Customer Reviews

Berlin Express [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not a review of the product, but the film. Just watched it on TCM. It blew me away. Next to Judgment at Nuremburg, it's the greatest post-WWII film I've ever seen. A very important German peace activist is targeted on a train. Four men who happen to be on the train, from four different countries (Britain, France, Russia, & the U.S.) all team together to rescue the activist. Truly great stuff. I took it for a lazy Sunday afternoon flick, but I was very suprised to see a pure classic. Robert Ryan and Merle Oberon are the two headliners, he the U.S. representative, she the secretary to the German activist. Great character actors round out the cast. Excellent!

While still worth seeing, BERLIN EXPRESS should have been a better film than it turned out to be. The plot involves the attempt to protect an anti-fascist German statesman (Paul Lukas) from members of a die-hard Nazi underground. An attack made on the train ultimately leads to a manhunt through bombed out Frankfurt.

According to the DVD's cover, this was "the first American movie filmed in post-World War II Germany". Director Jacques Tourneur and cinematographer Lucien Ballard take full advantage of this opportunity by producing some superb visuals of the city's remains. In my opinion, they even do a better job than Roberto Rossellini did, in this regard, for ROME, OPEN CITY (1945); a film that obviously influenced BERLIN EXPRESS.

Unfortunately, the visuals and overall pacing are impaired by a convoluted script. Specifically, an attempt is made to make BERLIN EXPRESS more than an espionage thriller. It also tries to be a "why can't we all just get along" film. With this in mind, the train passengers that later form the manhunt group were drawn from different nationalities; Robert Ryan is American, Merle Oberon is French; there is also a Britisher, a Russian, and a few Germans.

Despite the ensuing international relations socio-political dialogue, it is still a film worth seeing. The scene of Robert Ryan being shot at in a large beer vat is quite affecting: it has stayed with me for decades. And I'm not sure if I'll be able to get Merle Oberon's feathered hat out of my mind anytime soon.

The Warner Archive Collection print has not been restored in any way, and there are a number of visual artifacts, but this did not interfere with my enjoyment of the film.

Come on Amazon you can do better...!!!....this movie is available on Warner's Movie site for half the price this vendor is selling it for. We depend on Amazon to offer good movies and good service at fair prices....this movie is way overpriced...!!!

An anti-fascist German is kidnapped by Nazi in post-WW2 Berlin. A group consisting of an American (Robert Ryan), a Frenchman, a Russian, and an Englishman track down the kidnappers and rescue the hostage. This is the first American movie to be filmed in post-WW2 Germany. Exciting with a good script..

'Berlin Express' may not have much of a reputation, but it's one of Jacques Tourneur's best thrillers. Virtually none of it takes place on the Berlin Express, with the majority of the film shot on location in the awe-inspiring ruins of an almost totally destroyed post-war Frankfurt where Robert Ryan teams up with an Allies-in-microcosm group of companions including unflatteringly shot Frenchwoman Merle Oberon (sporting the film's worst accent by far) and Brit Robert Coote (who thankfully doesn't even attempt a Liverpool accent) to find Paul Lukas' kidnapped politician and save him from die-hard Nazi fanatics. Great moments abound, from the Paris opening where a carrier pigeon is shot, then nearly given a formal burial in the shadow of Montmatre's Sacre Couer by children before reaching maman's kitchen table to reveal a coded message, to Robert Ryan literally finding himself trapped in a barrel in bombed out brewery.

Great production line entertainment that demonstrates just how good studio product could be when you got the formula right, this is a trip well worth taking. The French PAL DVD from Editions Montparnasse boasts a very good good transfer and removable French subtitles.

The movie is interesting, thrilling and filmed on location in a destroyed Berlin, with a great Cast.

My eyes went during the movie over to Roman Toporow who played Lt. Maxim. He made only 3 movies in his life: "Berlin Express" was his first one. 1949 "The Red Danube" and 1950 "Kim" (the Russian).

Camerawork and Light was great used for the movie and good that I understand German, English and French because there are no subtitles during the films. Also not on DVD available. Thats the ONE minus point I have for this DVD release.

The picture quality isn't restored / remastered and contains some small defects. But mainly the picture quality is good

This is more a review from a personal standpoint than something that might be a benefit for others. I was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, a few years after this movie was made. My office was in the I. G. Farben Building which was prominently shown in the movie. The surrounding area brought back 50+ year old memories. I have looked for the DVD for some time and it was not easy to find at an affordable price. Thanks.

