chungking" might have been a better title.
Another IMDb reviewer claims "Peking Express" (1951) is the second remake of "Shanghai Express" (1933). "Night Plane from Chungking" is said to be the first. Again, I just don't see it. In "Shanghai," Marlene Dietrich is a woman of the world. In "Night Plane," Ellen Drew is a virginal nurse. In "Shanghai," a noble doctor is Dietrich's love interest. In "Night Plane," a cynical pilot is Drew's love interest. In "Shanghai," when captured, the characters undergo psychological interrogation. In "Night Plane," when captured, the characters undergo only confinement. In many ways, in fact, "Barricade" (1939) is a more likely, though not credited, "Shanghai" remake.
And while "Night Plane from Chungking," itself, isn't bad, it also isn't very good, being so dependent, as it is, on clichés. (Clichés, of course, are things that help us "to see it" before it even happens.) Example 1: Two people of a small party traversing China are actually Nazi spies, but, when the group's plane is forced down, we can't determine who the surviving spy is because the radio receiver -- as you might guess -- fails just before that revelation is made. Example 2: Who will survive their ordeal? Well, as in countless other pictures, you merely need to rank order the cast in importance to have your answer. (A most notable exception to this rule is provided by Hamburger Hill" [1987].) Too bad. With more time and effort, or Dana Andrews in the lead, "Night Plane from Chungking" could have been much better.
Another IMDb reviewer claims "Peking Express" (1951) is the second remake of "Shanghai Express" (1933). "Night Plane from Chungking" is said to be the first. Again, I just don't see it. In "Shanghai," Marlene Dietrich is a woman of the world. In "Night Plane," Ellen Drew is a virginal nurse. In "Shanghai," a noble doctor is Dietrich's love interest. In "Night Plane," a cynical pilot is Drew's love interest. In "Shanghai," when captured, the characters undergo psychological interrogation. In "Night Plane," when captured, the characters undergo only confinement. In many ways, in fact, "Barricade" (1939) is a more likely, though not credited, "Shanghai" remake.
And while "Night Plane from Chungking," itself, isn't bad, it also isn't very good, being so dependent, as it is, on clichés. (Clichés, of course, are things that help us "to see it" before it even happens.) Example 1: Two people of a small party traversing China are actually Nazi spies, but, when the group's plane is forced down, we can't determine who the surviving spy is because the radio receiver -- as you might guess -- fails just before that revelation is made. Example 2: Who will survive their ordeal? Well, as in countless other pictures, you merely need to rank order the cast in importance to have your answer. (A most notable exception to this rule is provided by Hamburger Hill" [1987].) Too bad. With more time and effort, or Dana Andrews in the lead, "Night Plane from Chungking" could have been much better.