Movielogr
Hangmen Also Die! (1943)
Directed by Fritz Lang
Twitter Facebook Google+Overview
During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, surgeon Dr. Franticek Svoboda, a Czech patriot, assassinates the brutal “Hangman of Europe”, Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich, and is wounded in the process. In his attempt to escape, he is helped by history professor Stephen Novotny and his daughter Mascha.
Rated NR | Length 134 minutes
Actors
Brian Donlevy | Walter Brennan | Anna Lee | Gene Lockhart | Dennis O'Keefe | Margaret Wycherly | Nana Bryant | William Roy | Hans Heinrich von Twardowski | Alexander Granach | Tonio Selwart | Jonathan Hale | Lionel Stander | Sarah Padden | Edmund MacDonald | Byron Foulger | Virginia Farmer | Ludwig Donath | George Irving | James Bush | Arno Frey | Lester Sharpe | Arthur Loft | Reinhold Schünzel | Chester Conklin | Claire McDowell | John Abbott | Louis Adlon | Erville Alderson | Richard Alexander | Dwight Frye | Ralph Dunn | Bud Jamison | Philip Van Zandt | Sam Harris
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/28/2020 | Home Theater | Streaming | Rented | 8 stars |
| (Average) 8 stars |
Viewing Notes
The came out at the height of the war when nothing was guaranteed, and is definitely what I’d describe as propaganda, but it’s a well told and beautifully photographed story. Pretty much the entire story is a work of fiction except for Heydrich getting assassinated (for a film based on the facts check out the more recent ANTHROPOID). But it works well for inspiring resistance and emphasizing the brutality of the Nazis.
Except for some inserts of actual footage of Prague, the bulk of the movie is shot on some pretty small sets. Even street scenes are compact and don’t show much of the area. Despite that, Howe does a great job using static shots and limited movement to not only capture the drama but instill a sense of claustrophobia and general anxiety.
No comments yet. Log in and be the first!