On 27th June 6.00 pm at the Ravindra Bhawan Film Club, we are screening the 1964 cult classic film, The Train (1964, 2 hrs 5 mins) starring Burt Lancaster. The story is about the Resistance trying to stop a German train full of art treasures including priceless paintings.

Inspired by the book Le front de l’art by Rose Valland, who documented the works of art that had been robbed by the Germans from museums and private art collections during WWII, the film is inspired by true events.

Burt Lancaster plays Paul, a member of the French Resistance who is pitted against German Colonel Franz von Waldheim (Pal Scofield) who is escaping to Germany in a train which is full of precious artifacts and paintings. The precious cargo cannot be damaged and the members have to ensure that the train doesn’t reach Germany setting it up for a great thriller. At one point, they even have to change the signage of stations to fool the enemy. Directed by John Frankenheimer, this American-French-Italian production has some spectacular action and thrills.