All Quiet on the Western Front Review

Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

GeorgeChabot
Conyers, GA

A classic anti-war movie

movie guru, Action film aficionado, movie connoisseur, admirer of great storytelling

Pros

Thought provoking, Well done

Cons

None

MAR

2008

All Quiet on the Western Front —

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Director Lewis Milestone brought a faithful adaptation of popular author Erich Maria Remarque's antiwar novel to the silver screen.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

All Quiet on the Western Front is an adaptation of the prize winning novel by Erich Maria Remarque concerning coming of age on the battlefields of WWI.

It is the story of Paul Baumer (Lew Ayres), a schoolboy who, driven by his bombastically patriotic teacher, enthusiastically joins the Kaiser's army with thousands of other young men. The irony of the teacher, too old to participate, but still egging the inexperienced young men on to go "do something for your Fatherland!" is not dimmed though the film is old. Neither is Baumer's response, when, home on leave, he is asked to say a few inspiring words to the class by his old teacher but gives them a tirade the teacher did not expect. Paul ends his little speech by saying, "When it comes to dying for your country, it's better not to die at all!" a rousing speech that still resonates today nearly 80 years after its making.

Sent back to the front, Paul and the boys grow old too soon, having seen and experienced too much in too few years. The ranks thin, Paul is soon left with few friends because of the gigantic maw of battle that seems to want to devour everyone.

Paul lies for hours in a shell hole, with a French soldier he has stabbed, regretting his action and finally apologizing to the grinning corpse. Finally, Paul's mentor "Kat" is killed by a stray shell fragment as Paul carries him back to the German lines. Irony follows irony - Paul himself meets his demise - but wait, I'll let you see how the movie plays out for yourself as it will probably bring a tear to your eye as it did mine.

The story closes with the supreme irony, on the final day of battle, the official activity report read "all quiet on the Western Front."

The ending scene is haunting as all of the young men, now dead, endlessly march into eternity, their faces turned accusingly toward the viewer.

Last edited on Mar 04, 2008

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Comments about GeorgeChabot’s Review

Hey, it's not for everybody. It's really an early talkie and folks who are into movies give it props for handling the action and speaking so well. Right at the beginning of the sound era. :>