On a Secret Mission (1956)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | In secret mission |
| Original title | The Great Locomotive Chase |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1956 |
| length | 85 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Francis D. Lyon |
| script | Lawrence Edward Watkin |
| production |
Walt Disney , Lawrence Edward Watkin |
| music | Paul J. Smith |
| camera | Charles P. Boyle |
| cut | Ellsworth Hoagland |
| occupation | |
| |
In a secret mission - the original title The Great Locomotive Chase means loosely translated as The Great Locomotive Hunt - is an American film by director Francis D. Lyon from 1956 with Fess Parker in the leading role. It treats part of the American history of the Andrews attack in the Civil War of 1862 very freely . The exterior shots were shot in the American states of Georgia and North Carolina , the interior shots in the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank , California . In the Federal Republic of Germany, the film was released for the first time on March 21, 1958.
action
During the American Civil War , secret agent James J. Andrews received an order from the commander of the Northern Army to steal a railroad train deep in the hinterland of the southern states and break through with it to the north. In this way the railway line, the most important supply route for the southern army, is to be destroyed. At first everything goes according to plan: Andrews sneaks through the enemy lines with a few helpers, hijacks the train and begins the breakthrough to the north. In the process, points are set incorrectly and telegraph wires are cut.
William A. Fuller, taken by surprise, goes in pursuit with some daring men, even though he knows that it is almost impossible to catch up with the spies. After all, they own the "General", the fastest locomotive that is currently on American soil. Again and again, Fuller confronts the obstacles that have been set up by the saboteurs, so that the distance increases. But little by little, luck turned in Fuller's favor: Andrews was forced to take breaks more and more often because the number of oncoming trains was constantly increasing on the single-track route. Fuller can now also continue his pursuit with the "Texas", an identically constructed locomotive, so that the opponents are now equal to each other.
Andrews' lead is getting smaller and smaller. He is also horrified to find that the tender is running out of fuel. Desperate, he makes one last attempt to shake off his pursuers: he uncouples the rear wagon of the train, sets it on fire and leaves it standing on a wooden bridge. Before it can catch fire, however, Fuller is there and pushes the wagon over the embankment.
Without fuel, the "General" slowly rolls out. The pursuers encircle them on all sides. In a triumphal procession, the captured saboteurs are led to the headquarters of the Southern Army.
criticism
“During the American Civil War, Yankees agents steal a Confederate railroad train to destroy strategic bridges. Formally average, wild western adventure film with exciting chases, which refers to the same historical events that inspired Buster Keaton to his ingenious grotesque THE GENERAL [...]. "
source
Program for the film: Illustrierte Film-Bühne , Vereinigte Verlagsgesellschaft Franke & Co. KG, Munich, No. 4194.
Web links
- A secret mission in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ rororo-Taschenbuch Nr. 3174 (1988), p. 1801.