The Seventh Cross (1944)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Anna Seghers (novel)
Helen Deutsch (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 July 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport | War

Tagline:

Daringly Real . . . Startlingly Frank! The revealing novel of a hunted man's search for love!

Plot:

In Nazi Germany in 1936 seven men escape from a concentration camp. The camp commander puts up seven crosses and...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Escape | Concentration Camp | Gestapo | Siren

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	George Heisler
Signe Hasso	...	Toni
Hume Cronyn	...	Paul Roeder
Jessica Tandy	...	Liesel Roeder
Agnes Moorehead	...	Mme. Marelli
Herbert Rudley	...	Franz Marnet
Felix Bressart	...	Poldi Schlamm
Ray Collins	...	Ernst Wallau
Alexander Granach	...	Zillich
Katherine Locke	...	Frau Hedy Sauer
George Macready	...	Bruno Sauer
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Fiedler
Steven Geray	...	Dr. Loewenstein
Kurt Katch	...	Leo Hermann
Kaaren Verne	...	Leni (as Karen Verne)

Also Known As:

The Seven Crosses

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film is set in 1936 but shows the Concentration Camp being run by the 'Storm troopers' (Sturmabteilung). The SA virtually ceased to exist following the 'night of the Long Knives'(Nacht der langen Messer), which occurred between June 30 and July 2, 1934. The SA did linger on after this but it was weakened and almost pointless, leaving the Schutzstaffel (SS) to take over most of its duties, including camp administration, etc.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Twenty Years After (1944)

Impressive direction, camerawork and acting

I familiar with Zinnemann's last five movies and am a great fan of his last one "Five days one summer", which has received more undeserving brickbats than bouquets from some wellknown critics. It is evident to me that Zinnemann was more 'sinned against than sinning.' After seeing "The Seventh Cross", I am convinced that this man was never given given his due recognition because he was so different from his peers.

The story of "The Seventh Cross" is narrated by a dead man. For us in the current decade having seen films like "The Others" such a script as this one is not uncommon. But in the Forties, this must have been groundbreaking.

The casting is superb. Spencer Tracy is fascinating and a superb choice. This is one of his finest performances--because he does not speak much--just like "Bad Day at Black Rock."

Agnes Moorehead appears for a few minutes but presents a delightful character that adds to the strength of the film. I thought Russ Tamblyn was the acrobat who does not speak a single line but the IMDb records indicate that I am mistaken. Was I? Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy were a delight to watch as always. The character of Signe Hasso (Toni) is probably the least appropriate character in the film but one guesses that necessity for a love interest for the lead character in a film like this.

For me the actors played a major part in making the film a wonderful viewing experience. But the real contributors to making the work impressive were Zinnemann and the cinematographer Karl Freund. The opening sequence showing the faces of the escapees establish the credibility of the two gentlemen behind the camera. The camerawork of Freund is always interesting but this film shows the chemistry between director and cinematographer.

Zinnemann's choice of subjects to film has always made me wonder about the man. It is evident that he was a very sensitive person who valued great ideals. He was probably heartbroken that his last film was not accepted as much as his other work based on popular novels and plays.