All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

After being disappointed with “Choke”, I delved back into the IMDB Top 250 films of all time. I chose a film that is currently #211, All Quiet on the Western Front. This film was nominated for 4 Oscars. It won for Best Picture and also for the director Louis Milestone.

I remember trying to read the book by Erich Maria Remarque this was based on back in high school. I was bored that I stopped reading it.

The film chronicles the lives of twenty German college students that voluntarily joined the military to fight for their homeland during WWI. They thought it would make them heroes. Little do they realize the actual perils of warfare.

The story mainly focuses on Paul Baumer (Lewis Ayres) as he goes the trenches of war torn Germany. Every where he turns, his follow soldiers from the Second Company are going crazy, becoming shell shocked, losing their will to live.

It shows us that war is hell. It’s not pretty. It’s dirty, thoughtless grunt work.

I loved cinematography that was nominated for an Oscar. I really loved Louis Wolheim who played Kat. He is quite a character.

There are some melodramatic moments in the film that I didn’t care for. I thought that the last twenty minutes when Paul in on leave was unnecessary. I took me out when he went back home to his ill mother and sister. The scene with Paul talking to next crop of cadets brought me back into the movie.

The last shot of this film was beautiful and poetic. Brilliance displayed back in 1930. Wonderful film.

My rating: **** stars.