The Train (1964 film)

thumb|Burt Lancaster, Michel Simon (background) & Paul Scofield in The Train The Train is a 1964 war film about a German colonel who loads a train with stolen French art treasures to send to Germany in 1944. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo. Directed by John Frankenheimer. Written by Franklin Coen, Frank Davis, and Walter Bernstein, loosely based on the non-fiction book Le front de l'art by Rose Valland. It carried their hopes, their nation's honour!(taglines) Paul Labiche Well, hurry it up. We're working on a locomotive, not a pocketwatch. You crazy bastard. There were over a hundred involved in stopping that train. Switchmen, brakemen, yard gangs, stationmasters. God knows how many will be shot, like Jacques. You know what's on that train? Paintings. That's right, paintings. Art. The national heritage. The pride of France. Crazy, isn't it? Papa Boule Don't just slap the oil on anywhere, damn it! Look where the hell you're putting it. This machine was running before you were born. She's like a woman. If you don't treat her just the right way, she'll make your life miserable. Take this. Do it right, for God's sake! Remember, a grease job is not a bath. Christine Men are such fools. Men want to be heroes and their widows mourn. Labiche, Labiche. Yes, I've seen Labiche. I see him every day. And General de Gaulle too. They're my best customers and I keep them cool in the wine cellar. Mlle. Villard They must not even be damaged. They could never be replaced. They're not just... Here, I have the list. Renoirs, Cezannes, 64 Picassos, 29 Braques. Degas, Matisse. He chose very carefully. Only the best. The national heritage. Col. Franz von Waldheim This is degenerate art, you know. As a loyal officer of the Third Reich, I should detest it. I've often wondered at the curious conceit that would attempt to determine tastes and ideas by decree. [last words] Labiche! Here's your prize, Labiche. Some of the greatest paintings in the world. Does it please you, Labiche? You feel a sense of excitement at 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 a man like me. Now, this minute, you couldn't tell me why you did what you did. Other General Von Lubitz: I don't share your enthusiasm for art. Even if I did, it would not be centered on this degenerate trash. Nor would I expect priority over vitally needed war transport. Dialogue Colonel von Waldheim: Might it not be unwise to leave a billion gold reichsmarks in the Bank of France? Enough money to equip ten panzer divisions? General Von Lubitz: Make your point, Colonel. Colonel von Waldheim: Money is a weapon. The contents of that Train are as negotiable as gold and more valuable. I feel Berlin would prefer it in the hands of the Third Reich. Spinet: London agrees the art is important. Anything we can do to save it... but they leave it up to us. Labiche: Why not? What can they lose? This morning we had four men left in this group. Now we have three. One, two, three. Pesquet: Bernard? Labiche: We started with eighteen. Like your paintings, mademoiselle, we couldn't replace them. For certain things we take the risk, but I won't waste lives on paintings. Mlle. Villard: They wouldn't be wasted! Excuse me, I know that's a terrible thing to say. But those paintings are part of France. The Germans want to take them away. They've taken our land, our food, they live in our houses, and now they're trying to take our art. This beauty, this vision of life, born out of France, our special vision, our trust... we hold it in trust, don't you see, for everyone? This is our pride, what we create and hold for the world. There are worse things to risk your life for than that. Labiche: I'm sorry, mademoiselle, we can't help you. Mlle. Villard: I knew of books being burned, other things... I was terrified that these would be lost. Colonel von Waldheim: A book is worth a few francs; we Germans can afford to destroy those. We all may not appreciate artistic merit, but cash value is another matter. Mlle. Villard: You won't convince me that you're cynical. I know what these paintings mean to you. Colonel von Waldheim: You are a perceptive woman. [Schmidt enters, with several other soldiers.] Colonel von Waldheim: We're removing the paintings. Pack them carefully. Mlle. Villard: Where are you taking them?! Colonel von Waldheim: To a safe place. Mlle. Villard: But no place is as safe as Paris! Didont: I don't like it. Pesquet: Who does? Didont: I mean the art train. If the Germans want it so much, maybe we should do something. Pesquet: You can get killed stopping a train. Didont: Especially if you're French, and the train's German. Colonel von Waldheim: Do you think there will be sabotage attempts on this train? Labiche: I'm a railroad man, not a