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Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, John Wray, Raymond Griffith, George "Slim" Summerville ... see more see more... , William Bakewell , Russell Gleason , Scott Kolk , Walter Browne Rogers , Ben Alexander , Owen Davis Jr. , Harold Goodwin , G. Pat Collins , Richard Alexander , Arnold Lucy , Edmund Breese , Bill Irving , Marion Clayton , Beryl Mercer , Edwin Maxwell , Yola d'Avril , Bertha Mann , Joan Marsh , Vince Barnett , Daisy Belmore , Charles "Heinie" Conklin , Tom London , Zasu Pitts , Robert Parrish , Fred Zinnemann , David Tyrell

One of the most powerful anti-war statements ever put on film, this gut-wrenching story concerns a group of friends who join the Army during World War I and are assigned to the Western Front, where th... read more read more...eir fiery patriotism is quickly turned to horror and misery by the harsh realities of combat. Director Lewis Milestone pioneered the use of the sweeping crane shot to capture a ghastly battlefield panorama of death and mud, and the cast, led by Lew Ayres, is terrific. It's hard to pick a favorite scene, but the finale, as Ayres stretches from his trench to catch a butterfly, is one of the most devastating sequences of the decade. The film won Oscars for Best Picture and for Milestone's direction -- and trivia buffs should note that the actors were coached by future luminary George Cukor, while Ayres became a conscientious objector in World War II. The Road Back (1937) followed, and the film was remade for television in 1979. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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85% liked it

16,264 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

35 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 14 min.

Directed by: Lewis Milestone

Release Date: August 24, 1930

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DVD Release Date: January 5, 1999

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Flixster Reviews (860)

  • phubbs1
    December 10, 2011
    phubbs1
    Based on a novel and probably one of the most realistic war films I have ever seen, WW1 is the setting for this unusual look at life for German troops at the front line. Unusual because its a 30's American film focusing on German soldiers and not the more obvious Allies of Britai... read moren, France and Russia.

    Starting off much like 'Full Metal Jacket' the film covers a group/class of young German lads ready to join the ranks and fight for their country. From here on we follow them through harsh training and into battle where they very quickly realise the horrors of war, one by one they are killed off as the film becomes more and more tragic, and all this in a 1930's film!

    The first thing that must hit you is the amazing look and work put into the film, its incredible! the realism of the trenches, war torn nomansland, the uniforms for both sides and the brilliant special effects, mainly revolving around some pretty big explosions near actors, are all superbly created. By today's standards everything still looks good whilst the black and white only helps the film look more realistic. The film could easily be the 'Saving Private Ryan' of its day, its almost as good as real footage.

    Of course the actors are of a different age so one can expect performances without the type of 'grit' that we are used to today. Some scenes are almost slightly pantomime with some slightly funny moments of comedy and slapstick which lighten the mood (mainly at the start before the characters enter the war) but we all know moments like this add to the charm of old films.

    Make no mistake though this film is a history lesson and seeing as it was made about 12years after WW1 actually ended its amazing people watched, especially as it followed the Central Powers. Being so close to the war is obviously why its so accurate, the harrowing sequences of men being mown down by machine gun fire, one after another without a chance, the screams of the young troops as they go crazy from the constant shelling, the mud, barren landscapes, bodies, barbwire and of course the famous bleak depressing ending for the main lead, nailing home how cheap life was.

    I think the main point in the film is how the main lead 'Paul Bäumer' starts off, like his friends, as a patriot young German wanting to go off and fight for his country, pushed onwards and practically lied to by his school teacher 'Professor Kantorek' into 'doing whats right', to 'save the Fatherland'. 'Bäumer' then returns to his home town towards the end of the film only to find his school teacher spouting the same nonsense to more young boys, trying to get them to recruit, he is invited in to speak of the glory of war but instead rages how its all lies and there is nothing but misery and death for all who join up. He is shunned by his old teacher and branded a coward by the young boys, so he returns to the front line. Not long after this the film ends with his pointless needless death.
  • DreamExtractor
    October 2, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    All Quiet on the Western Front is probably the most truthful and one of the best war films of all time, and a true tear jerker.
  • cosmo313
    July 30, 2011
    cosmo313
    Not only is this a great adaptation of a wonderful book, but it holds up as just a great film in its own right.

    I don't know what other films were nominated, but I can see why this won Best Picture way back in the day. It's a very powerful and haunting anti-war film that looks... read more at World War I through the eyes of an (at first) idealistic young German student.

    This film is over 80 years old, but it holds up remarkably well, Not only is the message timeless, but, aside from the quality of the print, this could pass for something far younger than what it is. The battle scenes are well staged (complete with some speeding up to give them a disorienting, chaotic quality), and the black and white cinematography really adds to the starkness and devastation that comes hand in hand with war.

    The performances are pretty good, and desite having to tone down the content, there's still several very unforgettable sequences and images, and the film still manages to get its point across and be very unsettling at times.

