Hangmen Also Die! (1943)

After the Nazi administrator of Czechoslovakia is shot, his assassin tries to elude the Gestapo and struggles with his impulse to give himself up as hostages are executed.

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Bertolt Brecht (adaptation) (as Bert Brecht), Fritz Lang (adaptation)

Stars:

Brian Donlevy, Walter Brennan, Anna Lee

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian Donlevy	...	Dr. Franticek Svoboda / Karel Vanek
Walter Brennan	...	Prof. Stephen Novotny
Anna Lee	...	Masha Novotny
Gene Lockhart	...	Emil Czaka
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Jan Horak
Margaret Wycherly	...	Ludmilla Novotny
Nana Bryant	...	Mrs. Hellie Novotny
William Roy	...	Beda Novotny (as Billy Roy)
Hans Heinrich von Twardowski	...	Reinhard Heydrich (as H. H v. Twardowski)
Alexander Granach	...	Gestapo Insp. Alois Gruber
Tonio Selwart	...	Chief of Gestapo Kurt Haas
Jonathan Hale	...	Dedic
Lionel Stander	...	Banya
Sarah Padden	...	Mrs. Georgia Dvorak
Edmund MacDonald	...	Dr. Pillar

Storyline

On May 27, 1942 the Nazi Reichsprotector of Bohemia/Moravia, the "Hangman" Reinhard Heydrich, died from the bullets of unidentified resistance fighters. Hangmen Also Die is the story of Heydrich's assassination in fictionalized form. It was Bertolt Brecht's only comparatively successful Hollywood project; the money he received allowed him to write "The Visions of Simone Marchand", "Schwyk in the Second World War" and his adaptation of Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi". Hanns Eisler won an Academy Award for his musical score.

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Plot Keywords:

world war two | father son relationship | listening to radio | fifth columnist | nazi occupied czechoslovakia | 

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Taglines:

The shot heard 'round the world!

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, Bertolt Brecht was denied story credit by the Screen Writer's Guild, even though he worked closely with writer John Wexley on the project.

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Goofs

In reality, Heydrich was assassinated by a team of Czech exiles sent back to the country by the British government.

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Quotes

Gestapo Insp. Alois Gruber: You better put that down.
Dr. Pillar: I'm going to put it where it belongs

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Crazy Credits

The end of the film reads "NOT The End".

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Connections

Featured in Hooray for Holyrood (1986)

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Soundtracks

No Surrender
(uncredited)
Music by Hanns Eisler
Lyrics by Sam Coslow

User Reviews

Why great directors make great films

The actors in this film made any number of cheesy B movies during the war, but with Berthold Brecht and Fritz Lang behind them they made a movie touching on greatness. Check out the characterizations of Heydrich, the policeman Gruber, and the other Gestapo agents. Walter Brennan as the patriotic father was an odd choice, but maybe I'm being blinded by his later Western sidekick roles. The sets are outstanding. Although obviously on a Hollywood back lot they made a very believable Prague, using in part pre-war travelogue footage of the city. Indoor scenes are excellent. The actors look like they live in a real place, not a cuckooland paradise that most hack directors would give you.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

April 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

No Surrender

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arnold Pressburger Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min 134 min (Turner library print) 117 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1