Hangmen Also Die Movie Review 1942

Lang's anti-Nazi propaganda film was inspirated by the actual May, 1942 assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. Franz Svoboda (Donlevy) is the member of the Czech resistance who assassinates Heydrich. The Nazis seek revenge and begin rounding up and executing Czech citizens, aided by the traitorous Emil (Lockhart). Franz wants to give himself up to prevent further slaughter but is persuaded to turn the tables on Emil and make him appear to be the assassin. Bertolt Brecht had a hand in the original screenplay but did not receive screen credit and later said most of his work was cut out.

Distribution

Kino International, 333 W. 39th St., Ste. 503, New York, NY 10018, Phone: (212)629-6880, Toll-free: 800-562-3330, Fax: (212)714-0871, Email: contact@kino.com, URL: http://www.kino.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 134 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Nazis & Other Paramilitary Slugs, Assassination, The Resistance, Propaganda

Screenplay

John Wexley

Cast

Brian Donlevy, Gene Lockhart, Walter Brennan, Anna Lee, Dennis O'Keefe, Alexander Granach, Jonathan Hale, Margaret Wycherly, Hans von Twardowski

Cinematography

James Wong Howe

Director

Fritz Lang

Music

Hanns Eisler

Producer

Fritz Lang, United Artists