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DramaThrillerWar

Hangmen Also Die!

- The shot heard 'round the world!

During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, surgeon Dr. Franticek Svoboda, a Czech patriot, assassinates the brutal "Hangman of Europe", Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich, and is wounded in the process. In his attempt to escape, he is helped by history professor Stephen Novotny and his daughter Mascha.

Release Date : 1943-04-15

Language :EnglishGerman

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : United ArtistsArnold Pressburger Films

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Never SurrenderNo SurrenderTrust the People

Cast

Brian Donlevy

Character Name : Dr. Franticek Svoboda

Original Name : Brian Donlevy

Gender : Male

Walter Brennan

Character Name : Prof. Stephen Novotny

Original Name : Walter Brennan

Gender : Male

Anna Lee

Character Name : Masha Novotny

Original Name : Anna Lee

Gender : Female

Gene Lockhart

Character Name : Emil Czaka

Original Name : Gene Lockhart

Gender : Male

Dennis O'Keefe

Character Name : Jan Horak

Original Name : Dennis O'Keefe

Gender : Male

Margaret Wycherly

Character Name : Ludmilla Novotny

Original Name : Margaret Wycherly

Gender : Female

Nana Bryant

Character Name : Mrs. Hellie Novotny

Original Name : Nana Bryant

Gender : Female

William Roy

Character Name : Boda Novotny

Original Name : William Roy

Gender : Male

Hans Heinrich von Twardowski

Character Name : Reinhard Heydrich

Original Name : Hans Heinrich von Twardowski

Gender : Male

Alexander Granach

Character Name : Gestapo Insp. Alois Gruber

Original Name : Alexander Granach

Gender : Male

Tonio Selwart

Character Name : Chief of Gestapo Kurt Haas

Original Name : Tonio Selwart

Gender : Male

Jonathan Hale

Character Name : Dedic

Original Name : Jonathan Hale

Gender : Male

Lionel Stander

Character Name : Banya

Original Name : Lionel Stander

Gender : Male

Sarah Padden

Character Name : Mrs. Georgia Dvorak

Original Name : Sarah Padden

Gender : Female

Edmund MacDonald

Character Name : Dr. Pillar

Original Name : Edmund MacDonald

Gender : Male

Byron Foulger

Character Name : Bartos

Original Name : Byron Foulger

Gender : Male

Virginia Farmer

Character Name : Mrs. Nimitz

Original Name : Virginia Farmer

Gender : Female

Ludwig Donath

Character Name : Schirmer

Original Name : Ludwig Donath

Gender : Male

George Irving

Character Name : Neeval

Original Name : George Irving

Gender : Male

James Bush

Character Name : Peacock

Original Name : James Bush

Gender : Male

Arno Frey

Character Name : Camp Lieutenant Itnut

Original Name : Arno Frey

Gender : Male

Lester Sharpe

Character Name : Rudy

Original Name : Lester Sharpe

Gender : Male

Arthur Loft

Character Name : Gen. Votruba

Original Name : Arthur Loft

Gender : Male

Reinhold Schünzel

Character Name : Gestapo Insp. Ritter

Original Name : Reinhold Schünzel

Gender : Male

Chester Conklin

Character Name : Cook (uncredited)

Original Name : Chester Conklin

Gender : Male

Claire McDowell

Character Name : Counterwoman (uncredited)

Original Name : Claire McDowell

Gender : Female

John Abbott

Character Name : Hostage (scenes deleted)

Original Name : John Abbott

Gender : Male

Louis Adlon

Character Name : Adjutant (uncredited)

Original Name : Louis Adlon

Gender : Male

Erville Alderson

Character Name : Liberal Official (uncredited)

Original Name : Erville Alderson

Gender : Male

Richard Alexander

Character Name : Slugger in Theater (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Alexander

Gender : Male

Dwight Frye

Character Name : Hostage

Original Name : Dwight Frye

Gender : Male

Ralph Dunn

Character Name : Czech Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph Dunn

Gender : Male

Bud Jamison

Character Name : Fat Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Bud Jamison

Gender : Male

Philip Van Zandt

Character Name : Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Van Zandt

Gender : Male

Sam Harris

Character Name : Man at Briefing (uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Harris

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-26

Fritz Lang has assembled a really solid cast for this depiction of the Nazi terror inflicted on the Czech people after they decided to rid themselves of their German overlord Reinhard Heydrich. That historical event happens pretty early on, allowing us to focus on just how brutal the regime was, and on just how courageous those left were by continuing to oppose their oppressors despite some fairly arbitrary methods of retribution. The assassin must find shelter, evade detection and learn whom to trust as he watches those around him suffer - regardless of any guilt. Probably my favourite performance comes via the collaborating "Czaka" (Gene Lockhart) who plays the local beer magnate-cum-stooge really quite well. Walter Brennan is likewise effective as the elderly historian professor "Novotny" as is Alexander Granach as the Gestapo man charged with finding the original culprit. It is a little heavy on the dialogue side at times, but the director takes his time to imbue a real sense of the horror faced by the population as lawful lawlessness gradually robbed them of even the most basic of civil liberties, and the darkly lit photography is particularly evocative too. It's been retold once or twice, but to nowhere near the same standard and though largely a work of fiction, is still potent stuff.