Paris August 1944 - with the Allied army closing in on German commander and art fanatic Colonel Von Waldheim (Paul Scofield, A Man For All Seasons), he decides to steal a vast collection of rare French paintings and loads them onto a train bound for Berlin. But when a beloved French patriot is murdered while trying to sabotage Von Waldheim's scheme, Labiche (Burt Lancaster, Run Silent, Run Deep), a stalwart member of the Resistance, vows to stop the train at any cost. Calling upon his vast arsenal of skills, Labiche unleashes a torrent of devastation and destruction - loosened rails, shattered tracks and head-on collisions - in an impassioned, suspense-filled quest for justice, retribution and revenge. Top-notch direction by the great John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) and a wonderful supporting cast that include screen icon, Jeanne Moreau (Viva Maria) in the role of Christine.