mark.waltz The 1948 war drama with Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman was a messy post- war romantic drama. Remaking it for T.V. with a not yet big star Anthony Hopkins and the beautiful but icy Leskey Anne Downe, a huge mistake. What could have been intriguing in either version shows this to really revolve around only a shell of a story and what's there isn't all that interesting. Hopkins is a victim of Nazi brutality, having been scarred by the evil Donald Pleasance years before for hiding Jews, and now in Paris, he is haunted by sightings of the evil Nazi and the sudden protector of the mysterious Downe whom he stops from killing herself. Their encounter is interrupted by nightmares of his past, as well as his involvement in a mysterious mission against the enemy. Essentially a snoozer, this has great location footage and an intriguing performance by Hopkins (who would ironically play Hitler), but not much else for me to pass the copy of the DVD I bought of this (cheap!) on to friends.

ma-cortes Remake from 1948 classic with the same title starred by Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman that resulted to be a big budget box office loser . It's a romantic drama set in WW2 with excellent actors as Anthony Hopkins , Leslie Anne Down and Donald Pleasence . The film tells about Dr. Ravic (Anthony Hopkins , role played in classic version by Charles Boyer), he's a German doctor exiled , living in Paris before the Nazis penetrate into the city . Under false name and with no papers , aware always that the Surete(French gendarmes) could be sent away or jailed . The doctor befriends a good friend (Frank Finlay in the character performed by Louis Calhern ) who is club-caretaker called Scherezade . One day he sees to Haake (Donald Pleasence similar role to Charles Laughton) a Gestapo official who tortured him and his anterior love and he's looking for revenge . One night in a bridge over river Sena , the refugee medic finds Jean Madou (Lesley Anne Down who sings a wonderful song , she plays the Ingrid Bergman's character), a beauty and mysterious gal and he rescues her from a suicide attempt. The WWII isn't the best environment for romanticism and a love affair but he falls is love with her.The film is a romantic melodrama about an unfortunate refugee who falls in love with a mysterious woman just before the Nazis enter Paris and played by over-the-top actors. However is slow moving with sluggish pace and little bit boring . The casting is frankly sensational as Anthony Hopkins as sad refugee and gorgeous Lesley Anne Down as unlucky damsel in disgrace are top-notch . The secondary cast is awesome, impressive Donald Pleasence as Nazi official, one of the his usual roles as villain and the lion's share of the acting meat deservedly goes to Frank Finlay as an exiled Russian colonel of the Czar who's a doorman in a show-coffee. Atmospheric cinematography though is necessary an urgent remastering and sensible musical score by George Deleure . The motion picture based on a novel by Erich Maria Remarque is professionally directed by Warris Hussein who directed various TV movies based on biographies ( Wives of Henry VIII, Princess Daisy , Edward and Mrs Simpson), a teenager drama (Melody) , terror (Posession of Joel Delaney) and many others. The picture will appeal to Anthony Hopkins enthusiast .

edwagreen Let's face it: Anthony Hopkins is an excellent actor but he is absolutely no leading man, romantically speaking. He is called upon to do some romantic acting here and fails miserably.There should have been fear in the air as World War 11 approaches to 1939 France. Instead, we have an unbelievably dull film. Donald Pleasence shows up in time to be killed for torturing Hopkins and others in a concentration camp. There is no explanation whatsoever why Hopkins, a non-Jew in the film, was placed in the camp to begin with. When Hopkins kills Pleasence, he suddenly feels this is routine and gets no satisfaction for doing this. How about the misery that he and others endured?Down is good here, but the writing and background pulls this film down.

alantex I stumbled on this movie not intending to watch it but was captivated by it's 1940's feel even though it's in colour. OK it was made for TV and was never intended to be a Hollywood blockbuster but it's full of atmosphere and has an ambiance that held me to the end. I felt I was in 1939 Paris with all the tensions of imminent invasion. There are the large numbers of desperate illegal immigrants fleeing areas where the Nazis have occupied. There are hotels where no papers are necessary and low lit bars where people play pool and chess with equal comfort as well as class restaurants where even fire eaters provide entertainment for your dinning pleasure. The romance is the centre of the story and provides sufficient interest without sexually explicit scenes. The two are outcasts from society find fulfilment in one another although that is short lived due their own circumstances. They are both successful in their own right, he a doctor (Anthony Hopkins) and she a singer/actress (Lesley-Anne Down), but for one reason or another they must rise above their fate to date. I would recommended this movie if you are in the mood for atmosphere over polish.