Before Winter Comes
Synopsis
Drama/Comedy set in a refugee camp in occupied Austria after World War II. A shrewd multi-lingual interpreter who mediates between Russian and British military brass enters into a friendly rivalry with British Major Giles Burnside, who is in charge of assigning the displaced persons into either the American or Russian zones.
Top Cast
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David Niven
Major Burnside
Chaim Topol
Janovic
Anna Karina
Maria
John Hurt
Lieutenant Pilkington
Anthony Quayle
Brigadier Bewley
Ori Levy
Captain Kamenev
John Collin
Sergeant Woody
Karl Stepanek
Count Kerassy
Guy Deghy
Kovacs
Mark Malicz
Komenski
Gertan Klauber
Russian Major
Hana Maria Pravda
Beata
George Innes
Bill
Tony Selby
Ted
Christopher Sandford
Johnny
Constantine Gregory
Russian Corporal
Hugh Futcher
Joe
Colin Spaull
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 24, 1969
Wide Cinema Exhibition
July 30, 1990
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- J. Lee Thompson
- Screenplay & Story
- Andrew Sinclair
- Original Score
- Ron Grainer
- Original Title
- Before Winter Comes
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English, Russian, German
- Runtime
- 1h 43m
- Production Studios
- Windward
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
J. Lee Thompson
Andrew Sinclair
Ron Grainer
Gilbert Taylor
Willy Kemplen
Robert Emmett Ginna
Department Leadership Roster
Willy Kemplen
Editor
Andrew Sinclair
Screenplay
Ron Grainer
Original Music Composer
J. Lee Thompson
Director
Gilbert Taylor
Director of Photography
Robert Emmett Ginna
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Before Winter Comes.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Before Winter Comes
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Before Winter Comes about?
Drama/Comedy set in a refugee camp in occupied Austria after World War II. A shrewd multi-lingual interpreter who mediates between Russian and British military brass enters into a friendly rivalry with British Major Giles Burnside, who is in charge of assigning the displaced persons into either the American or Russian zones.
Who directed Before Winter Comes?
Before Winter Comes was directed by J. Lee Thompson.
Who stars in Before Winter Comes?
The principal cast of Before Winter Comes includes David Niven, Chaim Topol, Anna Karina, John Hurt, Anthony Quayle.
When was Before Winter Comes released and how long is it?
Before Winter Comes was released in 1969 with a total runtime of 1h 43m.
Who composed the musical score for Before Winter Comes?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Before Winter Comes was composed by Ron Grainer.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Before Winter Comes?
Before Winter Comes holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.).