    You should really give this film a watch. It's a fine adaptation, and just excellent filmmaking in general. It is old, but it's still relevant and is one of the finest war-related films to ever be released.
  • jamers2011
    June 26, 2011
    jamers2011
    Released in 1930, this classic war piece slightly let me down. This is a very good movie, no doubt. The visual effects and battle sequences were fantastic, especially for a film that is over 80 years old. The visuals were even better than another great WW1 classic, Wings, which a... read morelso blew me away. This film was completely ahead of its time. Also, the message is very powerful. This is one of the absolute best anti-war films around, even in its old age. But, the acting and script were not good. I get that the thirties were an akward time for film and all, with the introduction of the "talkie," but at times this film was silly, even when it wasn't meant to be. If someone is launching bombs at you, please to not shout "Oh, Golly!" The acting just wasn't that great either. However, this is a CLASSIC film that I recommend to everyone! This Best Picture winner is a must see!
  • kenstachnik
    October 30, 2010
    kenstachnik
    Way way way way ahead of it's time. There are several moments in this movie when you can hardly believe it was filmed in 1930.
  • jjnxn
    November 29, 2009
    jjnxn
    Still strong indictment on the futility of war. Easy to see how this won Best Picture, fine directtion an involving story and at the core a wonderful performance by Lew Ayres. Very sad but worthwhile.
  • DerekA101
    January 19, 2009
    DerekA101
    "We live in the trenches out there. We fight. We try not to be killed, but sometimes we are. That's all."

    Winner of the Best Picture Oscar in 1930, All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the most gritty anti-war films ever made. 79 years later, the impact of thi... read mores film is still relevant today. Very few films capture the heart-wrenching reality of the effects of war on soldiers as this dated gem. This film perfectly illustrates the innocence that is lost in a pointless war.

    Not enough can be said about the cinematography of this film. It was absolutely brilliant for it's time. There were moments that I felt like I was watching a modern film. The war scenes were amazingly shot for 1930. Gripping and real...

    The acting was a bit exaggerated and the editing was very choppy. It was also a bit longer than it needed to be.

    This film was on the original AFI top 100 list, and deservingly so. It will often be overlooked because of it's age, but this is truly one of the greatest classic war films with a tragically beautiful conclusion.
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 25, 2008
    sanjurosamurai
    absolutely chilling. one of the greatest war masterpieces of all time. this is the film that did the most for getting me to hate war. while i understand war and feel that it is sometimes necessary to use force to fight evil that rejects the use of reason, i still hate war, and... read more this is the most moving anti-war film ever made. nearly 80 years since its release it holds up incredibly well. the acting is a little weak at points, but the war scenes are haunting and the psychological effect of war on those that participate in it is presented powerfully. one of the great films of all time.
  • pier007
    June 26, 2007
    pier007
    A cinematic milestone that evokes the horrors of the war, an ill-fated moment that stays for a lifetime.
  • fb1526363679
    December 2, 2011
    fb1526363679
    All Quiet on the Western Front is probably the most truthful and one of the best war films of all time, and a true tear jerker.

View All All Quiet on the Western Front Reviews

Critic Reviews

February 17, 2009
TIME Magazine

From such grisly materials the popular cinema is rarely drawn. The film is monumental in the courage that risked its manufacture. Full Review

Variety Staff
October 16, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

A harrowing, gruesome, morbid tale of war. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
October 16, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Deserves its reputation as a classic. Full Review

Mordaunt Hall
May 20, 2003
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

Messrs. Milestone, Abbott and Anderson in this film have contributed a memorable piece of work to the screen. Full Review

James Berardinelli
August 24, 1930
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

All Quiet on the Western Front is the definitive World War I motion picture, the best of a surprisingly small class of movies. Full Review

Rob Humanick
May 25, 2012
Rob Humanick, Slant Magazine

The rawness of the audio eradicates any lingering notion that war is romantic or exciting, and at times suggests the very battered eardrums of those engaged in combat. Full Review

Stephen Garrett
May 22, 2012
Stephen Garrett, Time Out New York

The despair-and the artistry-is breathtaking. Full Review

Kevin Carr
February 27, 2012
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

Took an opportunity to question warfare and its civility long before the war protest film became popular in the 70s. It's dated, obviously, but still powerful. Full Review

Donald J. Levit
August 1, 2010
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews

A movie of timeless relevance and effects. Lew Ayres would never again equal his performance in this film version of the well-known anti-war novel. Full Review

Ian Nathan
October 16, 2007
Ian Nathan, Empire Magazine

Despite a little dating around the edges this is a truly superb example of its genre and a cinema classic. Full Review

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    • Paul Baumer: And our bodies are earth. And our thoughts are clay. And we sleep and eat with death.
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All Quiet on the Western Front Trivia

  • What is the name of the movie where the artist and all of his German friends go off to war and die?  Answer »
  • Which of the following movies does NOT take place during WWII?  Answer »
  • The following were nominated for an Academy Award for Outstanding Production in 1929-30. Which production won the Oscar? HINT: Shhh!  Answer »
  • All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), is based on a classic novel by which author:  Answer »
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