The Train (1964 film)

The Train is a 1964 war film based on the non-fiction book Le front de l'art by Rose Valland. The film is set in 1944 and tells the story of a German colonel who loads a train with stolen French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo. It carried their hopes, their nation's honour! (taglines)

Paul Labiche

 * Well, hurry it up. We're working on a locomotive, not a pocketwatch.
 * You crazy bastard.

Col. Franz von Waldheim

 * [last words] Labiche! Here's your prize, Labiche. Some of the greatest paintings in the world. Does it please you, Labiche? You feel a sense of excitement at just being near them? A painting means as much to you as a string of pearls to an ape. You won by sheer luck. You stopped me without knowing what you were doing or why. You are nothing, Labiche. A lump of flesh. The paintings are mine. They always will be. Beauty belongs to the man who can appreciate it. They will always belong to me, or a man like me. Now, this minute, you couldn't tell me why you did what you did.

Miss Villard

 * Those paintings are part of France. The Germans want to take them away. They've taken our land, our food, they live in our houses, and now they're trying to take our art. This beauty, this vision of life, born out of France, our special vision, our trust. We hold it in trust, don't you see, for everyone? This is our pride, what we create and hold for the world. There are worse things to risk your life for than that.

Dialogue

 * Miss Villard: I knew of books being burned, other things... I was terrified that these would be lost.
 * Colonel von Waldheim: A book is worth a few francs; we Germans can afford to destroy those. We all may not appreciate artistic merit, but cash value is another matter.
 * Miss Villard: You won't convince me that you're cynical. I know what these paintings mean to you.
 * Colonel von Waldheim: You are a perceptive woman.
 * [Schmidt enters, with several other soldiers.]
 * Colonel von Waldheim: We're removing the paintings. Pack them carefully.
 * Miss Villard: Where are you taking them?!
 * Colonel von Waldheim: To a safe place.
 * Miss Villard: But no place is as safe as Paris!


 * Labiche: [attempting to save Papa Boule, whom the Germans want to execute for committing sabotage] He's just an old man. He didn't know what he was doing. Don't worry - I'll get your train through for you.
 * Papa Boule: [to Labiche] His train? His? It's my train! I know what I'm doing. Do you?


 * Labiche: Thank you.
 * Christine: I don't want your thanks. If they'd caught me helping you, I would have been shot.
 * Labiche: I know. I'm sorry.
 * Christine: You think you can just run in and out of here and make trouble? I run a hotel, not a madhouse. Who's going to pay for the door? Who's going to pay for the lock? Do you think money grows on trees?
 * Labiche: There's a war...
 * Christine: You talk about the war. I talk about what it costs!
 * Labiche: I'll be leaving in a few hours. You can go back to your good customers.
 * Christine: They pay. That's what I'm in business for.
 * Labiche: You should be paid. How much for the damage?
 * Christine: One hundred francs.
 * [He pays her.]
 * Labiche: How much for saving my life?

Taglines

 * One man's impossible mission - to save his country's priceless treasures!
 * It carried their hopes, their nation's honour!

Cast

 * Burt Lancaster as Paul Labiche
 * Paul Scofield as Col. Franz von Waldheim
 * Jeanne Moreau as Christine
 * Suzanne Flon as Mademoiselle Villard
 * Michel Simon as Papa Boule