Counter-Attack (1945)

This drama centers on a Red Army officer (Paul Muni), a Russian woman (Lisa Elenko), and seven German soldiers who have been trapped in the ruined cellar of a bombed out factory in a German-controlled town. While waiting for someone to rescue them, the two Russians try to keep the Germans away. Eventually the Russian officer begins toying with a German officer, and vice versa, as both seek to extract information from the other. The Russian lets on that his troops are planning to construct a tunnel beneath the river. The woman is appalled at this betrayal of information, but her companion reassures her that he can kill the enemy before they have time to share that information, but first they need to get rescued. As time slowly passes, the tension increases, especially when the Soviet begins to fall asleep. The film was made during the brief period after WW II when Russia and the U.S. were allies and the political overtones of the film were unintentional. Later, with the advent of the Cold War, many of the actors who participated in this film were called before the House Un-American Activities Committee, accused of being Communist sympathizers, and some were blacklisted.