"Union Depot" is a "Warner Bros" film that takes place as close to real time as possible. The story unfolds during a single night at a busy railway station where the viewers get to see people from all walks of life. The photography effectively shows all this, via a montage of people waiting for trains, having something to eat at the station cafeteria etc. In the midst of all this, two hobos played by Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Guy Kibee are looking for ways to feed themselves. Fairbanks is a smart operator in acquiring a new look by disguising his real one. He changes clothing, has a shave and then comes across a violin case that's full of stolen money. Then the film kicks off into high gear. Joan Blondell plays another character with a "hard luck" angle but it works well in "Union Depot." Alan Hale is great as the villain but Frank McHugh has little to do. The plot moves at a steady pace and the climax is very good.

"Invasion U.S.A." director Alfred E. Green's charming little romantic thriller "Union Depot" qualifies as a pleasant bit of escapism. Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Joan Blondell, Alan Hale, Guy Kibbee, and David Matthau comprise the capable cast in this Warner Brothers' release. Scenarists Kenyon Nicholson of "Laughing Sinners" and Walter DeLeon of "Pot o' Gold" adapted the play penned by Joe Laurie Jr., Gene Fowler, and Douglas Dirkin and writers Kubec Glasmon and John Bright handled the dialogue. "Union Depot" chronicles the escapades of two jailbirds just released from the city lock-up and have gone to Union Depot to rustle up with dough. Chic Miller (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. of "Little Caesar") and his woebegone hobo cohort, Scrap Iron Scratch (Guy Kibbee of "Babbitt"), set about scavenging around Union Depot. Scrap Iron stays out of sight, while Chic indulges in harmless kleptomania. The wiry Miller enters the restroom and slips into an official uniform of a Union Depot Information Agent and then later sheds the uniform. Fortune smiles on him when another passenger, an absent-minded drunk (Frank McHugh of "All Through the Night"), abandoned his suitcase in a toilet stall. Incredibly enough, despite their obvious difference in height and weight, Miller dons some of the drunk's apparel and finds a wad of bills. Off he goes to enjoy a decent meal. Meantime, Scrap Iron finds a pawn shop claim ticket and turns it over to his buddy. Chic takes the claim check to the pawnshop and he looks glum when the clerk returns with a violin case. Chic is poised to sell violin when he takes a peeks inside. He discovers bundles of bank notes. Indeed, the violin belongs to a crook, The Baron - aka Bushy Sloan (Alan Hale of "Santa Fe Trail") who has it stuffed with counterfeit bank notes. He lost the claim check at the depot, and he has been hanging around to recover it.Meantime, as a change of pace, Chic enjoys the advantages of having folding money. He runs into a chorus girl at Union Depot, Ruth Collins (Joan Blondell of "The Public Enemy"), treats her to dinner. He listeners to her sob story about catching a train to Salt Lake City where she can rejoin a dancing troupe. Initially, Chic thought that she might be a prostitute, but he learns that she had broken her ankle and desperately needs enough money to get to Salt Lake City where she can rejoin her dance company. Chick tries to behave like a carefree bachelor, but he is obviously attracted to Ruth. He buys her a ticket on the next train to Salt Lake City and gives her enough loot to buy a new dress. Chic doesn't realize, however, but The Baron has been shadowing him. The Baron saw Chic break out a fresh batch of bills, and the wrapper flutters to the floor where the Baron recognizes it from his stash of cash. Eventually, we learn through the character of Federal Agent Kendall (David Matthau of "Horse Feathers") that the money that Chic and Ruth have been flashing is counterfeit. Kendall arrests them, and Chic cuts a bargain with him to turn loose Ruth because she has not been a part of this crime. Chic leads Kendall's partner to where he cached the cash, but The Baron follows them and shoots the Federal agent with Chic. Chic and The Baron chase each other through the railway yard. At one point, these two are running around actual trains. Eventually, Chic catches up with The Baron, and Kendall arrests The Baron, while setting the other characters free.Fast-paced and funny, "Union Depot" is a glimpse into the past about transportation. Nobody in the first-rate class gives a bad performance. Clocking in at 67 minutes, "Union Depot" ranks as an above-average thriller with sympathetic characters and a dastardly villain.

Snappy, Fluid, and Wide Open Pre-Coder with Doug Fairbanks Jr., Joan Blondell, a Bunch of WB Character Actors, and an On Screen Depression Era Train Station that Impresses. It is an Urban Landscape to Fill with a Cross-Section of the Melting Pot Coming and Going. All Skin-Colors, Languages, and Dress. Upper Crust and and the Crumbs.This is Quite the Entertaining Movie and the Camera Work and Sound are Outstanding for a 1931 Film. It Never Ceases to Amaze just How Much Plot can be Woven into an Hour Plus. This One is So Full of Colorful Vignettes and Vice that it Effortlessly Makes You Want to Pay Attention to it All.Above Average Pre-Code Delight and a Larger than Usual Slice of Cityscape Americana on the Move. Unfettered Inclusions...Prostitutes, Extramarital Sex, Prohibition Drinking, an Allusion to Pornography, and More. There is Also a Nod to WWI Vets, Still Much on the Mind of America and the Film also has its Villain with a German Accent.

This film may not be as pretty as Grand Hotel but its on-par entertainment with that film. What drew me to this film was its Pre-Code status and Joan Blondell. Those things were definitely worth watching but let me put it this way, I came for Joan but stayed for Douglas. He carries this film and carries it well and I love his pairing with Guy Kibbee. I recognized Guy from the films Gold Diggers and I believe 42nd Street-some other pre-code gems. He's playing a very different character here than in those films and plays it well. I recently took a chance and purchased this on warner archive.com and I'm glad I checked out these helpful reviews. I decided to add my own review as every little bit helps and I while I love most old films they all aren't worth the time but this one is. The ending is especially real and I can't help but wonder if it in some small way inspired the ending for Casablanca. Watch it so you'll know what I mean. 9 out of 10!