Terminus main backdrop
Terminus main poster

7.1/10 • 16

1961-12-010h 35m

Documentary

This fly on the wall-style documentary from 1961 won an Oscar for best documentary, and shows the changing patterns of human emotions during 24 hours in the life of Waterloo Station.

Directors
John Schlesinger
Writters
John Schlesinger
Editors
John Schlesinger, Hugh Raggett

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Peggy Ashcroft

    Peggy Ashcroft

    Mother (uncredited)

  2. Gertrude Dickin

    Gertrude Dickin

    Woman Asking About Train (uncredited)

  3. Margaret Lacey

    Margaret Lacey

    Elderly Lady at Lost Property Office (uncredited)

  4. Matthew Perry

    Matthew Perry

    Little Lost Boy (uncredited)

  5. John Schlesinger

    John Schlesinger

    Passenger (uncredited)

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Feb 7, 2024

7/10

Well it's a very brave beekeeper who opens this documentary about an hectic twenty-four hours at London's Waterloo station, to the south of the Thames. These bees, however, are quite symbolic of what we see for the next half hour as the station manager checks in at the start of the morning rush hour. What's curious to note here is just how diverse those travelling passengers are. From the successful businessman buying his buttonhole upon arrival to those coming from further afield or destined for outward journeys - including the boat train to connect with the Queen Elizabeth in Southampton. There's even a few detained during Her Majesty's Pleasure! It's buzzing. Constant movement, chatter, a fellow with a seriously annoying laugh, rushing about - the general sense of all kinds of humanity in one place is well captured in this engaging fly-on-various-walls presentation. The logistics of keeping these steam trains running, of the manual signal operations, a constantly busy enquiry and lost property office and the meticulous planning of a staff who can keep trains moving to a schedule that would be nigh-on impossible to re-set should the momentum is lost is also well featured in this narration-free real life drama. Hats! Maybe it's a generational thing, but almost everyone wears an hat. If only onboard catering was this good nowadays, and I wonder if there is still a train to Clapham Junction every four minutes! Anyone need a brolly?

Media

  • Terminus poster
  • Terminus poster
  • Terminus poster
  • Terminus poster

Recommendations

  • Yesterday Never Ends main backdrop

    Yesterday Never Ends

    5.6

  • No Backdrop

    The Silent Scream

    6.0

  • No Backdrop

    Highway Battle R×R

    6.8

  • Mask the Kekkou: Reborn main backdrop

    Mask the Kekkou: Reborn

    8.2

  • No Backdrop

    Secrets of Palace coup d'etat. Russia, 18th century. Film №5. Second Bride Emperor

    6.2

  • Bus Stop main backdrop

    Bus Stop

    6.1

  • R-Rated Idol Seung-ha's Sex Scandal main backdrop

    R-Rated Idol Seung-ha's Sex Scandal

    6.8

  • The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum main backdrop

    The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum

    7.9

  • Another Woman main backdrop

    Another Woman

    6.8

  • F.O.T.O.G.R.A.F. main backdrop

    F.O.T.O.G.R.A.F.

    6.5

  • LEGO Scooby-Doo! Knight Time Terror main backdrop

    LEGO Scooby-Doo! Knight Time Terror

    8.1

  • The Last One of the Six main backdrop

    The Last One of the Six

    6.2

  • Synonyms main backdrop

    Synonyms

    5.8

  • Love to the Rescue main backdrop

    Love to the Rescue

    7.0

  • No Backdrop

    Test

    7.2

  • Gray Matters main backdrop

    Gray Matters

    5.8

  • Home Run Showdown main backdrop

    Home Run Showdown

    9.1

  • No Backdrop

    Bodies Under Construction

    5.6

  • Devi(L) main backdrop

    Devi(L)

    6.0

  • Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie main backdrop

    Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie

    8.4

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
No keywords have been added.