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What's After the Movie?
Drama thriller

The Fourth War (1990): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Fourth War (1990) movie poster

The Fourth War is a 1990 drama thriller directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Roy Scheider, Jürgen Prochnow and Harry Dean Stanton. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes and earned $1.3 million worldwide. Critics gave it 57 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$1.3M
Metascore
57
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The Fourth War (1990) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 31m (91 min)
Genres
Drama , Thriller
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Fourth War About?

The premise of The Fourth War without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the waning years of the Cold War, two experienced colonels, Jack Knowles and Valachev, find themselves facing off across the German-Czech border. Both men are burdened by past conflicts and increasingly skeptical of their superiors. When a defector is murdered, they become entangled in a dangerous game of deception and pursuit, triggering a rapidly escalating crisis with potentially devastating repercussions for both nations and the fragile peace they represent.

The Fourth War Themes & Keywords

· 12 tags
  • scene during opening credits
  • border
  • commander
  • czechoslovakia
  • cold war
  • feud
  • germany
  • europe
  • soldier
  • army
  • based on novel
  • independent film
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Cast & crew

The Fourth War Cast

Roy Scheider leads the cast, with Jürgen Prochnow and Harry Dean Stanton. Directed by John Frankenheimer; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from John Frankenheimer

More films directed by John Frankenheimer, best-rated first: The Manchurian Candidate, The Train, Birdman of Alcatraz and Seven Days in May.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Fourth War Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Fourth War 57 on Metacritic.

Plot

The Fourth War Plot Summary

What happens in The Fourth War from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a world enveloped by a frigid landscape, where the only sound is the crunch of snow underfoot, Colonel Jack Knowles, portrayed by Roy Scheider, is a decorated war hero known for his unparalleled courage. However, he is soon caught in a intensified personal vendetta against his Soviet rival, Colonel Valachev, played by Jürgen Prochnow. This gung-ho attitude, which has previously served him well during the turbulent Vietnam War, now threatens to ignite chaos along the tense border between West Germany and Czechoslovakia.

Full summary

The whole story of The Fourth War, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Fourth War Box Office

The Fourth War grossed $1.3 million worldwide.

1990 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.3M

US & Canada
$1.3M
Videos

The Fourth War Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Fourth War.

The Fourth War (1990) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Fourth War?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the protagonist of the film?

Cars

Cars in The Fourth War

22 cars on screen, including the 1958 Porsche 356 A Cabriolet and the 1983 Lada Niva 2121.

All 22 cars
  • 1958 Porsche 356 A Cabriolet in The Fourth War 1958 Porsche 356 A Cabriolet Main role
  • 1983 Lada Niva 2121 in The Fourth War 1983 Lada Niva 2121 Important role
  • Willys M38 A1 in The Fourth War Willys M38 A1 Important role
  • Allis-Chalmers M8 High-Speed Tractor in The Fourth War Allis-Chalmers M8 High-Speed Tractor Minor role
Details

The Fourth War Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “La Quatrième guerre” and “Powerplay”.

Also known as
  • La Quatrième guerre
  • Powerplay
  • La quarta guerra
  • A negyedik világháború
  • Den fjerde krig
  • La cuarta guerra
  • Čtvrtá válka
  • Четвёртая война
  • A Quarta Guerra
  • Czwarta wojna
  • 白夜雄鹰
  • Al IV-lea razboi

Seen The Fourth War?

FAQ

The Fourth War FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Fourth War, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Fourth War?

The Fourth War runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).

When was The Fourth War released?

The Fourth War was released on March 23, 1990.

Who directed The Fourth War?

The Fourth War was directed by John Frankenheimer.

More films by John Frankenheimer

Who is in the cast of The Fourth War?

The Fourth War stars Roy Scheider, Jürgen Prochnow and Harry Dean Stanton, among 10 credited actors.

How much did The Fourth War make at the box office?

The Fourth War grossed $1.3 million worldwide.

How is The Fourth War rated?

The Fourth War has 57 on Metacritic and 50% on TMDB.

Does The Fourth War have a post-credit scene?

No. The Fourth War has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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