Before Winter Comes
Encyclopedia
Before Winter Comes is a 1969 British film directed by J. Lee Thompson
from a screenplay by Andrew Sinclair
.
. British Major Giles Burnside (David Niven
) is assigned to an Austrian refugee camp, his mission is to send the groups of displaced civilians to either the Russian or the American zone. Burnside is a by-the-books commander but runs into trouble with the intertranslations of many different languages. However, of the refugees, Janovic, (Topol
), is willing to help as he can speak many languages. Janovic quickly conveys Burnsides's orders and helps the way station run smoothly. Janovic runs into romance with a lovely innkeeper, Maria (Anna Karina
). But his love with her stops when he discovers her affair with Burnside. Meanwhile, Janovic is found to be a Russian
deserter, and must be returned to the Russian mainland to be executed. Burnside offers to help him escape, but Janovic can't decide whether to trust his commander.
J. Lee Thompson
John Lee Thompson , better known as J. Lee Thompson, was an English film director, active in England and Hollywood.- Early years :...
from a screenplay by Andrew Sinclair
Andrew Sinclair
Dr Andrew Sinclair is a prolific British novelist, historian, biographer, critic and film-maker. He was a Founding Member of Churchill College, Cambridge. He directed the film, now regarded as a classic, of Under Milk Wood. His book The Better Half: The Emancipation of the American Woman won the...
.
Plot
Before Winter Comes takes place in the immediate aftermath of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. British Major Giles Burnside (David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
) is assigned to an Austrian refugee camp, his mission is to send the groups of displaced civilians to either the Russian or the American zone. Burnside is a by-the-books commander but runs into trouble with the intertranslations of many different languages. However, of the refugees, Janovic, (Topol
Chaim Topol
Chaim Topol , often billed simply as Topol, is an Israeli theatrical and film performer, actor, writer and producer. He has been nominated for an Oscar and Tony Award, and has won two Golden Globes.-Early life:...
), is willing to help as he can speak many languages. Janovic quickly conveys Burnsides's orders and helps the way station run smoothly. Janovic runs into romance with a lovely innkeeper, Maria (Anna Karina
Anna Karina
Anna Karina is a Danish film actress, director, and screenwriter who has spent most of her working life in France. Karina is known as a muse of the director, Jean-Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave...
). But his love with her stops when he discovers her affair with Burnside. Meanwhile, Janovic is found to be a Russian
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
deserter, and must be returned to the Russian mainland to be executed. Burnside offers to help him escape, but Janovic can't decide whether to trust his commander.
Cast
- David NivenDavid NivenJames David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
as Major Burnside - TopolChaim TopolChaim Topol , often billed simply as Topol, is an Israeli theatrical and film performer, actor, writer and producer. He has been nominated for an Oscar and Tony Award, and has won two Golden Globes.-Early life:...
as Janovic - Anna KarinaAnna KarinaAnna Karina is a Danish film actress, director, and screenwriter who has spent most of her working life in France. Karina is known as a muse of the director, Jean-Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave...
as Maria - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
as Lieutenant Pilkington - Anthony QuayleAnthony QuayleSir John Anthony Quayle, CBE was an English actor and director.-Early life:Quayle was born in Ainsdale, Southport, in Lancashire to a Manx family....
as Brigadier Bewley - Ori Levy as Captain Kamenev
- John CollinJohn Collin (actor)John Collin was a British actor frequently seen on UK television during the 1960s and 1970s mainly in supporting roles. John Collin's best known role was as Detective Sergeant Haggar in the long running BBC police series Z-Cars...
as Sergeant Woody - Karel StepanekKarel ŠtěpánekKarel Štěpánek was a Czech actor who spent many years in Austria and generally played German roles onscreen. In 1940 he fled to Britain and spent much of the rest of his career acting there.-Selected filmography:...
as Count Kerassy - Guy Deghy as Kovacs
- Mark Malicz as Komenski
- Gertan KlauberGertan KlauberGeorge Gertan Klauber was a British character actor.He played small roles in many of the Carry On films, and appeared as mad king George III in Blackadder the Third....
as Russian major - Hana Maria PravdaHana Maria PravdaHana Maria Pravda was a Czechoslovakian actress.-Personal life:Pravda trained in Leningrad in 1936 under Alexei Dikii. On her return to Prague she married her first husband, Alexander Munk who was a student activist...
as Beata - George InnesGeorge InnesGeorge Innes is an English actor.-Stage career:He began his career on the stage with the National Theatre of Great Britain under Laurence Olivier. Before that, he trained at Toynbee Hall and evening classes at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art , where he was awarded the Shakespeare Cup...
as Bill - Tony SelbyTony SelbyTony Selby is an English actor.He has appeared in many television programmes including a starring role in RAF National Service comedy Get Some In!, and a recurring role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as the intergalactic conman Sabalom Glitz...
as Ted - Hugh FutcherHugh FutcherHugh Futcher is an English actor in theatre, television, and film. He was a member of the stock company of the Carry On films, with notable parts in Carry On Spying, Carry On At Your Convenience, and Carry On Behind...
as Joe - Christopher SandfordChristopher SandfordChristopher Sandford of Eye Manor, Herefordshire, was a book designer, proprietor of the Golden Cockerel Press, a founding director of the Folio Society, and husband of the wood engraver and pioneer Corn dolly revivalist, Lettice Sandford, née Mackintosh Rate.-Biography:He was born in Cork,...
as Johnny - Colin SpaullColin SpaullColin Spaull is a British actor, noted for his television work.His credits include: Z-Cars , Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor Who , Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Inspector Morse, The Bill Colin Spaull (born 1944) is a British actor, noted for his television work.His credits include: Z-Cars (in which he...
as Alf - Larry DannLarry DannLarry Dann is a British film and television actor.As a youngster he had a cameo playing a schoolboy in Carry on Teacher, Appreared in two films with Sir Norman Wisdom, Trouble In store and The Bulldog breed and later rejoined the famous Carry On series of films for Carry On Behind , Carry On...
as Al - Jeffrey WickhamJeffrey WickhamJeffrey Wickham is a British film and television actor. He is the father of the actress Saskia Wickham.-Selected filmography:* Before Winter Comes * The Breaking of Bumbo * Waterloo...
as Captain Roots - Alysoun Austin as A.T.S. driver
- John SavidentJohn SavidentJohn Savident is a British actor, best known for playing the part of Fred Elliott in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006. And also was a frequent guest on Soccer AM alongside fellow actor Jack 'The Rigger' Spooner....
as British corporal