The Train

19641964
Not RatedNot Rated
2h 13m

The Train (1964)

In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.

Play trailer4:24

In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.

Director
- John Frankenheimer
Writers
- Franklin Coen(screen story)
- Frank Davis(screen story)
- Rose Valland(based upon "Le Front De L'Art" by)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Videos1

Theatrical Trailer

Theatrical Trailer

Paul Scofield in The Train (1964)

Paul Scofield in The Train (1964)

Jeanne Moreau in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster and Jeanne Moreau in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster and Jeanne Moreau in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster and Michel Simon in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster in The Train (1964)

The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield in The Train (1964)

Burt Lancaster in The Train (1964)

Paul Labicheas Paul Labiche

Colonel Franz Von Waldheimas Colonel Franz Von Waldheim

Christineas Christine

Mlle. Villardas Mlle. Villard

Papa Bouleas Papa Boule

Wolfgang Preiss

Major Herrenas Major Herren

Didontas Didont
(as Albert Remy)

Pesquetas Pesquet

General Von Lubitzas General Von Lubitz
(as Richard Munch)

Jacques - Rive-Reine Station Masteras Jacques - Rive-Reine Station Master

Spinet - Resistance Leaderas Spinet - Resistance Leader

Captain Schmidtas Captain Schmidt

Sergeant Schwartzas Sergeant Schwartz
(as Donal O'Brien)

Jean-Pierre Zola

Octaveas Octave

Pilzeras Pilzer
(as Art Brauss)

Jean-Claude Bercq

Majoras Major
(as Jean-Claude Berco)

Dietrichas Dietrich

Louis Falavigna

Railroad Workeras Railroad Worker

Director
- John Frankenheimer
Writers
- Franklin Coen(screen story) (screenplay)
- Frank Davis(screen story) (screenplay)
- Rose Valland(based upon "Le Front De L'Art" by)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

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As the Allied forces approach Paris in August 1944, German Colonel Von Waldheim is desperate to take all of France's greatest paintings to Germany. He manages to secure a train to transport the valuable art works even as the chaos of retreat descends upon them. The French resistance however wants to stop them from stealing their national treasures but have received orders from London that they are not to be destroyed. The station master, Labiche, is tasked with scheduling the train and making it all happen smoothly but he is also part of a dwindling group of resistance fighters tasked with preventing the theft. He and others stage an elaborate ruse to keep the train from ever leaving French territory. —garykmcd

train french resistance sabotage nazi stolen art year 1944 74 more

Taglines
- They bombed it. They strafed it. Sabotaged it. Cursed the train!
Genres
- Thriller
- War
Certificate
- Not Rated
Parents guide

Trivia
Burt Lancaster took a day off during shooting to play golf when the production was about half completed. On the links, he stepped in a hole and re-aggravated an old knee injury. In order to compensate for the injury, John Frankenheimer had Lancaster's character shot in the leg, thus enabling him to limp through the rest of the shooting.

Goofs
Gerd von Rundstedt was commanding the Germans in this movie, which took place in August 1944. In reality, von Rundstedt was fired in June for losing Normandy and wasn't reinstated until September, when Operation Market-Garden began.

Quotes
Colonel von Waldheim: Labiche! Here's your prize, Labiche. Some of the greatest paintings in the world. Does it please you, Labiche? Give you a sense of excitement in just being near them? A painting means as much to you as a string of pearls to an ape. You won by sheer luck: you stopped me without knowing what you were doing, or why. You are nothing, Labiche -- a lump of flesh. The paintings are mine; they always will be; beauty belongs to the man who can appreciate it! They will always belong to me or to a man like me. Now, this minute, you couldn't tell me why you did what you did.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: PARIS August 2-1944 1511th day of German occupation

Alternate versions
Whilst the official run time is 133 minutes, the BBFC website has two separate entries, one with a theatrical 'U' rated certificate in 1964 running at 141 minutes 31 seconds and the other entry with a theatrical 'A' rated certificate in 1959 running at 90 minutes 37 seconds. Though the second entry seems incorrect due to the erroneous date of certification being 21 October 1959 (the film was being made in 1963 and is copyrighted in 1964) and a much shorter run time, the BBFC reference numbering is in sequence with the later video rated entries so it is unknown if this 1959 entry is a much shorter cut of this film or this is an error in the BBFC records. It is also not known if the 142 minute entry is a longer cut of the film that has simply not been since it's UK theatrical release in 1964.

Connections
Featured in Film Review: Burt Lancaster (1968)

Top review

8/10

An unusual war movie but still good

The movie is about a episode that happened in 1944. When France was still occupied by the Nazis, they decided to steal paintings from the Paris museums. This film is about a shipment that the French has to save before he ends to Germans, but they also don't want to be destroyed in the process.

Burt Lancaster stars as a French train engineer that has to transport the shipment. At first is not a easy task, but he succeeds in the end. Meanwhile he becomes friend with a hotel owner played by French actress Jeanne Moreau (that passed away last year). And the other members of the cast are fine. Paul Scofield as a German general is great (and Scofield also starred in other great movies after this), and it was a treat seeing French comedian Michel Simon in a war movie (just like Bourvil in THE LONGEST DAY).

This movie had great direction by John Frankenheimer, great performances by all the actors, and also great photography in Black and White. Although a bit dragged in some places, it was still great to watch! And as a fan of the history from 1850 until these days, I liked the movie for his accuracy and his action scenes.

helpful•14

1

bellino-angelo2014
Aug 16, 2018

Release date
- March 7, 1965 (United States)
Countries of origin
Languages
- English
- German
Also known as
- John Frankenheimer's The Train
Filming locations
- Acquigny, Eure, France
Production companies
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Budget
- $6,700,000 (estimated)

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
2 hours 13 minutes
Color
- Black and White
Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1

Line of Demarcation

Line of Demarcation

Jul 31Trailers from Hell

Walter Bernstein, Blacklisted Writer and Oscar Nominee for ‘The Front,’ Dies at 101

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Jan 23Variety Film + TV

The Train (1964)

Top Gap

By what name was The Train (1964) officially released in India in English?

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