Customer Reviews

Seventh Cross [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a pleasant surprise when I first viewed "The Seventh Cross." I thought the movie might be good, but simply "good" does not adequately describe this film. It is superb. The acting is excellent, especially for a movie of its time. But what else would you expect from Spencer Tracy, Hume Cronym, Jessica Tandy, and Agnes Morehead? Even the bit characters played their parts very well. The story is suspenseful and easily keeps your interest. Of the more than 250 movies in my private library, this is one of the best. Every movie lover should watch this film, and if you, like I, enjoy stories built around the World War II era, "The Seventh Cross" is an absolute "must see." They just don't make movies like this anymore.

As a university film history instructor, I watch many films, most of which are soon forgotten by instructor and student alike. The Seventh Cross is one that stays with you long after the end credits have rolled. Zinnemann is not a popular director at the moment, although why he is not studied more escapes me. While a sentimental director, to be sure, he is a master of the defining moment in human beings. The Seventh Cross and the Search should be mandatory viewing for every American.

This is an excellent film and a must see for all Spencer Tracy fans. While the story is about seven men who escape from a concentration camp, it follows one of them (Tracy) and the people he meets who put their lives at risk in order to help him find freedom. The film also stars the pretty Signe Hasso, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy and Agnes Moorehead. This is a wonderful film that is highly recommended!

The immortal Spencer Tracy gives his typical solid performance as German George Heisler in Fred Zinnemann's unusual 1944 wartime drama "The Seventh Cross".

It's 1936 and Germany is embarking on its Aryan philosophy by rounding up undesirables and interring them in concentration camps. An embittered and mentally broken Tracy along with six others has escaped from the Westhof concentration camp. They are planning to seek refuge from the underground in the nearby town of Mainz. Dutiful and ruthless camp commandant Fahrenberg nicely played by George Zucco vows to crucify each captured escapee on crosses erected for that purpose in the camp courtyard.

The others are quickly captured but Tracy relying on the kindness of strangers and a network of sympathetic Germans is shuttled from place to place evading capture. The movie contains excellent performances by Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy as a married couple and former friends of Tracy who are not totally sold on the Nazi philosophy. Agnes Moorehead plays a compassionate theatre costumer who also aids Tracy in his quest.

Tracy eventually winds up in an inn in which Signe Hasso works as a beer maid. She hides him from the Gestapo and they fall into a very brief love, which was a trifle overacted. Tracy is forced to flee to an awaiting ship, which will transport him to Holland.

What makes "The Seventh Cross" so unique is that while it was created in 1944 it is not a typical propagandized wartime movie. The common German people, unsympathetic to the mindless jackbooted philosophies of Hitler are heraldedand portrayed as warm, compassionate people. We sometimes fail to realize that not everyone was swayed by Nazi philosophy and this movie adroitly points that out.

This is a good WWII vintage movie that makes a sombre and serous attempt to explore the captive mind of Fascism. It stars Spencer Tracy as one of seven concentration camps escapees in Germany. The commandant has sworn that he will nail each of the escapees to the seven crosses he has made. The bulk of the movie focusses on George Heisler (Tracy's character) and his efforts to find someone on the outside he can trust to help him. One by one the crosses are filled and Heisler's search becomes more and more desperate and depressing. No one seems to want to stick their neck out and help him. In time, things reach a crisis point and, in the midst of dispair, hope and trust appear. The movie becomes an uplifting message that transcends that of the typical WWII era movies.

Initially I reacted somewhat negatively to the narrow scope of the movie. After all, making the audience uncomfortable about the intended death of seven concentration camp inmates seemed to miss the point of the horrors that those camps hosted. However, upon reflection, I realized that the better message was that of responsibility rather than that of horror. This film conveys a timelessness in its' statement that is hard not to appreciate. That it has drifted into obscurity is unfortunate.

I first saw this movie in 1944 or 1945 at the age of 11, and the images of Spencer Tracy (number seven), as well as the suicide of the aerialist number six were seared into my memory forever. My vivid memory gives it a 5-Star.

