Counterpoint (1967)
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- Approved
- 1h 47min
- Drama, Music
- 22 Dec 1967 (France)
- Movie
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Complete, Cast awaiting verification
Charlton Heston | ... |
Lionel Evans
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Maximilian Schell | ... |
General Schiller
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Kathryn Hays | ... |
Annabelle Rice
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Leslie Nielsen | ... |
Victor Rice
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Anton Diffring | ... |
Colonel Arndt
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Linden Chiles | ... |
Lieutenant Long
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Peter Masterson | ... |
Sergeant Calloway
(as Pete Masterson)
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Curt Lowens | ... |
Captain Klingerman
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Neva Patterson | ... |
Dorothy
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Cyril Delevanti | ... |
Tartzoff
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Gregory Morton | ... |
Jordon
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Parley Baer | ... |
Alfred Hook
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Dan Frazer | ... |
Chaminant
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Ed Peck | ... |
Prescott
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Paul Birch | ... |
General (uncredited)
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Jack Clinton | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Robert Cole | ... |
Soldier (uncredited)
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Stewart East | ... |
Soldier (uncredited)
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Horst Ebersberg | ... |
Lt. Heiser (uncredited)
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Bill Erwin | ... |
Trumpet Player (uncredited)
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Barry Ford | ... |
Fake US Military Policeman (uncredited)
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Kenneth Gibson | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Mischa Hausserman | ... |
(uncredited)
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Kenner G. Kemp | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Alan Marston | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Norbert Meisel | ... |
(uncredited)
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Jim Michael | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Ralph Nelson | ... |
Belgian Officer (uncredited)
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Murray Pollack | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Paul Power | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Paul Ravel | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Mark Russell | ... |
Soldier (uncredited)
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Cosmo Sardo | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Wilbur Schwandt | ... |
Bass Player (uncredited)
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Bernard Sell | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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George Simmons | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Tim Taylor | ... |
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Otis Young | ... |
USO Bus Driver (uncredited)
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Directed by
Ralph Nelson |
Written by
James Lee | ... | (screenplay) and |
Joel Oliansky | ... | (screenplay) |
Alan Sillitoe | ... | (novel "The General") |
Produced by
Richard Berg | ... | producer (as Dick Berg) |
Music by
Bronislau Kaper | ... | (as Bronislaw Kaper) |
Cinematography by
Russell Metty | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Howard Epstein | ... | (as Howard G. Epstein) |
Art Direction by
Carl Anderson | ||
Alexander Golitzen |
Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr. | ... | (as John McCarthy) |
George Milo |
Costume Design by
Burton Miller |
Makeup Department
Larry Germain | ... | hair stylist |
Bud Westmore | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
William S. Gilmore | ... | unit production manager (as William S. Gilmore Jr.) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wallace Worsley Jr. | ... | assistant director (as Wallace Worsley) |
Ted Swanson | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Sound Department
William Russell | ... | sound |
Waldon O. Watson | ... | sound |
Visual Effects by
Albert Whitlock | ... | matte supervisor |
Stunts
Lee Faulkner | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Bob Herron | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
Doug Mathias | ... | lighting technician (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
Leo Damiani | ... | conducting coach: Charlton Heston |
Lawrence Foster | ... | conductor: symphonic selections |
Joseph Gershenson | ... | music supervisor |
Additional Crew
Dan Frazer | ... | dialogue coach |
David Hammond-Williams | ... | assistant to the producer (as David A. Hammond) |
D.R.O. Hatswell | ... | technical advisor |
Harry Mendelsohn | ... | unit publicist (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Universal Pictures (1968) (United States) (theatrical)
- Empire Universal Films (1968) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Rank Film Distributors (1968) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Universal Pictures Proprietary (1968) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Universal Pictures Corporation of Far East (1968) (Philippines) (theatrical)
- Société Anonyme Universal-Film (1967) (France) (theatrical)
- Société Anonyme Universal-Film (1967) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Universal Film (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Universal Filmverleih (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Universal Film (1968) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Universal Films of India (1968) (India) (theatrical)
- NBC Universal Television Distribution (2018) (United States) (tv)
- RTL-TV (1977) (Luxembourg) (tv)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2014) (United States) (DVD) (Universal Vault Series)
- Elephant Films (2016) (France) (video)
- Explosive-Media (2018) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Explosive-Media (2018) (Germany) (DVD)
- Koch Media (2018) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (release through)
- Scorpion Releasing (2021) (United States) (Blu-ray)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Cinematique (cosmetics)
- Universal Title and Optical (titles)
- Techniscope (filmed in)
- Westrex Recording System (sound recording system)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
During a December 1944 German offensive in Belgium, a USO symphonic orchestra entertaining the front-line American troops is captured by the Germans. Initially, the Germans want to execute them, in accordance with orders received from Berlin. However, the orchestra leader, world-famous conductor Lionel Evans, persuades the Germans to spare their lives, arguing that his orchestra members are just civilian non combatants. Taken to the HQ of a German tank division, Lionel Evans and his orchestra members meet the German commanding officer, General Schiller, an avid music lover. General Schiller has respect for the musicians and he's hesitating about the standing order of executing all prisoners. However, the general's second-in-command, Colonel Arndt, is a blood-thirsty, by-the-book, type of fanatical officer who wants the prisoners shot. The general requests that Evans and his orchestra perform one more time, for him personally. Evans, out of pride and patriotism, refuses. But some members of his orchestra feel that performing for the General would keep them alive. A battle of wills between the General and conductor Evans ensues. The prisoners are kept in a castle's chapel, near the division's HQ. In the following days, the prisoners are fed and are allowed to practice their music in the chapel. When an orchestra member panics and tries to run, the German guards kill him. This prompts Evans to agree to perform one last concert for the German general and his officers. In the meantime, 2 American soldiers who had hid among the musicians before their capture, continue to pretend to be musicians, despite suspicions from the part of Colonel Arndt. Evans secretly agrees to allow the 2 soldiers to escape and seek help from the nearest Allied troops. During the escape attempt, one soldier is caught and shot. The other, is found dead in a field by the Belgian resistance. As the day of the concert approaches, one Belgian resistance member, posing as a local peasant, contacts Evans to tell him that an upcoming resistance attack will try to free the orchestra. The resistance attack would coincide with the concert for the Germans. General Schiller's tank division receives fuel and orders to join the offensive. Schiller orders his division out, while he remains behind for the concert. However, Colonel Arndt and a few men also remain behind to dig a mass grave in the castle's courtyard and to prepare the execution, after the concert. Tension builds up as the orchestra members, dressed in their official concert attire, file past the mass grave, to the chapel where the concert is to be performed. Conductor Evans wonders whether General Schiller will really have them executed or freed. Evans also wonders if the Belgian resistance attack will come in time to save them. Written by nufs68 |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | Action waits at trigger-point! See more » |
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Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Did You Know?
Trivia | Charlton Heston spent up to five hours a day at rehearsals conducting Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C-, Op. 67, Allegro con brio, the music performed over the opening credits. In his diaries, Heston describes it as better than parting the Red Sea. See more » |
Goofs | Lionel Evans refers to the number of musicians in his orchestra as 70---the bus, although a double-decker, would not hold that many. In courtyard scenes, there are not that many seen. See more » |
Movie Connections | Referenced in Charlton Heston/Norman Mailer/David Brenner/Ian Whitcomb (1974). See more » |
Soundtracks | Symphony No. 5 in C minor I. Allegro con brio See more » |
Quotes |
Schiller:
To paraphrase Napoleon, morality is on the side of the heaviest artillery. Evans: Whatever happened to Napoleon? See more » |