The Most Harrowing War Film Ever Made

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2020)

Some films during the golden age of Hollywood tended to romanticize things wether it be love, the West, the old south or war. But not this film. It's amazing what the filmmakers were able to get away with in All Quiet on the Western Front.
This film, despite being made in 1930, has no rose tinted glasses. No lines like, "well we lost a lot of fine young men but it was worth it". Young German teenagers enlist to fight in WW1 because their teacher told them that they need to defend their country and prove their bravery. Guess what? It's hell. Lewis Milestone's Masterpiece is possibly the most harrowing and realistic portrayal of war ever filmed. Blind nationalism and dreams of glory are the last things in the minds of these soldiers after their first battle. I can't imagine seeing this in theaters when it was first released. It had to feel like a punch in the gut. Western Front doesn't care about heroism. It cares about people and peace. It doesn't matter if it's Germans or French. These characters were living peaceful lives. Not all will return.
The movie was made during the beginning of the Sound era. A lot of early sound movies haven't aged well. The dialogue and camera are stilted and uninteresting lots of the times. It was still a new technology and people were trying to figure it out. However, Western Front is still very watchable today. Not only is it's message timeless, but it is so different and leagues ahead of its contemporaries that I'm amazed it's not talked about more often. Young Lew Ayers is brilliant as the lead character of Paul. His development as a young idealistic teen into a jaded and emotionally spent adult is so sad but brilliantly portrayed. It's shot so well too. For an early 30s film the cinematography seemed way ahead of its time.
Now it's not a happy film. At all!!! I'm glad it was made when it was before the Hayes Code was strictly enforced. It would have been an incredibly different movie and I can't imagine it being any different. The 1979 remake isn't bad, but it's power is far more muted then the original. I can't praise it enough. It's one of the best movies ever made.