Counterpoint (film)

Counterpoint is a 1968 war film starring Charlton Heston, Maximilian Schell, Kathryn Hays and Leslie Nielsen. It is based on the novel The General by Alan Sillitoe. In the United States the film was released as a double feature with Sergeant Ryker, a 1963 television film starring Lee Marvin.

Counterpoint
Film Poster
Directed byRalph Nelson
Written byJames Lee (Screenplay)
Joel Oliansky (Screenplay)
Based onThe General
by Alan Sillitoe
Produced byRichard Berg
StarringCharlton Heston
Maximilian Schell
Leslie Nielsen
Kathryn Hays
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byHoward Epstein
Music byBronislau Kaper
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • March 13, 1968 (1968-03-13) (New York City)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Lionel Evans is the director of a well-respected symphony orchestra touring European concert halls in Belgium in December 1944 in World War II. In the midst of one concert, the city where they are playing is attacked by German troops, and when Evans and his musicians try to escape, they are captured by Nazi soldiers led by Col. Arndt. Evans and the orchestra are taken to a castle where they are to bide their time before being executed; but it turns out that Arndt's superior, Gen. Schiller, is a big classical music fan. Schiller commands Evans and his symphony to prepare a special concert for the Nazis, but Evans realizes that the moment the concert is over, he and his musicians will be killed.

Cast

Music

The orchestra's performances, which include works by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, and Schubert, were performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.[1]

Production

Filmed at Universal Studios including a set built for the 1923 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the film began shooting on 21 November 1966 and concluded 24 January 1967. Two days were removed from the production schedule and the script was rewritten without consulting the director Ralph Nelson.[2]

References
  1. "allmovie.com". Counterpoint. Archived from the original on May 9, 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2007.
  2. p.84 Worsley, Sue Dwiggins From Oz to E.T.: Wally Worsley's Half-century in Hollywood Scarecrow Press, 1 Jan 1997
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