The Train (1964) – Filming Locations
War / Thriller · Directed by John Frankenheimer · Starring Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau
As the Allied forces approach Paris in August 1944, German Colonel Von Waldheim is desperate to take all of France's greatest paintings to Germany. He manages to secure a train to transport the valuable art works even as the chaos of retreat descends upon them. The French resistance however wants to stop them from stealing their national treasures but have received orders from London that they are not to be destroyed. The station master, Labiche, is tasked with scheduling the train and making it all happen smoothly but he is also part of a dwindling group of resistance fighters tasked with preventing the theft. He and others stage an elaborate ruse to keep the train from ever leaving French territory.
Where was The Train filmed?
- Paris, France, Paris – The climactic final sequence where the train and German forces converge at the station. The iconic Parisian railway station serves as the dramatic setting for the film's explosive conclusion involving the stolen art train
- Fontainebleau, France, Fontainebleau – Scenes involving the German occupation and the backdrop for the French Resistance's mission to stop the art train. The historic royal palace and surrounding French countryside were used to establish the occupied France setting and German military presence
- Villedôme, France, Villedôme – Train sequences and railroad operations central to the plot. The railway infrastructure and yards were extensively used for filming the chase sequences involving the train carrying stolen masterpieces
- Chantilly, France, Chantilly – Key sequences involving the train's passage through French railway infrastructure. The historic railway station was used for filming scenes depicting the movement and control of the train during the Resistance operation