Simply Perfect

An Exercise In Nonsense

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Real surprise, this for me, particularly bearing in mind the length (which I wasn't aware of till after watching) never mind the genre! But, forget 'long war film' and think Burt Lancaster giving his all, low key naturalistic acting and a stinking physical performance. It appears at first as if he is just going to be some suited 'yes' man for the Germans but then gets put upon to drive the contentious train. We are not quite sure at the start as to who cares what about this enormous collection of French impressionist paintings and by the end we are wondering about human life versus oil paintings. In between there is the most incredible non stop, human story driven, massive action film with the most amazing steam train action I've ever seen. Nobody comes out of this particularly well but that we are not held up for mournful moments with dying children or romantic pauses for divided lovers, just full on desperate people getting on and doing what seems best without to much pause for thought or much else. The night scenes are particularly effective with the great monstrous engines pulsing along, smoke billowing. Aircraft attacks add to the thrills but it is still Lancaster that dominates the screen. What a presence.

Not being a general fan of war movies, this vintage treasure grabbed me as very special. There's a true story as the backbone but this goes way beyond a procedural recounting of the history, and the drama and acting performances take the centre stage. Lancaster is tough, gritty, embodying the character as the Resistance leader. There as so many great characters and actors and with the astounding special effects of rail yard bombs and screaming steam trains it's all crammed in to this lavish production. The human cost of standing up to the Nazi's is made clear and the heroism of the lowly foot soldiers like station masters and engineers is evident. The writing is impeccable, and there is even a relatively sympathetic characterisation of the nonetheless still brutal German officer. There's jeopardy and death left right and centre, and what I found the crowning achievement is that it's an intelligent film, which even poses the question as to what the point of all the suffering was for, for Art? For French national glory? Indeed what was the point of the war at all, with a poetic final scene.

John Frankenheimer does a first-rate job directing this riveting and atmospheric WWII film set in August 1944, as the approaching Allies are forcing a German retreat from France, but a German commander(Paul Scofield) arranges for the French art treasures he values to smuggled out of the country in secret by train. Burt Lancaster plays station master Labiche, who is in charge of making the trip run smoothly, but is also a member of the resistance, so must delay the train as much as possible, then when no more delays will be tolerated, actively tries to sabotage the train, no matter the cost, though he is also ordered to not damage any of the valuable paintings, which are France's heritage.Burt Lancaster is excellent here, both in his performance and how he handles the physical action, which is most impressive, as is the on location filming, giving this picture a welcome look of authenticity, and building to an action-packed finale.

John Frankenheimer directed this masterpiece about the french resistance trying to stop a train loaded with art from leaving. Paris is about to fall probably in only 3 or 4 days. But the Germans have loaded all the best Art on a train bound for Germany. The resistance is asked to stop it.Labiche (Burt Lancaster) is the leader of the resistance at the train yard. He is reluctant to act to save a bunch of pictures. They started out with 18 members, had 4 members in the morning, but is down to 3. Could he really risk the rest on a scheme to save some paintings? The plans and schemes need to be mapped out much better. They need to do some better explanations. But it's Labiche's evolution that's important. Burt Lancaster is a powerful presence, and his acting is top-notched.