Silver Streak is essentially North by Northwest on a train, with Gene Wilder’s brand of humor mixed in. The plot follows Wilder’s George Caldwell, a mild-mannered book editor who accidentally witnesses a murder and finds himself entangled in a conspiracy. Mistaken for the killer, he’s chased by the police, thrown off the train multiple times, and forced to find his way back while uncovering the truth. It’s a setup rich in suspense and comedic potential, but whether it works depends entirely on how much you enjoy Wilder’s comedic sensibilities.
Personally, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Wilder’s humor. While I think he plays smart and antisocial characters well (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother), I find him less effective as the “everyman in funny situations.” Wilder plays the mishaps, walking into wrong compartments, witnessing things he shouldn’t, being mistaken for someone else, with an odd restraint. Unlike Peter Sellers, who would fully embrace the physical absurdity, Wilder mostly reacts with frustration and yelling, making it feel more like overplayed irritation than genuine comedic escalation.
On the suspense side, the film follows a well-worn Hitchcockian formula, but it doesn’t bring much excitement. The conspiracy is fairly standard, and there are no big surprises. One of the more muddled moments comes early on when the villains attempt to gaslight George into thinking he imagined the murder by hiring a stand-in. It’s never convincing, to him or the audience. The only one fooled is Jill Clayburgh’s character, and that doesn’t actually affect anything in the plot. Her role is also oddly handled. Are we supposed to fully buy into the romance? Did she know about the conspiracy and have a change of heart? The film never quite clarifies, making her arc feel underdeveloped.
That said, there are efficient set pieces that hold attention. The recurring gag of George getting thrown off the train and scrambling back on is amusing. The film’s tone shifts about an hour in when Richard Pryor’s Grover T. Muldoon enters. While he and Wilder have solid chemistry, the film momentarily loses momentum, detouring into a road trip-style sequence before they make their way back to the train. One of the more infamous moments comes when Wilder disguises himself as Black to avoid being caught. While it hints at racial dynamics, suggesting that authorities wouldn’t look twice at a Black man, it’s not particularly funny, and watching it today, it feels more uncomfortable than anything.
Where Silver Streak works best is in its action-adventure elements. The runaway train climax is appropriately thrilling, and some of the murder sequences, like the one where the lights briefly go out, are well-staged. If you’re a fan of Wilder’s comedy, there are plenty of moments to enjoy. But for me, while it’s a passable adventure with strong set pieces, the muddled story and a comedic lead I don’t personally find funny make it more of a mixed bag.
- Where to watch
Buy or rent
Disney+
Play trailer
- Original title
- Silver Streak
- Director
- Arthur Hiller
- Cast
- Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor, Patrick McGoohan, Ned Beatty, Clifton James, Ray Walston, Stefan Gierasch
- Rated
- PG
- Screenwriter
- Colin Higgins
- Composer
- Henry Mancini
- Cinematography
- David M. Walsh
- Editor
- David Bretherton
- Country
- Language
- English
- Budget
- $6.5 million
- Box office
- $51.1 million
- Buy / rent (CA)
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video