prophet. Colonel von Waldheim: Prophecy is not required, only determination. This train will get through to Germany. Labiche: [attempting to save Papa Boule, whom the Germans want to execute for committing sabotage] He's just an old man. He didn't know what he was doing. Don't worry - I'll get your train through for you. Papa Boule: [to Labiche] His train? His? It's my train! I know what I'm doing. Do you? [the tracks are being cleared after the deliberate wreck] Colonel von Waldheim: I asked for two cranes. Major Herren: It took an order from staff headquarters to get this one. With von Runstedt falling back, the army has other uses for railway equipment. Colonel von Waldheim: All von Runstedt can lose is men. This train is more valuable. Octave: Boule, you are a good engineer, you have told me so. But in matters of culture, you are sadly deficient. Champagne and perfume can be replaced. But, not art. These paintings are important! Papa Boule: Really? Octave: The glory of France! Papa Boule: Glory of France? Labiche: Thank you. Christine: I don't want your thanks. If they'd caught me helping you, I would have been shot. Labiche: I know. I'm sorry. Christine: You think you can just run in and out of here and make trouble? I run a hotel, not a madhouse. Who's going to pay for the door? Who's going to pay for the lock? Do you think money grows on trees? Labiche: There's a war... Christine: You talk about the war. I talk about what it costs! Labiche: I'll be leaving in a few hours. You can go back to your good customers. Christine: They pay. That's what I'm in business for. Labiche: You should be paid. How much for the damage? Christine: One hundred francs. [He pays her.] Labiche: How much for saving my life? Didont: With luck, no one will be hurt. Labiche: No one's ever hurt. Just dead. Didont: Paul, uh, have you ever seen any of those paintings on that train? I haven't. You know, when it's over, I think maybe we should take a look, hmm? Labiche: Listen, you idiots! The war'll be over in a few days! Now leave it alone. Pesquet: You get caught up in something, you can't leave it alone. Spinet: Right after dawn, all switching tracks and trains in the area will be bombed. The art train is not to be destroyed. Orders are to mark it so that the planes will pass it up. Labiche: Mark it! Spinet: White paint, on the top of the first three cars. London has decided the paintings must not be damaged. Labiche: Paint it? For von Waldheim - make him a present? To hell with London! We started this whole thing for one reason: to stop the train, because the Allies were going to be here! Well, where are they? Every day they've been due, and every day a man has been killed for thinking they were just over the next hill. I say to hell with them. Now they want us to paint the train? Let 'em blow it up! Didont: Paul, it'd be too bad, if it got blown up... that is, if it could be saved. Papa Boule, Pesquet, the others... they wanted it saved. Labiche: And they're dead. And they'll never know! Didont: But we will. Labiche: Where are the Allies? Spinet: It has been arranged for a French division to reach Paris first. A gesture. Labiche: Gesture! They can make gestures! Let them make one for Pesquet, or Jacques! That kid of Lefèvre's... he'd appreciate a gesture. Taglines One man's impossible mission - to save his country's priceless treasures! It carried their hopes, their nation's honour! Cast Burt Lancaster - Paul Labiche Paul Scofield - Col. Franz von Waldheim Jeanne Moreau - Christine Suzanne Flon - Mademoiselle Villard Michel Simon - Papa Boule Wolfgang Preiss - Major Herren Albert Rémy - Didont Charles Millot - Pesquet Jean Bouchaud - Hauptmann Schmidt Richard Münch - General von Lubitz Jacques Marin - Jacques Paul Bonifas - Spinet Donald O'Brien - Sergeant Schwartz Arthur Brauss - Lieutenant Pilzer Bernard La Jarrige - Bernard Daniel Lecourtois - Priest Gérard Buhr - Corporal Howard Vernon - Hauptmann Dietrich Nick Dimitri - German soldier Christian Fuin - Robert Christian Rémy - Tauber Helmo Kindermann - Ordnance officer Jacques Blot - Hubert Jean-Claude Bercq - Major Jean-Jacques Lecomte - Lieutenant of retreating convoy Jean-Pierre Zola - Octave Louis Falavigna - Railroad worker Max From - Gestapo officer Richard Bailey - Grote Roger Lumont - Engineer officer External links 0059825 The Train Category:1964 French films Category:1964 Italian films Category:World War II films Category:Films set on trains Category:American adventure films Category:Films based on true stories Category:Films directed by John Frankenheimer Category:1964 American films Category:1964 English-language films Category:Films about the French Resistance Category:Films based on non-fiction books Category:Films set in 1944 Category:Films set in Paris