All Quiet On The Western Front [1930]

Customer Reviews:

Still the benchmark for WW1 films - and rightly so.......2007-11-06

There's a reason that Lewis Milestone's All Quiet On the Western Front is still the best remembered of all the many films about the horrors of the First World War despite rarely being revived on television: it really IS a great and often very moving film that plants itself firmly in the memory. While WW1 movies had been gradually moving into darker territory as the silent era came to an end, perhaps only J'Accuse had dealt with the bitter disillusionment so many felt at the time quite so graphically. In that, All Quiet was aided at the time by having its lost generation on the losing side - British, French and American films would deal with the horrors of trench life but would still regard them as a price worth paying for victory. It would not be until the 1960s that futility on both sides would become the cinematic norm.

Filmed on a truly epic scale with a striking visual fluidity that was still unusual for an early talkie thanks to Arthur Edeson's pioneering cinematography, after the initial establishing scenes there's no real story, simply a succession of incidents as its group of schoolboy recruits are gradually killed off. As impressive as these incidents are, the film wouldn't be nearly as effective if the characters didn't convince, and the film is anchored by a superb lead performance from Lew Ayres as the idealistic young schoolboy who gradually becomes a shell of his former self, with excellent support from Louis Wolheim as the old soldier who takes him and his friends under his wing. Wisely replacing the flashback structure of Erich Maria Remarque's book with a chronological narrative, rather than introducing the characters as the cynical survivors they become, the film gradually shows their idealism worn away. While the attack and counter-attack sequences are still incredibly vivid, breathtakingly edited and surprisingly violent - in one memorable shot an explosion leaves only a pair of severed hands clinging to barbed wire - the real horror almost seems to be the way the characters adapt to their dehumanising conditions at the front to such an extent that they no longer fit in at home when they do get leave. It becomes impossible to imagine a life after the war so completely have they been consumed by it.

Ironically the film's most famous scene is nowhere to be found in the novel. Remarque never describes the final death: his body is simply discovered, appearing to be at peace. Milestone opted for something more explicitly powerful, but not without much trial and error. After at least seven scripted versions had been rejected, another ending of Paul hallucinating of French and German troops marching into the same grave and crying out in anguish before being shot by a sniper had been filmed but satisfied no-one - the studio wanted a happy ending (Milestone jokingly suggested having the Germans win!) while Milestone hated the rushes: it was cinematographer Karl Freund who suggested that the ending should be `as simple as a butterfly.' Hastily shot by Freund with Milestone's own hand standing in for Ayres, the iconic scene would become one of cinema's most enduring moments. Yet perhaps even more moving is the film's closing shot of the boys marching up the line to death, their faces superimposed over their graves as they look back at the camera and the audience without life and without hope. It still packs an incredible emotional punch more than three-quarters of a century later.

It's a shame there isn't a documentary to accompany the film on DVD, as the film's history is fascinating (Andrew Kelly's book Filming All Quiet On the Western Front gives an excellent account). Numerous scenes were reshot with different cast members - ZaSu Pitts' scenes as Paul's mother were reshot with Beryl Mercer because Pitts had just had a comedy on release and the studio were afraid audiences would laugh when they saw her - while the film was exhibited in both sound and silent versions. Future directors Fred Zinnemann and Robert Parrish were extras in the film while an uncredited George Cukor was the film's dialogue coach. The film was banned in several countries in Europe before WW2 (New Zealand was the first country to ban it, on the bizarre grounds that it was `not entertainment' and therefore `unsuitable for public exhibition'!) and attacked by McCarthy as Communist propaganda after it when he included the Russian-born Milestone in his list of the 19 most `dangerous' subversives in the film industry.

The film's German premiere was disrupted by the Nazis, who even released mice in the theatre and organized several days of riots that successfully got the film banned in Germany to `preserve public order.' Over the subsequent years music was added to some scenes and the film was heavily cut with each reissue, even turned into an anti-Nazi pro-war propaganda film in 1939 by the judicious deletion of certain scenes and the addition of newsreel footage of Nazi rallies and book-burnings. Yet ironically the film's restoration was largely based on the longest surviving print, which had been found in Joseph Goebbels private collection - while he publicly attacked the film, he genuinely admired its artistry. The version here is still missing a few minutes of footage, some of which has been subsequently restored to 35mm prints, but it's still well worth picking up.

In-depth look war and peoples attitudes........2005-10-25

The country is at war and Paul Bäumer (Lew Ayres) is in school. His instructor is proud that he is volunteering to protect his country. He and his classmates are off on and adventure. This adventure will chance the way they look at life and in the process change our life outlook.

On the surface this looks like a pacifist or anti war movie. One may think this has something to do with an enemy's view of war. Also there is a tendency pick the film apart because it is not the book.

In reality this story is more of a, don't get over zealous movie. At least don't let some one mesmerize you. It even happened in a contemporary film "Private Benjamin" (1980). She was promised the army with the private condos. Again we see the zealous ones in "Starship Troopers" (1997) where they show the romantic side of war.

As far as the rating it is ridicules to compare a movie that has to pass censors and only has 130 minutes with the book. Naturally the book is going to be more thorough and descriptive. What we can compare it to is the original movie "Westfront 1918" (1930) directed by George Wilhelm Pabst (1885-1967) and "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1979). Check them all out including the audiocassette of the book.

