The Night of the Generals (1967)
Directed by Anatole Litvak

Crime / Drama / Thriller / War
aka: La Nuit des généraux

Film Synopsis

Warsaw, 1942.  After a woman's dead body is found, Major Grau, the head of the military police sets about finding her killer.  From a witness he learns that the murder was a German officer, and this provides Grau with three possible suspects: Tanz, Kahlenberg and Von Seydlitz-Gabler.  Before he can conclude his investigation, Grau is suddenly transferred to Paris.  Two years later, in the immediate aftermath of the Allied invasion of France, Grau is unexpectedly confronted with the three generals he had previously had within his sights.

His interest in the case re-awakened, Grau teams up with a French police inspector, Morand, who has obtained secret documents revealing Kahlenberg's involvement in a plan against Hitler - a plan that Von Seydlitz-Gabler was evidently aware of.  Tanz proves to be the most suspicious of the three generals.  One night, he murders a prostitute and contrives to inculpate an innocent man.  Convinced that Tanz is the man he is after, Grau arrests him, just before the news comes through on the radio that the plot against Hitler has failed...
© James Travers
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Film Credits

  • Director: Anatole Litvak
  • Script: Joseph Kessel, Paul Dehn, James Hadley Chase, Hans Hellmut Kirst (novel)
  • Cinematographer: Henri Decaë
  • Music: Maurice Jarre
  • Cast: Peter O'Toole (General Tanz), Omar Sharif (Major Grau), Tom Courtenay (Corporal Hartmann), Donald Pleasence (General Kahlenberge), Joanna Pettet (Ulrike), Philippe Noiret (Inspector Morand), Charles Gray (General von Seidlitz-Gabler), Coral Browne (Eleanore von Seidlitz-Gabler), John Gregson (Colonel Sandauer), Nigel Stock (Otto), Christopher Plummer (Field Marshal Rommel), Juliette Gréco (Juliette), Yves Brainville (Liesowski), Sacha Pitoëff (Doctor), Charles Millot (Wionczek), Raymond Gérôme (Colonel (War Room)), Véronique Vendell (Monique), Pierre Mondy (Kopatski), Eléonore Hirt (Melanie), Nicole Courcel (Raymonde)
  • Country: UK / France
  • Language: English / Italian / Spanish / French
  • Support: Color (Technicolor)
  • Runtime: 148 min
  • Aka: La Nuit des généraux ; Tank Force

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