NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH is a very enjoyable WWII spy film, though it's also one that may be difficult to watch if you think too much, as the plot is awfully unrealistic and hard to believe. But, if you are able to put aside these problems, the overall film is entertaining and well made.
Dr. Bomasch and his daughter, Anna, live in Czechoslovakia. However, when the Nazis take over the country, the Doctor is spirited out of the country because he is a genius at armor plating technology. However, just as Anna is about to join him, she is arrested and put in a concentration camp. Eventually, however, Anna is able to escape--thanks to a "nice guy" who is also an inmate (Paul Henreid). When Anna is reunited with her father, the Nazis spring a trap and take them both by force back to their native land. At this point, secret agent Rex Harrison sneaks back into Czechoslovakia and risks everything to get them back.
An interesting addition to this film is the presence of Charters and Caldicott--two characters who were in Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES. They play the same people but with a different director--a very odd thing indeed. I liked them, though they did seem like very improbable heroes! The film is tense, the acting is fine (heck, I'd watch Rex Harrison in practically anything) and the direction is good. The problem is that sneaking in and out of Nazi territory seemed amazingly easy. The Nazis, unfortunately, were not that stupid and were also a lot more vicious than they appeared in the film.
Overall, a better than average WWII film thanks to good acting and production values. Just don't look for perfection, as the film seems more designed for its propaganda value than for realism.
Dr. Bomasch and his daughter, Anna, live in Czechoslovakia. However, when the Nazis take over the country, the Doctor is spirited out of the country because he is a genius at armor plating technology. However, just as Anna is about to join him, she is arrested and put in a concentration camp. Eventually, however, Anna is able to escape--thanks to a "nice guy" who is also an inmate (Paul Henreid). When Anna is reunited with her father, the Nazis spring a trap and take them both by force back to their native land. At this point, secret agent Rex Harrison sneaks back into Czechoslovakia and risks everything to get them back.
An interesting addition to this film is the presence of Charters and Caldicott--two characters who were in Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES. They play the same people but with a different director--a very odd thing indeed. I liked them, though they did seem like very improbable heroes! The film is tense, the acting is fine (heck, I'd watch Rex Harrison in practically anything) and the direction is good. The problem is that sneaking in and out of Nazi territory seemed amazingly easy. The Nazis, unfortunately, were not that stupid and were also a lot more vicious than they appeared in the film.
Overall, a better than average WWII film thanks to good acting and production values. Just don't look for perfection, as the film seems more designed for its propaganda value than for realism.