Night Train to Munich
Encyclopedia
Night Train to Munich is a 1940 British thriller film. It was directed by Carol Reed
, with writing credits by Sidney Gilliat
and Frank Launder
. It is liberally adapted from the Gordon Wellesley
novel Report on a Fugitive.
, a scientist who is working on a new process for armour-plating, Dr. Bomasch (James Harcourt
), is flown to England. His daughter Anna (Margaret Lockwood), however, is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. There, she is befriended by a fellow Czech
prisoner named Karl Marsen (Paul Henreid). Together, they escape to England
, and Anna finds her father by placing a cryptic advertisement in a newspaper at Marsen's suggestion.
Dr. Bomasch is working for the Royal Navy
at the Dartford
naval base. He is guarded by Dickie Randall (Rex Harrison
), a naval officer working undercover as an entertainer called 'Gus Bennett'. Marsen, who is actually an undercover SS agent, has followed Anna; he and his agents soon capture her and her father from Randall, and return them to Germany on a U-boat
.
Randall volunteers to try to rescue them while they are still in transit in Germany. Posing as a German army engineer
major named Herzog, he gains access to Anna, telling the Germans that they were lovers in Prague four years ago, and that this could help him persuade her to get her father to cooperate. He contrives to accompany them on a train trip to Munich
with Marsen and two guards.
On the train, they meet two Englishmen, Charters and Caldicott
, who are trying to get home after Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Caldicott (Naunton Wayne
)) recognizes Randall from their days at Balliol College, Oxford
. Randall denies knowing him, but Marsen's suspicions are aroused. At a stop, he telephones his superiors, who agree to investigate and call him back. Charters (Basil Radford
), attempting to use another telephone, overhears the return call confirming there is no Major Herzog. Marsen arranges to have Randall arrested when they arrive in Munich.
Caldicott slips a warning to Randall, who is thus prepared when Marsen pulls out a gun and ends the charade just before they reach Munich. Charters and Caldicott overpower first the two guards, then Marsen. After swapping uniforms with Marsen, Randall manages to get a car. Along with Charters and Caldicott, they make a break for neutral Switzerland
. They drive up a mountain road to a cable car
and, amidst a gun fight with the pursuing Germans, safely cross the border.
, although the story is not a continuation, and only two of the characters (the two slightly eccentric and cricket
-mad English travelers Charters and Caldicott
) are carried over. This originates in their similar train-based settings, and in the recurrence of two of the earlier film's character types
in the two leads: the clever young woman in distress
and eccentric upper-class Englishman. In the earlier film, this is Iris and Gilbert, and in this one, Anna Bomasch and Dickie Randall. The female character is played by the same actress, Margaret Lockwood, in both films.
Carol Reed
Sir Carol Reed was an English film director best known for Odd Man Out , The Fallen Idol , The Third Man and Oliver!...
, with writing credits by Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat was an English film director, producer and writer.He was born in the district of Edgeley in Stockport, Cheshire. In the 1930s he worked as a scriptwriter, most notably with Frank Launder on The Lady Vanishes for Alfred Hitchcock, and its sequel Night Train to Munich , directed by...
and Frank Launder
Frank Launder
Frank Launder was an English writer, director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat....
. It is liberally adapted from the Gordon Wellesley
Gordon Wellesley
Gordon Wellesley was an Australian-born screenwriter and writer. Born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1894 he wrote over thirty screenplays and television scripts in Britain often collaborating with the director Carol Reed. He was married to the scriptwriter Katherine Strueby...
novel Report on a Fugitive.
Plot
When the Germans march into PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, a scientist who is working on a new process for armour-plating, Dr. Bomasch (James Harcourt
James Harcourt
James Harcourt was a British character actor. He was born on 20 April 1873 in Headingley, Yorkshire.He started work as a cabinet maker, and drifted into amateur dramatics...
), is flown to England. His daughter Anna (Margaret Lockwood), however, is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. There, she is befriended by a fellow Czech
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
prisoner named Karl Marsen (Paul Henreid). Together, they escape to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Anna finds her father by placing a cryptic advertisement in a newspaper at Marsen's suggestion.
Dr. Bomasch is working for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
at the Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
naval base. He is guarded by Dickie Randall (Rex Harrison
Rex Harrison
Sir Reginald Carey “Rex” Harrison was an English actor of stage and screen. Harrison won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards.-Youth and stage career:...
), a naval officer working undercover as an entertainer called 'Gus Bennett'. Marsen, who is actually an undercover SS agent, has followed Anna; he and his agents soon capture her and her father from Randall, and return them to Germany on a U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
.
Randall volunteers to try to rescue them while they are still in transit in Germany. Posing as a German army engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
major named Herzog, he gains access to Anna, telling the Germans that they were lovers in Prague four years ago, and that this could help him persuade her to get her father to cooperate. He contrives to accompany them on a train trip to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
with Marsen and two guards.
