The Train (DVD)

The Train

In 1944 in German-occupied Paris, the Americans are moving closer to liberating the city. German Col. Franz von Waldheim (Paul Scofield) orders the priceless works of art from the Jeu de Paume Museum packed up and transported to Germany. Museum Superintendent Mlle.Villard (Suzanne Flon) attempts to convince railway Station-master Labiche (Burt Lancaster) that he should sabotage the train transporting the art so it isn't taken from France. Labiche, part of an underground group of saboteurs, derides the idea because he wants to destroy a trainload of German weapons, but he assigns Papa Boule (Michel Simon) to drive the train with the art to Germany.

Papa Boule is a feisty rail professional with no affection for the Germans, so he sabotages the art train, ironically causing it to be missed by an air raid that disables most of the other trains. A German Officer discovers Papa Boule's actions and has him executed to make an example of him, and orders Labiche to drive the art train himself to Germany. This puts a severe crimp in Labiche's plans to divert the train. When the Germans house Labiche in a hotel owned by Christine (Jeanne Moreau), he devises additional ways to sabotage the train, revealing to Christine his real purpose. She complains that it's the men who make the messes, but the women who suffer, and to this Labiche really has no answer.

By now Labiche is determined to save the train of antiquities, but more out of his own personal statement against the Germans than because of the value of the art, which he really doesn't understand or appreciate. Through a series of complex maneuvers, Labiches manages to divert the art train and direct it back to Paris, causing massive railway damage in the process, and incurring the wrath of Col. Waldheim. Walhdeim places civilian hostages on the train engine to prevent further attacks from the Resistance fighters. When more civilians are killed, Labiche is determined to prevent Waldheim from acquiring the train. In a long series of hit and runs, the train is slowed but not stopped; Labiche is stalling the Germans in hopes that the Allies will arrive soon.

While Labiche's cause looks hopeless—one man against a train-full of Germans—he manages to finally derail it. Waldheim refuses to concede defeat. He tries to commandeer a passing German convoy, evicting the retreating German troops, and load the art onto the trucks. The German convoy officer ignores Waldheim and orders the men to reboard the trucks. Waldheim orders the hostages executed, and Labiche is powerless to stop him. When Waldheim is offered a seat on the convoy, he refuses, preferring to wait and confront Labiche. He insults Labiche, telling him that he has no idea of the true value of what he has saved, and that art belongs to whoever can best appreciate it, that is, himself. Labiche considers the executed civilians, rather than art, and guns Waldheim down.