Night Train to Munich (1940)

When Germany invades Czechoslovakia, the German and the British intelligence services try to capture Czech scientist Axel Bomasch, inventor of a new type of armor-plating.

Director:

Carol Reed

Writers:

Gordon Wellesley (based on an original story by), Sidney Gilliat (screenplay) (as Sydney Gilliat)

Stars:

Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison, Paul Henreid

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Margaret Lockwood	...	Anna Bomasch
Rex Harrison	...	Dickie Randall a.k.a. Gus Bennett
Paul Henreid	...	Karl Marsen (as Paul von Hernried)
Basil Radford	...	Charters
Naunton Wayne	...	Caldicott
James Harcourt	...	Axel Bomasch
Felix Aylmer	...	Dr. Fredericks
Wyndham Goldie	...	Dryton
Roland Culver	...	Roberts
Eliot Makeham	...	Schwab
Raymond Huntley	...	Kampenfeldt
Austin Trevor	...	Capt. Prada (as Austen Trevor)
Kenneth Kent	...	Controller (as Keneth Kent)
C.V. France	...	Admiral Hassinger
Frederick Valk	...	Gestapo Officer (as Fritz Valk)

Storyline

When the Germans march into Prague, armour-plating inventor Dr Bomasch flees to England. His daughter Anna escapes from arrest to join him, but the Gestapo manage to kidnap them both back to Berlin. As war looms, British secret service agent Gus Bennet follows disguised as a senior German army officer. His ploy is the not unpleasant one of pretending to woo Anna to the German cause.

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Plot Keywords:

prague czechoslovakia | homosexual subtext | hairy chest | romantic relationship | undercover operation | 

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Taglines:

Laughs! Thrills! Excitement!

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Genres:

Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Love-It-Loud Retrospective [Christian Sellers]

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

29 December 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Night Train

Filming Locations:

Gaumont-British Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century-Fox Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Full Range Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last of seven films Margaret Lockwood made with director Carol Reed. The others are Midshipman Easy (1935); Who's Your Lady Friend? (1937); Bank Holiday (1938); A Girl Must Live (1939); The Stars Look Down (1940); and Girl in the News (1940).

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Goofs

In the background, a radio reports that Adolf Hitler has just ordered a counter-attack against Poland as Dickie Randall begins his mission in Germany. After the passage of just one night, it is reported that Britain is at war with Germany. However, Germany attacked Poland on 1st September and Brtain went to war with Germany on 3rd Spetember, hence there would actually have been two intervening nights.

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Quotes

Caldicott: [Looking through papers in stationmaster's office] It's all in German.
Charters: [to telephone operator] What ? Well, how long then ? Oh, alright.
[to Caldicott]
Charters: Blasted junction's engaged by the military. They'll call me back.
Caldicott: These people seem to have no idea of business as usual.

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Crazy Credits

Paul Henreid is listed as Paul von Hernried in the credits.

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Connections

Spun-off from The Lady Vanishes (1938)

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Soundtracks

Only Love Can Lead the Way
(uncredited)
Written by Harry M. Woods
Performed by Rex Harrison

User Reviews

Just what was pumping on the Siegfried Line?

This film was made at a point of frustration and fear for the British. They had bumbled into a frightening war against a truly evil foreign government, and had watched helplessly as their ally fell. It is a mark of the strength of British character that this movie was made, complete with a healthy dollop of comedy in it (including self-parody). Basically the film acknowledges the treachery and evil of the Nazis and their collaborators (Paul Henried here), and the failure of the British to successfully account for it in the period of Chamberlain's government (Baldwin's previous government had tried to counter it but faced overwhelming pacifist spirit in the Labor and Tory Parties). Rex Harrison (aided by Basil Radford and Naughton Wayne) represent the Britain that pulls itself together to use the same deceit to snatch back what was lost.

As noted in several comments above, Radford and Wayne are Charters and Caldicott again, still traveling on continental trains, discussing cricket matches, and proving up to fighting the enemy if that enemy shows it's hands. Harrison looks almost dashing (complete with monocle) in his Nazi disguise outfit. He makes the comment about the Siegfried Line at one point...and nobody ever has explained it. The best single line belongs to Raymond Huntley, as a Nazi officer trying to understand whether the comment "This is a fine country we live in" was meant as a put down or not. After being left alone for a moment or two, he repeats it with different emphasis on "fine country". Then looking at the camera with complete honesty he says "This is a bloody awful country we live in." I am sure British audiences in 1940 fully agreed with Huntley.