The Train Movie Review 1965

During the German occupation of Paris in 1944, a German colonel (Scofield) is ordered to ransack the city of its art treasures and put them on a train bound for Germany. Word gets to the French Resistance who then persuade the train inspector (Lancaster) to sabotage the train. A battle of wills ensues between Scofield and Lancaster as each becomes increasingly obsessed in outwitting the other--though the cost to all turns out to be as irreplaceable as the art itself. Filmed on location in France. Frankenheimer used real locomotives, rather than models, throughout the film, even in the spectacular crash sequences.

Distribution

MGM Home Entertainment, 2500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404-6061, Phone: (310)449-3000, Fax: (310)449-3100, URL: http://www.mgmhomevideo.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 133 minutes.
Originally from French, Italian.

Cast and Crew

Genres

World War II, Trains, The Resistance, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Frank Davis, Walter Bernstein, Franklin Coen

Cast

Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, Michel Simon, Suzanne Flon, Wolfgang Preiss, Albert Remy, Charles Millot, Jacques Marin, Donald O'Brien, Jean-Pierre Zola, Arthur Brauss, Howard Vernon, Richard Munch, Paul Bonifas, Jean-Claude Bercq

Cinematography

Jean Tournier, Walter Wottitz

Director

John Frankenheimer

Music

Maurice Jarre

Producer

United Artists, Jules Bricken