Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

bkoganbing 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.

SimonJack Other reviews have discussed the plot and substance of "Counterpoint." My comments are offered for those folks who may miss being entertained by this and other films because the story isn't real or it seems implausible. Most movies contain at least some fiction, and many are built on fiction. Even the best researched and produced biographies can't be sure of the many details in a person's life. Some film genres rely heavily on factual matter. Films made about the Titanic, the San Francisco earthquake, the Spanish Armada, and such have a lot of factual history about them. But the film makers can't even begin to know the specific conversations, movements and details of characters in their stories. So, they have to fill in the dialog and details to give films substance and life. The goal is – or should be -- to entertain audiences. But, most film genres – from action and adventure, to wartime and westerns are based on the imaginations of movie makers. And some genres thrive on fiction – sci-fi, crime and mystery, action and adventure, Westerns. This is not to decry criticism of movies. I appreciate people who point out how well a movie follows an original source – a book or Broadway play. And, I appreciate intelligent criticism of the plot, screenplay, and technical aspects of a production. Likewise for comments on the performances of the stars and rest of the cast. That's where the IMDb reviews are most helpful to me, along with a viewer's impressions about the movie. Now, let's look at "Counterpoint." What is the possibility of an orchestra being captured by the Nazis in World War II? The movie is based on a novel by British author Alan Sillitoe, "The General." So, it's fiction surrounding a real historical event – the Battle of the Bulge. The time is mid-December 1944 in Belgium. The Battle of the Bulge is the sneak, massive German counter-attack that begins Dec. 16. Since early fall, most Allied commands thought that the war would soon come to an end. Some even predicted that the troops would be home by Christmas. A relaxed, confident attitude existed among the Allies. So, when the Germans launched their counter-offensive, the Allies were surprised. Hitler had ordered the assault as a last-ditch effort to cut the Allied front in two and to capture fuel and supplies to sustain the assault. The Germans had built up for the assault during the lull in fighting with the onset of winter. That accounts for the swift pull back of the Americans in the film during the concert performance. But what about a whole concert orchestra being near the front lines and captured? Let's look at the history of the USO (United Services Organization) that put on thousands of shows for our troops during the war. The orchestra was putting on a camp show. These shows began in Normandy in July – just one month after D- Day. By the fall, larger show troupes were staged at camps in Europe and the Pacific. At its high point in 1944, USO camp shows were giving more than 700 performances a day. In Europe, these were often close to the front lines. So, it isn't inconceivable that an orchestra would be in such a location. The group had time to retreat to safety. Enter one more anomaly and fact about the war then. The Germans had assembled a unit of commandos who spoke fluent English. They wore American MP uniforms and infiltrated behind the American front lines. Other movies have good portrayals of this, including the capture or killing of these impostors. In "Counterpoint," the USO orchestra troupe would likely have made it to safety, but for a jeep of these MP impostors. The disguised Germans directed them away from the safe road and to a road on which they were sure to be captured. So, the seemingly implausible events of this film not only become plausible, but they seem very real and likely. With this bit of knowledge about the Battle of the Bulge, the USO, and Germans posing as American MPs, I found the story in "Counterpoint" that much more interesting. But, even had these historical details not been as they were, I think this film would still excel.

ttwhtlkk This is a movie that I really would like to get, having seen it on television while growing up but unfortunately not in quite awhile. What makes this movie stick in my head over the years are some very unique scenes.The orchestra is playing a USO show when the Battle of the Bulge breaks out mid-concert. All is hurly-burly as the musicians are herded onto the bus and evacuated from the town. On the way out, amid explosions and advancing Germans, the bus is routed down a particular road by some 'helpful' MPs. The bus also picks up a couple of 'visitors.' All this sets the stage for a 'battle of wills' between Conductor Heston and the German general later. The music the band plays while practicing for the forced concert, famous orchestra number I could not name for the life of me, makes me think of this movie every time I hear it.Great scene also, during practice, with one of the German officers watching and then questioning one of the 'visitors' mentioned earlier. Very well paced and interesting.

CountessNatalya If you're a World War II movie fan or a woman and a Maximillian Schell fan, or both, this hard to find film has definitely captured Maximillian Schell's charm and appeal. Even though he plays a German General, the "bad guy," his performance makes it very difficult NOT to like him. He is handsome and witty underneath the power of authority that he exudes. His performance is by far the best. A hand would have to be given to given to the young "pre-Naked Gun" Leslie Nielsen also. The movie plot is perhaps a little unrealistic but that's the beauty of film, right? Engaging and somewhat memorable to say the least. Worth a look if you can find it.