It's no wonder this masterpiece was banned

Rating: Null/10 (6 November 2007)

It's no wonder this masterpiece was banned from numerous countries for years. No one is excluded from Remarque's indictment of the politics, social myths, and economics of War (set in Germany, WWI). Except for an occasional bit of over-acting (a leftover from silent film and stage training - which is very forgivable, considering), this work is an amazing experience - NOT at a hokey, dated, poorly visualized 77 year old period oddity. For an audience in 1930, it would have been especially horrific, disgusting, and full of painful truths. On the other hand, at that same time, Germany was in the process of secretly rebuilding their war state. This is the film that carved a path for others such as "Paths of Glory", "Beach Red", "Full Metal Jacket", and "The Thin Red Line".