Breakheart Pass (1975)

Set in the 1870s, a locomotive races through the Rocky Mountains on a classified mission to a remote Army post. But one by one, the passengers are being murdered! Based on the best selling novel by Alistair MacLean (GUNS OF NAVARONE), who adapted his book for the screen and directed by Tom Gries (WILL PENNY). A murder mystery western set on a train. I love westerns, murder mysteries and movies set on trains so this action movie is right up my alley! It's not great but it's fast moving with a few twists and turns aided by Lucien Ballard's (RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY) expert exterior imagery (filmed in Idaho) and Jerry Goldsmith's rousing score. Charles Bronson makes for an appealing hero though his identity is revealed much earlier in the the film whereas the book kept his identity closeted until the near the end. Not a challenging film but that works in the movie's favor. With Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, Ben Johnson, Ed Lauter, Sally Kirkland and Archie Moore.