3 1/2 stars. This early Fred Zinnemann effort takes a humanistic look at pre-war Nazi Germany. It avoids the "lets all hate the Germans" stance of other war films of the early forties and while it shows evil Germans it also shows Germans whose innate decency compels them to aid the hero who is on the run from the Gestapo. Tracy, with minimal dialogue, gives a fine, intense performance. There is good work , too, from Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Zinnemann conveys considerable suspense as well as a completely believable European ambience.

Seven men escaped from Westhofen, but just one of them George Heissler will surmount all the obstacles to find at last, to materialize this dream.

This movie tells us about the multiple difficulties that George will have to feat in order to survive. Struggling and absorbing episode based on real facts in Germany 1936, when dissent was already considered a serious evidence of sedition and betrayal against the totalitarian state.

Impeccable acting of Spencer Tracy and fine direction of Fred Zinnemman.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) presents "SEVENTH CROSS" (1944 110 min/B&W) -- Starring: Spencer Tracy, Signe Hasso, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy & Agnes Moorehead

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

Fred Zinnemann directed this World War II drama, considered one of the best anti-Nazi dramas produced by Hollywood during the war years. The story concerns seven prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp who manage to elude the guards and the Gestapo. The commandant, in a rage over their escape, nails crosses to seven trees, planning to crucify each of the prisoners as they are captured. Gradually six of the prisoners are discovered by the Gestapo and crucified. The one remaining escapee, George Heisler (Spencer Tracy), has become embittered and cynical after his years in the concentration camp. But as an assortment of friends and strangers help him elude the Gestapo, Heisler heads for neutral Holland, his faith in mankind restored.

Jessica Tandy had her first screen appearance as Liesel Roeder, the wife of Paul Roeder (Hume Cronyn, Tandy's real life husband), one of the friends who helps Heisler make his way to freedom

Great Direction, Cast, Screenplay and Music, all around great film.

Hume Cronyn was Oscar nominated his role here (Supporting Actor)

BIOS:
1. Fred Zinnemann (Director)
Date of Birth: 29 April 1907 - Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria)
Date of Death: 14 March 1997 - London, England, UK

2. Spencer Tracy (aka: Spencer Bonaventure Tracy)
Date of birth: 5 April 1900 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
Date of death: 10 June 1967 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

3. Signe Hasso [aka: Signe Eleonora Cecilia Larsson]
Date of Birth: 15 August 1910 - Stockholm, Sweden
Date of Death: 7 June 2002 - Los Angeles, California

4. Hume Cronyn
Date of Birth: 18 July 1911 - London, Ontario, Canada
Date of Death: 15 June 2003 - Fairfield, Connecticut

5. Jessica Tandy
Date of Birth: 7 June 1909 - Stoke Newington, London, England, UK
Date of Death: 11 September 1994 - Easton, Connecticut

6. Agnes Moorehead
Date of Birth: 6 December 1900 - Clinton, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 30 April 1974 - Rochester, Minnesota

7. Ray Collins
Date of Birth: 10 December 1889 - Sacramento, California
Date of Death: 11 July 1965 - Santa Monica, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 110 min on DVD/VHS ~ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM ~ (September 1, 1998)

Boy, this a grim story, but it gets you involved, especially if you tend to be a bit paranoid. The story centers around Spencer Tracy's character "George Heisler" hiding from the Nazis in 1936 Germany, not knowing who to trust.

Although there's not much action, this is decently-paced with an unusual (and too corny) narrative from a dead man. The last 20 minutes, which should have been the most suspenseful of the film, instead wound up boring and too melodramatic.

What I did find interesting was the very young couple of Jessica Tandy and husband Hume Cronyn. I had forgotten what a beautiful woman Tandy was when she was young. She and Hume were the best part of this film. Tracy, meanwhile, doesn't have a lot of dialog.

The movie paints a horrible picture of pre-World War II Germany. There are several attempts to lift the spirits of the viewer as he watches this but overall it is a grim story of survival