The Train

Drama | English | 133 minutes

Info

During the late stages of World War II, Colonel Franz von Waldheim is ordered to ship Impressionist masterpieces from the Jeu de Paume Museum in Paris to Germany. The museum curator, Mademoiselle Villard reports this to the French Resistance leader, Paul Labiche. Labiche creates a series of obstacles impeding the movement of the train to Germany such as changing directional signs and creating collisions on the tracks.The plot is discovered and several members of the French Resistance are executed. Labiche and the French Resistance are determined to fight, even die, to keep these paintings in France; Colonel Waldheim and the Nazis are equally determined to steal the paintings and bring them to Germany. It’s a film adventure that ranks with the very best.

Cast

Burt Lancaster (Paul Labiche) / Paul Scofield (Colonel Franz von Waldheim) / Suzanne Flon (Mademoiselle Villard)

Why Stream This Film?

Is saving French art masterpieces from being transported to Germany worth risking lives? Losing these Impressionist paintings from the Jeu de Paume Museum would be a tragedy of the highest order for France. The result is one of the best adventure films ever made.

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 92%

Accolades

Academy Awards: Nominated, Best Screenplay (Franklin Coen, Walter Bernstein, Frank Davis)
BAFTA Awards: Winner, Best Film
National Board of Review: Listed, Top Ten Films of the Year