The Train (1964)

In many ways, The Monuments Men echoes John Frankenheimer's The Train, despite being two different types of war films, both revolve around the importance of art in the spiritual perseverance of humankind. John Frankenheimer holds a special place in my cinephile heart, it was his film The Manchurian Candidate that initially compelled me to look at films in a more serious way, and he remains one of the undisputed masters of the psychological, and political thrillers. While I would not consider The Train to be one of my personal favorites of his films, it is an excellent work, and a wonderful display of his craft. Basically, a stationmaster in Paris during the very last days of WWII is approached to sabotage a freight-train full of art stolen by the Nazis, and while he initially refuses, he soon finds himself forced into a highly dangerous and daring mission. Frankenheimer is at the top of his game here, and his sense of pacing and suspense is spot-on. There is also romance and humor, but also a serious meditation of the necessity of art. All of Frankenheimer's films deal in a sense with individuality and identity, and in the case of The Train, he looks at the identity of a people as a whole, their highest ideals, and the sacrifices they are willing to make to protect what is important to them. He also meditates on beauty, and the universal appeal of artwork. The hero of the film is a working class man who is unaware of Picasso until he is tasked with saving his paintings, but he ultimately comes to the realization that anyone can appreciate beauty, not just those who claim to be intellectually superior. In an era where art is increasingly seen as an elitist venture, this is a timeless message.