Post war Europe felt the hunger caused by the conflict in different ways. When a pigeon is shot near the Eiffel Tower, some children decide to give it a fitting burial by taking it home. One of the boys' mother, has a different idea figuring it would make do for her husband's dinner. Little did she realize the pigeon was carrying a coded message that will set things in motion in this account of life in that era.
The Americans in France were sending a group of people to Berlin by train. It was a mixed crowd that included Dr. Bernhardt, an important man that was returning to Germany to present ideas for the new government there. Some of his fellow citizens did not want him to get to his destination as it is made clear with a murder attempt in the train, only the real man man was not killed. What follows is an adventure into uncharted territory that takes place among the ruins of Frankfurt and Berlin.
Jacques Tourneur, a director with a talent for giving his films a view from another angle, worked successfully in Hollywood. "Berlin Express" came after his wonderful "Out of the Past". The story was based on a story by Curt Siodmak, the brother of Robert Siodmak, the film director, and a writer in his own right. The screenplay is credited to Harold Medford. Mr. Tourneur directed the thriller documentary style, as though to clarify things and put them in perspective for the audience. The narration tries to give the viewer a link to the turmoil of life after the war, especially a Germany in ruins. Lucien Ballard, a distinguished cinematographer was at hand to capture images that illustrates the horrors lived during the war.
The cast includes Robert Ryan, Merle Oberon, Paul Lukas, Charles Korvin and Robert Coote. The film is worth a look by fans of Jacques Tourneur
The Americans in France were sending a group of people to Berlin by train. It was a mixed crowd that included Dr. Bernhardt, an important man that was returning to Germany to present ideas for the new government there. Some of his fellow citizens did not want him to get to his destination as it is made clear with a murder attempt in the train, only the real man man was not killed. What follows is an adventure into uncharted territory that takes place among the ruins of Frankfurt and Berlin.
Jacques Tourneur, a director with a talent for giving his films a view from another angle, worked successfully in Hollywood. "Berlin Express" came after his wonderful "Out of the Past". The story was based on a story by Curt Siodmak, the brother of Robert Siodmak, the film director, and a writer in his own right. The screenplay is credited to Harold Medford. Mr. Tourneur directed the thriller documentary style, as though to clarify things and put them in perspective for the audience. The narration tries to give the viewer a link to the turmoil of life after the war, especially a Germany in ruins. Lucien Ballard, a distinguished cinematographer was at hand to capture images that illustrates the horrors lived during the war.
The cast includes Robert Ryan, Merle Oberon, Paul Lukas, Charles Korvin and Robert Coote. The film is worth a look by fans of Jacques Tourneur