Berlin Express

"Trapped on a Train of Terror!"

1948 1h 27m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 68

ThrillerCrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In post-war Europe, a diverse group of passengers aboard a U.S. Army train to bombed-out Frankfurt becomes involved in a Nazi assassination plot.

“Trapped on a Train of Terror!”

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Cast

Merle Oberon
Lucienne Mirbeau
Robert Ryan
Robert Lindley
Charles Korvin
Henri Perrot
Paul Lukas
Dr. Heinrich Bernhardt
Robert Coote
James Sterling
Reinhold Schünzel
Johann Walther
Roman Toporow
Lt. Maxim Kirachilov
Peter von Zerneck
Hans Schmidt

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jacques Tourneur
Writers: Curt Siodmak, Harold Medford
Languages: German, Russian, French, English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

78 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: German, Russian, French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jacques Tourneur, shot by Lucien Ballard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Friedrich Hollaender. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sherman Todd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Merle Oberon and Robert Ryan and Charles Korvin carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Trapped on a Train of Terror!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jacques Tourneur directs. Lucien Ballard behind the camera. Friedrich Hollaender scores. Sherman Todd cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in German, Russian, French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
278 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 4 languages: German, Russian, French, English.
4Directed by Jacques Tourneur, shot by Lucien Ballard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Friedrich Hollaender. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Sherman Todd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Merle Oberon and Robert Ryan and Charles Korvin carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Trapped on a Train of Terror!".
9IMDB entry: tt0040155 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 68 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.