ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Review: The plot follows a group of German schoolboys who are talked into enlisting at the start of World War I by their teacher. The story is told through the experiences of the soldiers and highlights the sheer tragedy of war.
Director: Lewis Milestone
Actors: Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, John Wray, Arnold Lucy, Ben Alexander, Scott Kolk, Owen Davis Jr., Walter Rogers, William Bakewell, Russell Gleason, Richard Alexander, Harold Goodwin, Slim Summerville, G. Pat Collins, Beryl Mercer, Edmund Breese, Zasu Pitts and Ernie Adams
Year: 1930
Genre: Drama and War
Conclusion: 5/5
Based on a novel by Erich Maria Remarque. This is one of the most remarkable war films I have ever seen. Even years after this film was released it was still being banned in some countries. For example, in Italy the film wasn’t released until 1956. I loved the way that Lewis Milestone directed the film, especially all the staggering trench scenes. I also thought that the script was really intelligently written. Magnificent acting from all those that are involved. About 2000 extras were used in the film, many of them Germans–including former soldiers–who had moved to the US after World War I. Paul Baurner – “We live in the trenches and we fight. We try not to be killed – that’s all.” The final scene will leave you cold and numb and it is one scene you will never forget. The main theme in this film is what horror and terrible brutality war can cause. It will always remain a cult classic. At the Academy Awards in 1930 this won 2 Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director (Lewis Milestone).