Hannah Long – The Train

2024-08-21

Is it ever justified to sacrifice a human life to save a work of art? Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss the 1964 movie ‘The Train’ starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield. The first part of a two part feature – the second part will drop in a couple of days! In the second part, Brent interviews author Michelle Young about Rose Valland, the World War 2 Resistance spy whose book became the basis for ‘The Train’. Hannah is a passionate cinephile. She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Dispatch’, ‘...

Is it ever justified to sacrifice a human life to save a work of art?

Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss the 1964 movie ‘The Train’ starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield.

The first part of a two part feature – the second part will drop in a couple of days! In the second part, Brent interviews author Michelle Young about Rose Valland, the World War 2 Resistance spy whose book became the basis for ‘The Train’.

Hannah is a passionate cinephile. She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Dispatch’, ‘Angelus News’, ‘American Consequences’ and ‘The Bulwark’.

(1:00) ‘The Train’ and John Frankenheimer;
(2:45) The story;
(5:40) The historical background – Rose Valland;
(9:25) Colonel von Waldheim;
(16:00) The Colonel’s motivation;
(17:35) High art and evil in the movie;
(19:25) ‘Degenerate’ art in the Third Reich;
(21:10) The use of art and culture in the Third Reich;
(25:00) The Colonel and evil;
(25:40) Can it be immoral to reject beauty?
(28:10) Sacred objects?
(30:10) Scripture and beauty;
(32:50) Labiche;
(34:30) Labiche’s view of art;
(36:00) Movement;
(37:45) Burt Lancaster;
(39:20) Is it ever right to sacrifice a life for the sake of a work of art?
(41:45) The Resistance and Madame Villard;
(43:50) Labiche’s motivation and why he breaks his rules;
(50:20) Mephisto-like imagery;
(52:15) The end of the movie;
(56:40) Frankenheimer’s view of art and the final shot.

Links mentioned in this episode:

x.com/HannahGraceLong

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