Like the curate's egg, parts of Berlin Express are excellent. But the other parts? Be prepared for conscientious lectures, conventional and dull, about how life might be for us all if the U.S., Britain, France and the Soviets could work together and be jolly doing it. Divided Germany right after WWII is the subject, but we get the idea: We all just need to be friends. An anonymous narrator keeps telling us this, as well as pointing out what we're already seeing. It's no accident, I think, that Dore Schary supervised the making of this movie. If there was any possibility of pounding inspiring messages into an otherwise good movie, Schary was the producer with the mallet.

Imbedded like those old-time prizes in clumps of stale, sticky Cracker Jack are the good parts. These are worth digging for. We're in the middle of a Nazi plot to keep the victors from working together, all to better the chances of these grubby but dangerous survivors of the Third Reich to divide and conquer. The humane Dr. Bernhardt, a German who opposed Hitler and survived, is on a mission from Paris to Berlin by train to address an international conference on his plans for a unified and democratic Germany. There's a plot to kill him. When a grenade on a snack tray goes off in Dr. Bernhardt's compartment...is it good-bye, Dr. Bernhardt?

Four travelers on the train, strangers to each other, find themselves thrown together with Lucienne (Merle Oberon), the doctor's secretary, to find out what really happened. There's Robert Lindley (Robert Ryan), an agricultural expert from the U. S.; Sterling (Robert Coote), a teacher from Britain who will work to develop Germany's education institutions; Perrot (Charles Korvin), a Frenchman who was with the maquis and is now a businessman; and Soviet Army lieutenant Maxim Kiroshilov (Roman Toperow), returning to the Soviet Union. Can they overcome differences to work together successfully in Berlin to learn the truth? Well, sure. That's the whole point of the movie, isn't it?

Why is Berlin Express so good in parts? Most of the movie is set in the bombed out desolation of Berlin. It's a grim, desperate place. The reality of Germany under the control of the occupying armies is clear. Cigarettes are the common currency, useful for buying potatoes or bits of coal, or, if you're a G.I., women and liquor. Director Jacques Tournier gives us some first-rate, tense scenes of interrogation, hunts down rubble-filled streets at night, a tawdry German nightclub in a ruined building, a tacky mind-reading act and impending violence in a cavernous, bombed-out brewery. You can't beat a dying clown for morbid interest, and Tournier gives us a doozy, with the clown in full costume, a big smile painted on his face, running and staggering down brick-filled streets, bleeding from a bullet wound in his back and pursued by those intent on finishing him off. He has an effective death scene, too, in that nightclub.

There's no sign of romance or even a spark or two between Merle Oberon and Robert Ryan, just a bit of uneasy flirting. They raise the question, what's the point of the two of them? Charles Korvin, Coote and Toperow all do fine jobs. Reinhold Schunzel dominates his scenes as an aged friend of Dr. Bernhardt who learns too late that he made a terrible bargain. I suppose he's forgotten now, at least in America, but Schunzel was a fine actor. For raucous and corrupt good spirits, put on Criterion's The Three Penny Opera (1931) and watch Schunzel as Tiger Brown pair off with Mack the Knife to sing Kanonen-Song

The international intrigue parts of Berlin Express are just fine, especially when we realize we'd better not trust just anyone. The laid-on messages of international cooperation are, unfortunately, dull and heavy-handed. They slow down the plot appreciably whenever Dr. Bernhardt, Lucienne or the narrator decide we need to be reminded of what the real purpose of the movie is. Still, like the curate's egg, parts of Berlin Express are tasty.

This was the first United States film unit to photograph in postwar Germany. The production was in cooperation with the United States, British and Soviet Armies of Occupation. The French sector was not involved.

After an assassination attempt on a train travelling from Paris to Berlin fails to kill Dr. Bernhardt, a mysterious Nazi cell kidnaps him in order to thwart his plans for the reunification of postwar Germany.

The film recreates Paris, the ashes of Frankfort and part of Berlin with sharp reflections on the various layers were present, as Soviet, British and American efforts to establish a minimum of order in this horrendous mess.

The delirious performances Merle Oberon and Robert Ryan, the feverish tension around the kidnapping and agile direction of Jacques Tourneur make this curious film (along with Notorious and Sabotage) an unmissable film.

"Berlin Express" is a 1948 black and white cold war drama (one of the very first) set in Berlin immediately after World War 2. The film is notable for some of the first film of post war Germany showing large sections of Berlin and Frankfurt which are devastated by the bombs. Variety called it "extraordinary background of war-ravaged Germany."

The film concerns a German professor (Paul Lucas) who travels to Berlin to present his plans to unite the allies (Russia, France, U.S. and U.K.) in their joint caretaking role, and the attempts of hard core Germans to prevent him from appearing.

