Pacific 231 (film)

Pacific 231 is a 1949 short film directed by French film theorist Jean Mitry.

Music
The film soundtrack uses the orchestral work of the same name, composed by Arthur Honegger.

Summary
Pacific 231 pays tribute to the steam locomotive featuring the SNCF 231E 24 ex Nord 3.1194, and includes close-up footage of driving wheels, running gear and railroad operations, mostly taken at speed, and cut/choreographed to the music.

Reception and legacy
The film was awarded the Short Film Palme d'Or, the highest prize given for a short film at the 1949 Cannes Film Festival.

Stanley Kubrick cited this as one of his favorite films and praised its editing.