One night when you have time on your hand for an interesting 'Who-done-it' set during a war, this is your film. It is a story with-in a story. The plot begins in war torn Europe, Poland, to be exact. The Warsaw night is laden with black smoke from the on-going destruction by the German Army. Somewhere, in the 'red-light' district, a high shrill and fatal scream rips the air as a woman is being savagely butchered. A Polish eye witness to the murder puts in an anonymous call to the police who in turn summon the German occupational police. The authorities send a dedicated, tenacious and zealous Intelligence Officer, Major Grau (Omar Sharif) to investigate. What he discovers is, whoever murdered the woman was not only a sex crazed lunatic, but a maniacal sword swinging maniac too. That's when it gets additionally dramatic, the eye-witness said the murderer wore a German Officer's uniform, . . with a red stripe. Only German generals wear the red stripe. Peter O'Toole plays General Tanz, a highly decorated and meticulous officer of the Waffen SS tank Corps and a favorite of Adolf Hitler. Donald Pleasence is Maj. Gen. Kahlenberg, a distinguished general who disappears from time to time and is an aid to the last general, General Von Seidlitz-Gabler (Charles Grey) who likes women and is a 'bit of a voyeur.' The only thing which ties them together is Lance Cpl. Kurt Hartmann (Tom Courtenay) a German witness. Philippe Noiret is great as Inspector Morand who's friendship with Major Grau extends beyond the war. They believe, any day is a good day to catch a murderer. Even a day when the whole world is falling down around them. An excellent film with which to slay a somber afternoon. ****
Review of The Night of the Generals
