Thursday, 3 August 2023

The Train

 

The Train

                                    French locomotive, 1944 - 1950

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

We watched ‘The Train’ the other night. It was released in 1964, starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield and Jeanne Moreau, and was directed by John Frankenheimer. We had seen it many years ago but found it well worth viewing again. The version we watched included commentary by the director, which made it unique and very interesting.

 It was loosely based on the book, ‘Le front de l’art’, by Rose Valland, who was an art historian and member of the French Resistance. She recorded the Nazi theft of masterpieces of art from national and private Jewish ownership. A few weeks before the liberation of Paris, she learnt that plans were afoot to remove the plundered art works to Germany. 5 wagons containing 967 paintings by Braque, Degas, Modigliani and others, were hooked up to another 48 carrying stolen furniture and precious goods. The train left Aubervilliers railway station just outside Paris and broke down at Le Bourget. While it was being repaired, the French Resistance derailed two trains, blocking the tracks and leaving the train stranded.

Rose Valland saved thousands of works of art.

Frankenheimer’s commentary throughout added immeasurably to an appreciation of the work that went into it. Burt Lancaster learnt the skills required for driving a locomotive and engineering replacement parts, and performed all his own stunts. On a day off from filming, he damaged his knee while playing golf. It swelled up, in John Frankenheimer’s words, ‘like a football’, causing him to limp in great pain. He was very upset and thought filming would have to stop but he and Frankenheimer found a way round the problem by writing in a scene in which his character, French resistance worker Labiche, was shot in the knee.

  Frankenheimer described how scenes had been set up and the difficulties involved in filming explosions.  He also commented on social attitudes in the France of 1944. 

16 comments:

  1. Sounds well worth watching. So many stories from the wars - I'm sure the general public has heard only a fraction of them. It's right and good that they should be recorded in any way possible

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    1. I agree, Jenny. Revisit and learn the terrible lessons .

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  2. I knew all about the Monuments Men and the team of art experts who rescued masterpieces from Nazis. But I don't remember having heard the name Rose Valland mentioned. Was she less famous because she was a woman? Or perhaps her involvement was hidden to protect her role as a spy.
    I can see some reading ahead of me :) Thanks.

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  3. It is surprising that she is not better known. She was highly educated and decorated, but also modest and maybe self-effacing. You're probably right - had she been a man she may have been more widely recognised.

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  4. It sounds like an interesting film, encompassing some history. Can I ask how you are able to see an old film like this?

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  5. That's fascinating - and interesting that Lancaster got injured playing golf. Nowadays it would be more likely for a star to be injured on set.

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    1. One certainly doesn't think of golf as a dangerous sport!

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  6. So glad Rose saved the art. It would have been a tragedy if it had been destroyed!

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    1. It would have disappeared into private Nazi collections, Hitler's among them.

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  7. I must earmark this film as we are always struggling to find anything decent to view! Fascinating information too! 😁

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    1. Rose Valland was a very brave lady and was twice nearly uncovered as a French Resistance worker.

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  8. I always want to learn more about WWII as my uncles and father-in-law were fighting. And all things train related. If I do not find this film at my library, I may find it on the film site Kanopy.

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  9. I hope you manage to track it down - it's well worth it.

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  10. I've seen that film many years ago! Thank you for reminding me, as indeed it's well worth watching again. Particularly with the director's commentary. Will definitely try to track it down! xxx

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  11. Hi Janice - I'd love to see this ... I've seen a clip ... but with the commentary - it sounds so much better. Cheers Hilary

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