Hangmen Also Die! (1943)

75% of users liked it
(306 ratings)

Hangmen Also Die is set in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation. Czech loyalist Brian Donlevy assassinates the vicious Gestapo leader Heydrich, then goes into hiding. The wounded patriot is sheltered by history professor Walter Brennan, who is already under surveillance by the Nazis thanks to… More Hangmen Also Die is set in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation. Czech loyalist Brian Donlevy assassinates the vicious Gestapo leader Heydrich, then goes into hiding. The wounded patriot is sheltered by history professor Walter Brennan, who is already under surveillance by the Nazis thanks to his veiled classroom attacks on the Third Reich. Fifth columnist Gene Lockhart arranges for the professor and 400 other Prague citizens to be rounded up as hostages, to be killed if Heydrich's assassin is not revealed. Ultimately Lockhart himself is framed by the citizenry, giving the actor full scope to cringe and cower as only he could. Persuasively directed by Fritz Lang, Hangmen Also Die was based on a story by Lang and expatriate German playwright Bertold Brecht. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 11 min.
Directed By: Fritz Lang
Written By: John Wexley, Bertolt Brecht, Fritz Lang
Genres: Classics

In Theaters: Mar 23, 1943 Wide
On DVD: May 9, 2000

Critic Reviews

Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Creatively filmed political thriller
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A first-rate anti-Nazi propaganda film shot as film noir.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
In this collaboration with playwright Bertolt Brecht, Fritz Lang's WWWII drama about the Czech defiance of the Nazis is admittedly propagandistic but is marked by a properly oppressive ambience and dark visuals courtsey of ace lenser James Wong Howe.

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Cast

            Brian Donlevy as Dr. Franz Svoboda

            Walter Brennan as Prof. Stephan Novotny

            Anna Lee as Mascha Novotny

            Gene Lockhart as Emil Cruka

            Dennis O'Keefe as Jan Horek

            Alexander Granach as Alois Gruber

            Margaret Wycherly as Aunt Ludmilla Novotny

            Nana Bryant as Mrs. Novotny

            Billy Roy as Beda Novotny

            Tonio Selwart as Haas Gestapo Chief

            Jonathan Hale as Dedic

            Lionel Stander as Taxi Driver

            Byron Foulger as Bartos

            Virginia Farmer as Landlady

            Ludwig Donath as Schirmer

            Sarah Padden as Mrs. Dvorak

            Edmund MacDonald as Dr. Pilar

            George Irving as Neeval

            James Bush as Peacock

            Arno Frey as Camp Lieutenant

            Lester Sharpe as Rudy a Hostage

            Arthur Loft as Gen. Votruba Bertruba

            William Farnum as Viktorin

            Erville Alderson as Liberal Official

            William Benedict as Hostage

            Ralph Dunn as Policeman

            Dwight Frye
            
            William Haade as Patriot

            Emmett Lynn
            
            Philip Merivale
            
            Charles B. Middleton
            
            Otto Reichow as Gestapo

            Philip Van Zandt as Officer

            Emmett Vogan
            
            Hans Heinrich von Twardowski as Reinhard Heydrich

            Eddy Waller as Cab Driver

            Reinhold Schünzel as Inspector Ritter
See full cast

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