10 Massively Underrated War Movie Performances

One of Hollywood's original tough guys with a tender heart, Burt Lancaster is one of the more celebrated names in cinematic history.

As such, it's shocking that one of the four-time Academy Award nominee's finest performances amongst his extensive filmography often goes overlooked - particularly when one considers that the film in question was critically acclaimed at the time of its release.

1964's black-and-white epic The Train follows Lancaster's French resistance member, Paul Labiche. His character is tasked with intercepting a Nazi locomotive carrying stolen art masterpieces back to Germany, finding himself up against Paul Schofield's nefarious Colonel von Waldheim.

In a war film performance for the ages, Lancaster brings astounding depth and legitimacy to his reluctant hero. The Train sees Lancaster make the inspired choice to utilise subtle changes of expression and nuanced body language to convey a vast array of emotions as opposed to lengthy segments of dialogue.

Despite Lancaster's propensity for playing charismatic leads across a variety of genres, The Train undoubtedly remains his most underrated performance.