The Great Train Robbery

Play trailer

The Great Train Robbery

1903

11m

Action

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Bandits stage a brazen train robbery.

Freep Staff

Detroit Free Press

It stands out as the greatest and most sensational moving picture story ever seen in this city... the "train robbery" takes rank over [other acts] from its great novelty, its wonderful execution and its truth to a life that few have seen.

Sep 13, 2021

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Porter’s “Train Robbery” was different and begs to be held with high esteem in the pantheon of creative, innovative and artistically relevant silent features.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 26, 2022

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

By today's standards, there isn't anything remarkable about the footage, but recognizing the limitations of the art form in the early 1900s makes the imagery fascinating.

Rated: 8/10

Jul 27, 2020

Full Review

Film4 Staff

Film4

This has proved to be the most influential of all the early US films and it was the first to tell a definite story.

Jun 10, 2009

Full Review

TV Guide Staff

TV Guide

A landmark in the development of the American film industry and the narrative form.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 10, 2009

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Must see viewing for this very brief silent film, the first American movie telling a sequenced story.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 21, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Micah H

The first great American film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/25

Full Review

Miguel G

This is a historical curiosity with some cool shots for the time. It was probably meant to be seen with live narration, so it is a bit hard to follow from just the images.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/16/24

Full Review

Brayden V

An exciting and groundbreaking film that doesn't need dialogue to communicate its story.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/31/23

Full Review

DanTheMan 2

We should make train robberies great again.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I can't think of anything to criticize about this film. It has aged extremely well and the pacing is nearly unmatched for other films of the time.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's historically significant. Amazing that one of the first films ever made was a YouTube How To guidebook to train robberies. If we strip aside the historical aspect, it's not very entertaining but thankfully pretty brief. That being said I've watched a lot worse modern films. You know what you're getting with this film. You're not coming here for a modern day blockbuster, it's just a curio piece and it's fine in that regard

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Edwin S. Porter

Director

A.C. Abadie

Sheriff

Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson

Bandit

Walter Cameron

Sheriff

John Manus Dougherty Sr.

Fourth Bandit

Donald Gallaher

Little Boy

Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy

86%

71%

Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy

Watchlist

The Debt Collector

100%

54%

The Debt Collector

Watchlist

Lucifer

40%

79%

Lucifer

Watchlist

One-Percent Warrior

92%

%

One-Percent Warrior

Watchlist

Baby John

33%

51%

Baby John

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Baby John

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Bandits stage a brazen train robbery.

Director: Edwin S. Porter
Screenwriter: Edwin S. Porter, Scott Marble.
Production Co: Edison Manufacturing Company
Genre: Action
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2020
Runtime: 11m