Viewer Comment

Rating: 10/10 (29 February 2004)

Greeting.
I saw this film first on TV in the 1950s over an independant station in Saint Louis. I have seen it a dozen times since on TV and video. I did a report on it in my University Film Appreciation course.
I love history, well I obsess over it actually. I am a high functional autistic, and we all have some obsession. Military history, and that of wars, has fascinated me since I was seven years old.
I enjoyed the film for all the historical accuracy in costumes, miliary, war, and class distiction. Later I was engrossed over the severe class distinction. Men of equal rank were treated differently as one was aristocracy, and the other a
worker class.. privilaged birth yields privelaged treatment!
Erich von Stroheim laments that the class distiction as they knew it was ending because of WW I. I liked the German military music from the film too, and the line, "I forgot how much I hate fifes," from an allied prisoner hearing German musicians doing drill.
The film is fantastic!!!! Great acting! Von Stroheim fluent in three languages. The lessons in history and sociology, and one fine story!
Ten Stars from me! I own two VHS copies (one for back up). I am seeking a DVD copy as I now have a DVD player.
Terry Alan Klasek