Paul Lucas (1891-1971) plays the Professor. Lucas won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for his performance in "Watch Over the Rhine" (1943), a considerable feat considering he was up against Bogart ("Casablanca") and Gary Cooper ("For Whom the Bell Tolls"). He's probably best known as the Professor from Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".

Merle Oberon (1911-79) plays his Secretary. She started in films in 1928 but it was her role as Anne Boleyn opposite Charles Laughton in "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933) that brought her to stardom. She was nominated for an Oscar for "The Dark Angel" (1935) but is probably best remembered for her role as Cathy in "Wuthering Heights" (1938).

FWIW - Oberon was married to cinematographer Lucien Ballard at the time. To hide her facial scaring, Ballard invented a type of lighting, named "Obie" (after Oberon), that is used to this date to de-emphasize facial imperfections.

Robert Ryan (1909-1973) plays an American who tries to help the Professor. Ryan made nearly 100 films between 1940 and 1973. In his early years he often played a villain especially in film noir dramas ("Crossfire", "Act of Violence") then transitioned into the tough guy with a good heart role ("On Dangerous Ground"). My personal favorite Ryan role is Deke Thornton in "The Wild Bunch" (1969).

Director Jacques Tourneur (1904-77) is best known for his work on films with Val Lewton, like "Cat People" (1942), "I Walked with a Zombie" (1942), and "The Leopard Man" (1943). In the 50s he transitioned to TV. Along with "Out of the Past" (1947) this is one of his best film noir creations.

Over his 50 year career Lucien Ballard (1908-88) was voted Best Cinematographer at the Venice Film festival ("The Devil is a Woman") in 1935, was Oscar nominated ("The Caretakers") in 1963 and won an NSFC award for his work on "The Wild Bunch" (1969). He worked with Sam Peckinpah on the TV series "The Westerner" and "The Wild Bunch" (1969), "Cable Hogue" (1970), "Junior Bonner" (1972), and "The Getaway" (1972). He was a favorite cinematographer of director Budd Boetticher and worked on 7 Randolph Scott films. While he is best known for his westerns, he had an impressive list of film noir ("The Killing", "The Lodger", "Laura").

In 1948, Bogart and Huston teamed up to make the #4 ("Treasure of the Sierra Madre") and #12 ("Key Largo") top grossing film of the year and went on to win two Oscars (Director, Supporting Actor). Other top 10 grossing films were "The Red Shoes", "The Three Musketeers", "Red River", "Easter Parade", "Johnny Belinda", "The Snake Pit" and "Joan of Arc".

The NY Times praised "realistic, awesome and impressive vista" and Variety said "this film etches a powerfully grim picture of life amidst the shambles. It makes awesome and exciting cinema." The film was nominated by the WGA for best writing.

The film borders on film noir, which was popular at the time, and which actors, director, and cinematographer were experienced and adept. Certainly the photography carries the film noir trademark as does the location, the night shots, and the seedy cast of characters. We have a protagonist (Ryan) who gets sucked into a vast conspiracy and there is betrayal and double crosses galore. The only lacking element is a femme fatale.

As part of the cold war propaganda, one can see the "bad" Russians and the "good" Yanks and Brits being portrayed, yet the script also has some hope for the future. Today it seems a little bit corny, but in 1948 it was a bold statement.

Bottom line - a post war film noir with incredible photography.

One of the first (if not THE first) major Hollywood films to be shot in and around the ruins of Europe after WW2, Jacques Tourneur's BERLIN EXPRESS (1948) is a fun ride for fans of film noir, with great starring roles for Robert Ryan, Merle Oberon and Paul Lukas.

When a carrier pigeon is shot down over Paris, it's cryptic message is discovered by a group of children and forwarded on to the authorities. Soon after, a group of disparate government workers from the United States, England, Germany, Paris, and the Soviet Union all board a train headed for Amsterdam, where noted German peace activist Dr. Bernhardt (Paul Lukas) is to give a speech. After narrowly avoiding an explosion in his sleeper, Bernhardt later disappears once the party arrives at the station in Amsterdam. Bernhardt's secretary Lucienne (Merle Oberon) must appeal to the combined efforts of the traveling companions in his recovery.

An obvious attempt by producer Dore Schary to make a statement on the need for countries to band together after the tumult of WW2, BERLIN EXPRESS is a moody, noirish thriller, which makes good use of it's location filming (particulary the bombed buildings and underground cabarets of Amsterdam). The script by Harold Medford (based on an original concept by Curt Siodmak) is well-rendered and the performances are fine. Merle Oberon's shocking French accent aside, she's all you could possibly want as the heroine, and Robert Ryan matches her every step of the way. Paul Lukas' performance as Bernhardt seems to dovetail his Academy Award-winning role in "Watch on the Rhine".

Recommended.