On the train, they meet two Englishmen, Charters and Caldicott
Charters and Caldicott
Caldicott and Charters are two supporting characters in the film The Lady Vanishes, and recurring characters in later films and BBC Radio productions.-Life:...
, who are trying to get home after Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Caldicott (Naunton Wayne
Naunton Wayne
Naunton Wayne , was a British character actor, born in Llanwonno, South Wales. He was educated at Clifton College....
)) recognizes Randall from their days at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. Randall denies knowing him, but Marsen's suspicions are aroused. At a stop, he telephones his superiors, who agree to investigate and call him back. Charters (Basil Radford
Basil Radford
Basil Radford was an English character actor who featured in many British films of the 1930s and 1940s. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his first stage appearance in July 1924...
), attempting to use another telephone, overhears the return call confirming there is no Major Herzog. Marsen arranges to have Randall arrested when they arrive in Munich.
Caldicott slips a warning to Randall, who is thus prepared when Marsen pulls out a gun and ends the charade just before they reach Munich. Charters and Caldicott overpower first the two guards, then Marsen. After swapping uniforms with Marsen, Randall manages to get a car. Along with Charters and Caldicott, they make a break for neutral Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. They drive up a mountain road to a cable car
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
and, amidst a gun fight with the pursuing Germans, safely cross the border.
Principal cast
- Margaret Lockwood - Anna Bomasch
- Rex HarrisonRex HarrisonSir Reginald Carey “Rex” Harrison was an English actor of stage and screen. Harrison won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards.-Youth and stage career:...
- Dickie Randall / Gus Bennett - Paul Henreid - Karl Marsen
- Basil RadfordBasil RadfordBasil Radford was an English character actor who featured in many British films of the 1930s and 1940s. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his first stage appearance in July 1924...
- Charters - Naunton WayneNaunton WayneNaunton Wayne , was a British character actor, born in Llanwonno, South Wales. He was educated at Clifton College....
- Caldicott - James HarcourtJames HarcourtJames Harcourt was a British character actor. He was born on 20 April 1873 in Headingley, Yorkshire.He started work as a cabinet maker, and drifted into amateur dramatics...
- Axel Bomasch - Felix AylmerFelix AylmerSir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television.-Early life and career:...
- Dr. John Fredericks - Wyndham Goldie - Charles Dryton
- Roland CulverRoland CulverRoland Culver OBE was a British stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:...
- Roberts - Eliot MakehamEliot MakehamEliot Makeham , sometimes credited as Eliott Makeham or Elliot Makeham, was an English film and television actor.-Early life and education:He was born Harold Elliott Makeham in 1882, in London, England....
- Schwab - Raymond HuntleyRaymond HuntleyRaymond Huntley was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s through to the 1970s...
- Kampenfeldt - Austin TrevorAustin TrevorAustin Trevor was a Belfast born actor who had a long career in British films and television.He was the first actor to play Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot on screen in three British films during the early 1930s: Alibi , Black Coffee and Lord Edgware Dies...
- Capt. Prada - Kenneth KentKenneth KentKenneth Kent , sometimes Keneth Kent, was an English actor. Most notable for portraying the emperor Napoleon in the 1948 film Idol of Paris, he also appeared in the war films Dangerous Moonlight and Night Train to Munich .-External links:...
- Controller - C.V. FranceC.V. FranceCharles V. France , usually credited as C. V. France, was a British actor.-Partial filmography:*The Blue Bird *The Skin Game *Black Coffee...
- Admiral Hassinger - Frederick ValkFrederick ValkFrederick Valk was a German-born Jewish stage and screen actor of Czech descent who fled to the United Kingdom in the late 1930s to escape Nazi persecution, and subsequently became a naturalised British citizen...
- German Officer at Munich Station
Sequel to The Lady Vanishes
The film has been frequently promoted as a sequel to The Lady VanishesThe Lady Vanishes (1938 film)
The Lady Vanishes is a 1938 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and adapted by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder from the 1936 novel The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White...
, although the story is not a continuation, and only two of the characters (the two slightly eccentric and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
-mad English travelers Charters and Caldicott
Charters and Caldicott
Caldicott and Charters are two supporting characters in the film The Lady Vanishes, and recurring characters in later films and BBC Radio productions.-Life:...
) are carried over. This originates in their similar train-based settings, and in the recurrence of two of the earlier film's character types
Stock character
A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...
in the two leads: the clever young woman in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
and eccentric upper-class Englishman. In the earlier film, this is Iris and Gilbert, and in this one, Anna Bomasch and Dickie Randall. The female character is played by the same actress, Margaret Lockwood, in both films.