Orient Express in Espionage Aficionados

Jan 02, 2023 Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog rated it really liked it

To those who express disappointment at Graham Greene’s Orient Express, likely they missed that this was never intended to be his magnum opus. It is a mix pickles of political intrigue, crime story and cross class romance. Unexpected is at least a hint of lesbian sex and several class issues including a “me too” moment for a young dancer who would not have known she had experienced several.

Green uses one of the world’s famous trains to capture a number of characters, bring them together in ways u To those who express disappointment at Graham Greene’s Orient Express, likely they missed that this was never intended to be his magnum opus. It is a mix pickles of political intrigue, crime story and cross class romance. Unexpected is at least a hint of lesbian sex and several class issues including a “me too” moment for a young dancer who would not have known she had experienced several.

Green uses one of the world’s famous trains to capture a number of characters, bring them together in ways unlikely absent the confines of a long train ride. The result is an addition to the great train ride novel. The train ride novel seems to be common in Europe and especially Russia, but I have not yet read the like in an American novel. All that to say I ultimately enjoyed this novel, can recommend it, but I have to agree that Orient Express is not great literature, and perhaps not the best of Graham Green. The Introduction related that among Greene’s fans his shelf is known as “Greeneland”.

Early on we meet, all of the main characters, such is the way of this type of novel. We are to give particular notice to a Jewish businessman, Myatt, a plain chorus girl, Coral Musker, a Serbian Communist, Richard Czinner, a criminal, and a Lesbian, alcoholic journalist, Mabel Warren. Of these Myatt, being Jewish is something of a hot topic for those who consider or review the book. The biographers are certain that Greene was antisemitic and that after World War II he made an effort to reconsider this attitude. He was also Catholic and author of several Catholic books. These beliefs are here too, just constrained.

Myatt is a business man, traveling on business, focused on business until he becomes romantically or at least physically involved with the show girl. His initial impulse is to make a show of being charitable towards the woman. How that relationship plays out becomes complex as it follows her limited ability to respond to generosity and their mutual entanglement into converging plot lines.
Is Myatt is portrayed as a negative Jewish stenotype? He is from his first arrival in the novel a victim of his visibly Jewish identity. That is, throughout the plot, to whatever degree Greene is uncharitable against him, Myatt is more sinned against than sinning. Greene does provide a parting, end of the book shot which might be read as strongly antisemitic, but I read to be as a flashing last page broad side on the patrimony. Perhaps a term of no meaning to Greene, but providing a sharp jolt, much like that of a train coming to the end of its line.
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