Hindenburg - DaaVeeDee

Hindenburg (DVD) (*)

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Screened, competed or awarded at:
Oscar Academy Awards
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital Stereo )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
120 min

Aspect Ratio:
Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)

Special Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1975 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Robert Wise

Written By:
Nelson Gidding
Richard Levinson

Actors:
George C. Scott ..... Col. Franz Ritter
Anne Bancroft ..... Ursula, The Countess
William Atherton ..... Boerth
Roy Thinnes ..... Martin Vogel
Gig Young ..... Edward Douglas
Burgess Meredith ..... Emilio Pajetta
Charles Durning ..... Capt. Pruss
Richard Dysart ..... Capt. Lehman
Robert Clary ..... Joe Spahn
Rene Auberjonois ..... Maj. Napier
Peter Donat ..... Reed Channing
Alan Oppenheimer ..... Albert Breslau
Katherine Helmond ..... Mrs. Mildred Breslau
Joanna Moore ..... Mrs. Channing
Stephen Elliott ..... Capt. Fellows

Synopsis:

George C. Scott leads an all-star cast in this imaginative suspense thriller that attempts to shed some light on the historic disaster even as its intricate plot unfolds. As a colonel assigned by the German government to make certain no one sabotages the Hindenburg on its transatlantic voyage, Scott suspects everyone aboard the luxury ship - particularly a German countess (Anne Bancroft) vehemently opposed to the Nazi regime. Stylishly directed by Robert Wise and co-starring Burgess Meredith, Gig Young, Charles Durning and Richard Dysart, The Hindenburg brings to life one of aviation's most infamous events and one of the screen's most engrossing mysteries.

'The German Air Force is not at all what it used to be,' says Anne Bancroft's Countess, about 16 minutes into The Hindenburg, pausing and then adding, 'But then, nothing is these days.' That seems to sum up the ponderous, irony-laden script and plot of Robert Wise's movie, which is posited -- in true post-Watergate fashion -- upon notions of conspiracy and cover-up behind the destruction of the German airship. The movie opens with a handy Universal newsreel that gives a vestpocket history of lighter-than-air flight, and that carries us to 1937 Germany. Colonel Franz Ritter (George C. Scott), a former hero pilot now working for military intelligence, finds himself assigned to the flight of the Hindenburg as chief of security; reports and rumors about the destruction of the zeppelin have circulated both in Germany and America, and the Nazi government takes these very seriously. What Ritter walks in on is a 'Grand Hotel' of the air, several dozen passengers and crew whose ranks contain enough red herrings to keep Ritter (and us) jumping through hoops for most of the first half of the film, when we're not watching glorious shots of the zeppelin in flight. The answer to the script's presentation of the plot against the airship,and theidentityof the bomber and his motivations, are actually presented in the first 15 minutes, but there are so many false leads, subplots, and blind alleys put before us that the solution will probably pass by unnoticed. In the meantime, Ritter dances around with his ex-paramour (Bancroft), scheming businessmen (Gig Young), and passengers with skeletons in their closets (Alan Oppenheimer), an entertainer (Robert Clary) with a knack for offending loyal Nazis, several officers and crew with known 'political' differences with the Nazi Party, a Gestapo man (Roy Thinnes) who's got an agenda of his own, and two genuine mystery men (Burgess Meredith, Rene Auberjonois) who don't seem to have any reason for traveling on this particular voyage. It's all a little tiring, or would be, if the setting and special effects weren't that interesting, and the cast wasn't so entertaining to watch in these relatively thankless roles.

Col. Ritter (George C. Scott) is called up by the German high command to settle concerns that a sabotage conspiracy is at work on blowing up the Hindenburg at some point in its highly reported voyage to New Jersey in the United States. Ritter moves into action by monitoring all the passengers as they board the lighter-than-air craft taking the opportunity to find out specifics about each one and reasons for traveling. After the craft is afloat, Ritter continues to look over the mechanics and the servicing of the craft doggedly determined to quell any possible problems. After determining that there is indeed a plot afoot to destroy the aircraft, Ritter responds by trying to get the craft to land and get the passengers off safely.

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 01 April, 2010.