JohnHowardReid Producer: Edward Black. Made at Gaumont British Studios, Shepherd's Bush. In charge of production: Maurice Ostrer. A 20th Century production. Not copyrighted in the U.S.A. New York opening at the Globe: 29 December 1940. U.S. release through 20th Century-Fox: 18 October 1940. U.K. release through General Film Distributors: 31 August 1940. London opening at the Empire, Leicester Square: 25 July 1940. Australian release through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: 30 January 1941. 8,535 feet. 95 minutes. U.S. release title: NIGHT TRAIN. SYNOPSIS: A British spy rescues a Czech scientist and his beautiful daughter from the Nazis. NOTES: Gordon Wellesley was nominated for an Academy Award for his Original Story, losing to Here Comes Mr Jordan. One of Australia's top forty-five box-office attractions for 1941, the movie also took good money in England and - to 20th Century-Fox's immense surprise - in the U.S.A. COMMENT: Even if the direction is more routine than imaginative, it's odd to find Carol Reed mixed up in this rather juvenile spy story. True, on its own comic-paper level, it is rather jolly in its adventuresome, Boy's Own Paper way. Rex Harrison enjoys himself with no less than two impersonations: a seaside ballad singer and a be-monocled German major. Margaret Lockwood, as usual, makes a reasonably vivacious heroine. Plus there's nice character work by folk like Raymond Huntley (in a black wig), C.V. France (a Nazi admiral), while Wayne and Radford reprise their Englishmen-abroad routine from The Lady Vanishes. Looking surprising young, youthful and clean-cut (which makes a rather agreeable change) as the villain, Paul Henreid lends admirable color. Production values are high, despite lots of miniature work (realistic enough to fool most picturegoers in 1940, though to-day's more sophisticated fans will probably not be deceived). Whatever else, Night Train to Munich is superbly photographed. Many of the sets are likewise impressive. OTHER VIEWS: This honey of a thriller is one of the outstanding prototypes of the screen spy genre. - Parish & Pitts: The Great Spy Pictures.One of the top ten spy movies ever made. - Nash & Ross: The Motion Picture Guide.

HeathCliff-2 Dreadful, dated, overrated. Found it hard to believe it was directed by Carol Reed. There was no suspense, no pacing, artificial sets and miniatures, contrived unbelievable story, endless silly banter by that British duo in the last twenty minutes of the movie. I was shocked at how lethargic the pacing was, and how contrived it was at every turn. The scene between Harrison and Lockwood in the hotel room, when they are conspiring against the Nazis, was directed in the style of a drawing room comedy, as if there was absolutely no peril involved. The final shoot-out was directed and scored like a B western, not to mention at least 20 or more bullets from each gun. None of the stars were as dynamic as they are in other movies, and there wasn't a single set, as far as I could tell, that was real. The difference is that Hitchcock, not to mention Welles, wove magic both in direction and lighting, so that they could make sets somehow look real. Carol Reed was not up to the task. He got way better later, but this one was B movie all the way.

MartinHafer 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.

edwagreen Very good Rex Harrison and Margaret Lockwood vehicle at the dawn of World War 11. As Nazi Germany goes on the march against Austria, The Sudetenland and the rest of Czechoslovakia, a woman and her father prepare to flee the Czech country only for her to be imprisoned. The father, a scientist, is desired by the Nazis to work for them.While the father escapes, the daughter is trapped and imprisoned. There she meets Paul Henried, who comes to her aid to get her to England. What she doesn't know is that Henried is a Nazi official himself who wants Lockwood to lead him directly to her father.When this does happen, Lockwood, in England, had met secret agent Rex Harrison. Harrison goes to Germany disguised as a German army official trying to get Lockwood and her father out.The film is a good one as there are constant twists along the way. Naturally, Harrison is recognized by 2 British men in Germany, but luckily he was as they are later able to warn him that the Germans know what he is up to.The ending is an exciting chase scene as the trio flee to Switzerland via a ski lift with Henried and his men in hot pursuit.Surprisingly, the film has little violence.