The points are made much clearer in "Westfront 1918" even though is shorter it is the 5 star movie. Especially when we return to the schoolroom to see the teacher inspiring the next generation of students to become soldiers. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) however is easier to understand then "West Front". You can spend more time in the message and less on the translation from German. In either film the actual down time (between actions) drove me crazy as I remembered the time that we were not fighting or planning something in Viet Nam was when I got antsy. The 1979 movie is a boring TV type movie with "Johnboy" Richard Thomas, playing the part of Paul Baumer. The only good part is when he got shot.

"Im Western Nichts Neues" By Remarque: "He fell in October 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to the single sentence: All quiet on the western Front."

best war (anti war) film ever.......2005-05-16

I first saw this film many years ago and was immediately taken in by its pure genius . Written and acted way way before its time. What first strikes you is the difference in attitude from then to now. All brainwashed by a patriotic teacher the characters go together to fight in the trenches of ww1. thinking themselves doing the right thing and truly believing that it is going to be one big adventure and that they will all return as heroes to the flag waving public.the boys soon find out at training camp that it is no picnic. So eventually its off to war and greeted by old warhorses who soon teach them that life on the front line is dog eat dog. Scrapping for the last morsal, for days pinned down by shelling from enemy lines . Death affects every one of them as friends dissappear or die.The most touching part is after an assault on french enemy lines the main character has to spend the night in a shell crater when losing his platoon stranded in no mans land.The nignt is not spent alone, a french soldier he has killed lies there looking at him all night.an ending you dont expect shows there is no glory in war.Although made in 1930 the film is superbly acted and very atmospheric.No plastic explosions to hide weak story lines that many films of today must have to hide their lack of content. and much better than the remake with richard thomas made in the eighties. Had this film been created and released today no one else would have to turn up at the oscars. Your war collection will only be complete when this is purchased for your collection..

All Quiet on the Western Front [1930] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Average customer rating:

elvis and me(i)
Where is the army with the condos?
The film to end all wars!

All Quiet on the Western Front [1930] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Louis Wolheim , Lew Ayres , John Wray , Arnold Lucy , and Ben Alexander
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KGGJ0Y
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.co.uk Review

This 1930 film, No 54 on the AFI's Top 100 list, still holds up as a surprisingly forceful and honest antiwar drama. Indeed, the modern sensibility is almost as startling as the sometime stagy acting of Lew Ayres, which can be excused by the fact that, three years after the introduction of sound, actors were still applying stage techniques to talking pictures. Ayres plays a German college student during World War I, who is brainwashed into enlisting in the Army (along with the rest of his class) by a zealously inspirational college professor. Once in uniform and on the front lines, however, he quickly discovers that the glory of the Fatherland is of little concern to a soldier dodging bullets and explosions, whose comrades are dying in his arms. As powerful in its way as Platoon almost 60 years later, All Quiet on the Western Front remains a classic tale of young soldiers' confrontations with the possibility of imminent and arbitrary death. Director Lewis Milestone shows a surprising range of techniques in this film from the formative years of moviemaking with sound. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

elvis and me(i).......2003-10-29

i have been trying for hrs to find a video that the actor kurt russell stared in about elvis presley kurt played the part of elvis all the way through the film it was on tv a long time ago and i am going nuts because i was told it exsist but no one seems to know where i can get it i have looked in all of the video section on kurt and elvis

please help

Where is the army with the condos?.......2001-09-14

Now you may call this a pacifist or anti war movie if you like. Others may think this has something to do with an enemy's view of war. Others want to pick on the film because it is not the book.

Personally I think it is more of a, don't get over zealous movie. At least don't let some one mesmerize you. It even happened in a contemporary film "Private Benjamin (1980)" . She was promised the army with the private condos. Again we see the zealous ones in "Starship Troopers (1997)" .

As far as the rating it is ridicules to compare a movie that has to pass censors and only has 130 minutes with the book. Naturally the book is going to be more thorough and descriptive. What we can compare it to is the original movie "Westfront 1918 (1930)" directed by George Wilhelm Pabst (1885-1967) and "All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)" . Do not let my comments stop you from checking them all out including the audiocassette of the book .

The point was made much clearer in "Westfront 1918" even though is shorter it is the 5 star movie. Especially when we return to the schoolroom to see the teacher inspiring the next generation of students to become soldiers. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) however is easier to understand. You can spend more time in the message and less on the translation from German. In either film the actual down time drove me crazy as I remembered the time that we were not fighting or planning something in Viet Nam was when I got antsy. The 1979 movie is a boring TV type movie with "Johnboy" Richard Thomas, playing the part of Karl. The only good part is when he got shot.

"Im Western Nichts Neues" By Remarque: "He fell in October 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to the single sentence: All quiet on the western Front."

The film to end all wars!.......2000-06-27

The fact that this film is old doesn't take away it's message, perhaps it even enhances it.

We are all human and war is futile.

I first saw this film as a child and remember it so clearly, the message it gave!

Even more potent as I am English and the plot is based around German soldiers. All our children should watch this film so that the message passes to the next generation. I bought it so that I can show my children when they are old enough.

Amazon.co.uk Review

Customer Reviews:

elvis and me(i).......2003-10-29

please help

Where is the army with the condos?.......2001-09-14

Now you may call this a pacifist or anti war movie if you like. Others may think this has something to do with an enemy's view of war. Others want to pick on the film because it is not the book.

The film to end all wars!.......2000-06-27

The fact that this film is old doesn't take away it's message, perhaps it even enhances it.

We are all human and war is futile.

I first saw this film as a child and remember it so clearly, the message it gave!

A classic film, an absolute must.

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