Suspenseful and intriguing disaster movie with all-star-cast and well-directed . Exciting and interesting catastrophe movie with some clichés and stereotypes , containing enjoyable performances from Burt Lancaster , Richard Harris and Sofia Loren . This disaster movie blends action , intrigue , breathtaking spectacle , suspense and emotional byplay . ¨Cassandra crossing¨ was a successful film that grossed at box office . The film's storyline features the potential outbreak of a deadly pneumonic plague virus on a train from an germ infected passenger and the legend of the Cassandra Crossing add to the suspense . As passengers on a European train have been exposed to a deadly disease . As a motley group of passengers are quarantined on a train destined to prevent the spread of the disease at the cost of their lives . One of them is Doctor Chamberlain (Richard Harris , though Peter O'Toole turned down the role) along with his ex-wife (Sofia Loren) . Furthermore , a suspicious priest called Haley (James Coburn turned down the role of Haley which was in the end played by 'O J Simpson') , a millionaire spouse (Ava Gardner) , her lover (Martin Sheen) , among others . The Fear Is Spreading but nobody will let them off the train . As when the train carrying plague approaches a weakened bridge the events go wrong .

This is and amusing and entertaining disaster movie though has some sloppy executions . This formula intrigue movie belongs to catastrophe genre of the 70s , being the undisputed king , ¨The towering inferno¨ along with ¨Earthquake¨ , ¨Two minutes warning¨ , ¨Rollercoaster¨ , among others . Filmed at the height of the disaster genre from the 7os , this entry in the spectacular series profits of a decent acting by protagonists and overwhelming action scenes . It blends thrills , chills , shootouts , noisy action-packed , government intrigue, international smuggling , and many other things . It is a crossover in which "Outbreak" meets ¨Under siege 2¨ , "The Runaway Train" and ¨Death Train¨ , taking parts here and there . The "Cassandra Crossing" of the film's title refers to a bridge in the movie called the Kaslindrliv Bridge, being shot in France and Italy . The architectural structure used to play this was the Viaduct of Garabit which is located in the South of France , it was built between 1881 & 1884, and was manufactured by Gustave Alexandre Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame . This moving picture which is short in realism instead we have far-fetched but moving blow up , crossfire , fighting , it should please most adventure-action buffs . The main and support cast is frankly good , it is plenty with known faces such as Ingrid Thulin , Ava Gardner , Lee Strasberg , Lionel Stander , Lou Castel , Ann Turkel, John Phillip Law , Ray Lovelock , Alida Valli and several others . Producer Carlo Ponti saw the movie as a showcase for his wife Sophia Loren . The movie also co-starred the then husband and wife actors Richard Harris and Ann Turkel, with Turkel being pregnant during principal photography .

Luminous and shimmer cinematography by Ennio Guarneri . Fitted to action and stirring misical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith . This improbable motion picture was professionally directed by George Pan Cosmatos . He's a good director who got a great success with ¨Tombstone¨ and flops as ¨Shadow conspiracy¨, ¨Leviathan¨, ¨Escape to Athena¨ , ¨Massacre in Rome¨ and this ¨Cassandra crossing¨ was a hit at European box office . This typical epic disaster grade story will appeal to Lancaster/Harris/Loren fans . Although the movie has some aspects a little tough to take , this catastrophe film still has its moments .This large-scale and lavishly produced pic attempts a spectacular atmosphere with acceptable results.

One of those tough '70s disaster flicks that's a little too long for its own good. The plot to this one sets it firmly within the runaway train genre: a stowaway carrying the plague boards a train and soon many of the passengers are infected. How will they handle the situation as the train approaches the legendary Cassandra Crossing, a bridge that some say is too weak to hold them? There's at least one decent twist along the way and some crisp photography from director George Pan Cosmatos (MASSACRE IN ROME),and the characters are brought to life via a lean script. There are some slow spots, particularly in the middle, but overall this works well.

Still, there's a great ensemble cast just waiting to be enjoyed. Burt Lancaster is there as the tough colonel communicating with the train via radio while the likes of Lee Strasberg, Ava Gardner, and Martin Sheen are among the passengers. There's O. J. Simpson, good value as a priest with a secret, and Richard Harris and Sophia Loren as the bickering, divorced leads. Stir in a couple of European action stars (John Phillip Law and Ray Lovelock) and you have a fine-looking cast. The action is limited and the effects sometimes dated, but at the same time this film has a gritty streak and some stark violence that works really well. Imagine JUGGERNAUT crossed with THE TOWERING INFERNO and you'll be close, and while it isn't as good as either of those films, it still entertains.

More stars get into harm's way once again in The Cassandra Crossing, another one of those Seventies disaster films. This time the stars have in their course a deadly plague released on a European train. If that's not enough the method of containment has been prescribed to send them across an old abandoned bridge that will more than likely collapse under the stress. At least that's one authorities are hoping.

Authorities are represented in the form of Burt Lancaster a NATO general who when learning of the situation devises this murderous scheme which may kill more people than the terrorists who robbed a Swiss biological facility might ever do themselves. Debating him is scientist Ingrid Thulin. Lancaster and Thulin are like a 20th century version of Spock and McCoy.

On the train are Dr. Richard Harris and Sophia Loren who think they have the virus contained and it might not be necessarily fatal if treated in time. In any event they're not willing to die for science or humanity or anything else. If I was Richard Harris and married to Sophia Loren, I'd have a lot to live for too.

Some familiar names are on the list of passengers and crew. At one point a crew of troops in white winter uniforms, armed whose faces you never see. Lancaster has it mind for them not to come back and they can't see it. Their presence flashes concentration camp survivor Lee Strasberg back to those really bad old days.

An interesting couple are Ava Gardner playing pretty much a version of herself with a young gigolo in the person of Martin Sheen. He's a drug smuggler who does his thing with the cover of her celebrity. In the end though he's a hero.

The Cassandra Crossing probably belongs at the top of the second tier of disaster films of the time. A rather incredulous plot leaves one puzzled. There had to be a better way to handle these events.