Powerful Early War Film.

Rating: 8/10 (28 October 2013)

Lewis Milestone won an Academy Award (as did the film itself)directing this adaptation of the famous Erich Maria Remarque novel that stars Lew Ayres as young and idealistic Paul Baumer, a student at the beginning of WWI in Germany who is encouraged to enlist by his jingoistic professor, who fills all their heads with the glories of war and victory, but Paul later learns to his shock and regret the realities of war: the death, mutilation, starvation, thirst, and stench that permeate the battlefields and trenches that all these young soldiers inevitably found themselves in, which they were certainly not informed of. Harrowing film with a fine performance by Ayres and indeed the whole cast. Intelligent and poignant, right to the end. Is a bit creaky at times, but still remains one of the finest films of its kind ever made. Contrast early naive Paul with the Paul later on leave, especially when he confronts his old professor in class who had first encouraged him...unforgettable and chilling.