I'm sure that both Charlton Heston and Maximilian Schell took the roles they did in Counterpoint because they are intriguing figures. Sad to say the parts outweigh the value of the story as a whole. But fans of Heston and Schell are in for a treat.
For those who think that USO shows at the front consisted of movie comedians like Bob Hope and leggy stars like Betty Grable you'd be surprised that it is true that a concert orchestra would be booked on a tour of the front. The problem is in Counterpoint that this particular symphony got too far at the front and the place they are playing in Belgium gets overrun by the Wehrmacht in The Battle Of The Bulge. The entire orchestra is taken prisoner.
Adolph Hitler has ordered no prisoners be taken and the good Germans who obey orders unquestioningly are ready to just mow the orchestra down with machine gun fire. But the commanding general is a classical music lover and quite frankly Maximilian Schell would just love a private concert, maybe then shoot them. So Heston has to play for time.
Heston is an arrogant sort, rather full of himself as a lot of maestros are. But in the end he's got the welfare of his people at heart. As for Schell he appreciates Heston and his artistry, but he is a soldier and like his character in The Young Lions knows that the German Army obeys orders, any orders.
Funny thing is that even in those last days of World War II Hitler would have loved bagging a whole symphony orchestra like that and would have loved a private concert if anyone had the wit to see it.
Heston and Schell so dominate the film that the supporting players barely get any recognition. The film is top heavy, but entertaining.
For those who think that USO shows at the front consisted of movie comedians like Bob Hope and leggy stars like Betty Grable you'd be surprised that it is true that a concert orchestra would be booked on a tour of the front. The problem is in Counterpoint that this particular symphony got too far at the front and the place they are playing in Belgium gets overrun by the Wehrmacht in The Battle Of The Bulge. The entire orchestra is taken prisoner.
Adolph Hitler has ordered no prisoners be taken and the good Germans who obey orders unquestioningly are ready to just mow the orchestra down with machine gun fire. But the commanding general is a classical music lover and quite frankly Maximilian Schell would just love a private concert, maybe then shoot them. So Heston has to play for time.
Heston is an arrogant sort, rather full of himself as a lot of maestros are. But in the end he's got the welfare of his people at heart. As for Schell he appreciates Heston and his artistry, but he is a soldier and like his character in The Young Lions knows that the German Army obeys orders, any orders.
Funny thing is that even in those last days of World War II Hitler would have loved bagging a whole symphony orchestra like that and would have loved a private concert if anyone had the wit to see it.
Heston and Schell so dominate the film that the supporting players barely get any recognition. The film is top heavy, but entertaining.