The Blue Express

The Blue Express Голубой экспресс Movie Poster Country USSR Directed by Ilya Trauberg Release Date December 20, 1929 Language Silent Studio Sovkino Main Cast Character Actor The European Sergei Minin An Overseer Yakov Gudkin An Overseer Ivan Savelyev The Girl San Bo Yan The Merchant Lian Din Do The Peasant Chu Chai Wan The Fireman Chzan Kai

The Blue Express, or China Express, is a 1929 Soviet silent drama film directed by Ilya Trauberg (Assistant director of October: Ten Days That Shook the World). China in the 1920s: an express train to bring travelers to Russia is waiting to depart. As in the reality of society, passengers on the train are divided into three classes: the first class, accompanied by military honors, the British envoy; missionaries, diplomats, and entrepreneurs. Sales representatives, citizens, and scholars sit in the compartments of the second class. The ordinary workers have to be satisfied with the third class.

The following weapons were used in the film The Blue Express:

Handguns

Mauser C96

A Mauser C96 is used by one of the overseers (Ivan Savelyev) who killed The Girl (San Bo Yan) and later by Chinese officers.

Mauser C96 - 7.63x25mm Mauser

The Overseers play cards while on guard duty in the third class. The grip of the holstered C96 is seen on the left.

He grabs his pistol to pull it out of the holster.

The C96 in his hand while entering another third-class wagon.

He shoots unarmed Chinese workers.

A first-class traveler destroys his personal wine bottles with a C96 so as not to let them fall into the hands of the workers.

Mauser M1914

The other overseer (Yakov Gudkin) owns a 1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol. It is also used by the Chinese General (Chai Wan Sen) and the British envoy (Sergei Minin) at the end.

Mauser Taschenpistole M1914 - 7.65x17mmSR

The pistol being fired during the wrangling.

Same situation, a few scenes later.

The English Man fires his pocket pistol at incoming workers.

Steyr M1912

Chinese workers arm themselves with Austrian Steyr M1912 pistols.

Steyr Hahn Modell 1912 - 9x23mm Steyr

Steyr pistols in an broken up crate.

The workers hold their pistols into the air. In the center, a Mauser C96 is seen.

Roth-Steyr M1907

A Roth-Steyr M1907 is seen among the guns of Chinese workers.

Roth-Steyr Repetierpistole Modell 1907 - 8x19mm

A Roth-Steyr M1907 pistol is seen at the left.

Smith & Wesson No. 3 Russian Model

The Smith & Wesson No.3 Russian Model is used by the brother (Chu She Wang) of the Girl.

Smith & Wesson No. 3 Russian Model - .44 Russian

The Peasant with his S&W revolver in a close-up.

He aims at the Chinese officer.

Ortgies 6.35mm Pocket Pistol

The Secretary of the English envoy (Igor Chernyak) uses an Ortgies 6.35mm Pocket Pistol.

Ortgies Pocket Pistol - .25 ACP

The Secretary threatens the train driver to stop the train. The barrel length allows to identify the pistol as 6.35 mm version.

As workers coming to him, he opens fire at them.

The pistol is also used by a first-class traveler in the background.

Star Ruby

An English diplomat can be seen with a Star Ruby.

Garate, Anitua y Cia Ruby-Type Pistol - .32 ACP

The diplomant fires his pistol from cover.

Left side of the Star Ruby.

Rifles

Mauser Gewehr 1898

Chinese soldiers, some policemen, and later workers can be seen carrying German Gewehr 98s, probably standing for Hanyang Type 88, M1907 and Type 24 Zhongzheng rifles. Most of these rifles are fitted with Seitengewehr 98/05 bayonets.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Chinese soldiers on the railway platform stand with their Gewehrs with fixed bayonets.

A line of police officers stands guard.

Coolie (A Vardul) fires his Mauser at soldiers.

Another angle of his firing rifle.

Chinese worker on the roof of the wagon, fires his rifle at a Chinese officer.

After laying down their arms, three soldiers allowed to pick them up to join the fight on the worker's side. Note the large "butcher blade" bayonets.

One of the last remaining loyal soldiers aims his Mauser.

Arisaka Type 30

Some Arisaka Type 30 rifles with fixed Type 30 bayonets are also used by soldiers and workers.

Arisaka Type 30 with Type 30 bayonet - 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka

Two soldiers behind the Chinese Officer (Spasaevsky) stand with their Arisaka rifles with fixed bayonets.

The same soldiers carry out the command to arrest the Coolie. Before and after these scenes in the third-class wagon, the soldiers are all armed with G98s.

Workers take the Arisaka rifles out of the crate.

A good view of the receivers, straight bolt handles and typical Type 30's hook safety.

The middle part with the grasping groove of one rifle is seen.

Arisakas are held in the air by the workers.