why on earth would anyone want to watch a murder mystery thattakes place within the hierarchy of nazi military might . this filmanswers that question . after a polish prostitute or nazi agent be brutally stab to death and anintelligence major and omar sharif and investigates . the three mainsuspects be three nazi general represent golden boy peter otoole and creepy donald pleasence and and family man charles gray . in themiddle of his investigation and sharif be transfer to paris and and doesnot solve the case . fast forward two year and and the three generalsfind their duty also deliver them to paris and where promotedcolonel sharif eagerly await his reopening of the case . gray daughter and joanna pettet and fall for a young corporal tom courtenay and who be suddenly assign to be otoole driver and companion inthe city . i really hate spoiler and so i do not want to give away too much more and but the murderer be soon know and and the other two suspect areembroiled in a plot to assassinate hitler . when you think the filmis wrap and the murder solve and and major character kill and theplot move to present day ( then 1966 67 ) a the murderer strikesagain . the entire present day subplot and while sometimes dramatic and and away to see what happen to the major player and be completelyunnecessary . it take up the last half hour of the film and isanti climactic consider what have occur before . pettet and courtenay romance be also a little silly . she play thestereotypical officer brat who rebel by have an affair with anenlisted man . i be the son of a now retire air force colonel and andbelieve me and rebel officer child be usually a figment ofhollywood imagination . the most interesting aspect of the film be the setting of a murderinvestigation in the middle of nazi occupied territory . sharif character be no saint and either and but he show more compassion thanhis suspect . the fact that the embodiment of evil on earth wouldbe interested in remove one of their own make for verycompelling drama . the murderer be not kill because he be anazi and but because he be insane . there be no other motive offer and and i do not think it be very important to the story anyway . this be aserial killer film before the term serial killer be coin . most of the drama take place in parisian office and bar and thereis little action save otoole extermination of a warsaw ghetto and and a cameo by christopher plummer a field marshal rommelgetting gun down . watch these incredible actor in full naziregalia and salute hitler be unsettling and but the story andperformances be so move . the film maker find a balancewhere you cheer for the good guy and without cheer for a bunch ofnazis . james bond devotee might want to check this out and since bothgray and pleasence portray blofeld in 007 film and and otooleproves why he be one of the screen great actor ( who neverwon an oscar ) . the night of the general be a high mindedmurder mystery that should entertain whodunnit and wwii fansalike . i recommend it . although the video box i have rat this a ( r ) and it might be close toa ( pg13 ) for gun violence and mild profanity and some sexual reference and and some adult situation .