Produced by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with the co- operation of the Netherland Government Information Bureau and the Royal Netherlands Navy; an Archers Film Production. Presented by the Rank Organisation. U.K. release through General Film Distributors: 22 March 1943. New York opening at the World: 23 March 1945 (sic). U.S. release through PRC: 26 March 1945. Australian release through Gaumont-British-Dominions/20th Century-Fox: 13 January 1944. 8,194 feet. 91 minutes.
COMMENT: The plot by now is a rather familiar cliché of the espionage yarn, but nonetheless it is played out here with such style and panache, and heavily loaded with such compellingly realistic production values, that, despite its outdated and obvious anti-Nazi message, it still comes across as engrossing entertainment, full of thrills, hair's breadth escapes and other excitements.
Although hampered by the necessity to speak English, Ralph Richardson turns in a wonderfully charismatic performance in the lead role, ably assisted by Googie Withers and Esmond Knight.
Junge's superlative art direction is a major contributor to the film's success as a realistic document rather than as a fanciful, old-hat melodrama. Hillier's bold camera-work also scores strongly.
All credits, in fact, are absolutely first-rate. That's why it's so hard to believe that Vernon Sewell — Vernon Campbell Sewell, no less, as billed in the credits — had a great deal to do with the writing and direction. If this is actually so, then it is by far his best work in both categories.
Gordon Wellesley's career is not exactly filled with high points either, though he did pen the original story for "Night Train to Munich". Frankly, the script sounds to me like the superior collaboration of Powell and Pressburger. And my hunch is that the masterly direction is Mr. Powell's work too. But maybe I'm dead wrong on both counts?
COMMENT: The plot by now is a rather familiar cliché of the espionage yarn, but nonetheless it is played out here with such style and panache, and heavily loaded with such compellingly realistic production values, that, despite its outdated and obvious anti-Nazi message, it still comes across as engrossing entertainment, full of thrills, hair's breadth escapes and other excitements.
Although hampered by the necessity to speak English, Ralph Richardson turns in a wonderfully charismatic performance in the lead role, ably assisted by Googie Withers and Esmond Knight.
Junge's superlative art direction is a major contributor to the film's success as a realistic document rather than as a fanciful, old-hat melodrama. Hillier's bold camera-work also scores strongly.
All credits, in fact, are absolutely first-rate. That's why it's so hard to believe that Vernon Sewell — Vernon Campbell Sewell, no less, as billed in the credits — had a great deal to do with the writing and direction. If this is actually so, then it is by far his best work in both categories.
Gordon Wellesley's career is not exactly filled with high points either, though he did pen the original story for "Night Train to Munich". Frankly, the script sounds to me like the superior collaboration of Powell and Pressburger. And my hunch is that the masterly direction is Mr. Powell's work too. But maybe I'm dead wrong on both counts?