Nada de Novo no Front

I remembered watching this film in college and got it for my daughter when she was studying WWI. This movie really took advantage of a great opportunity: Teaming Richard Thomas and Ernst Borgnine while they were both still young enough for the parts! Thomas is wonderful, as he always is; but it's Borgnine you remember most as the old soldier, Kat. It is a great story and very well-acted. Just an interesting aside is the appearance of Patricia Neal as the young soldier, Paul's, mother. Patricia Neal portrayed Olivia Walton in the pilot episode of THE WALTONS (THE HOMECOMING); so it was interesting to see she and Thomas as mother and son again. Definitely recommended.

Considering this was made in 1979, this is quiet an astonishing film, that is incredibly realistic in its portrayal of the futility of combat in world war one. I first saw this film on TV in the early 80's , and i've seen it again a few times on video since then. The story is compelling, powerful and incredibly moving. The most powerful message of the movie, in my opinion, is that there are no "good" or "bad" guys in war - there's just you and someone else who is out to kill you. The suffering that the real soldiers went through in WW1 is powerfully conveyed in this film. One of my all time favourites - considering that it was just a TV film makes its even more astonishing. If you want a film to move you and make you think about life, look out for this one in your video store. This is another classic "sleeper" - along with the likes of Glory, Shawshank Redemption, Cross of Iron and others that haven't hit the Hollywood bigtime, but have made a lot of people feel moved....

This 1979 remake of Lewis Milestones 1930 classic anti war film tells the story of German youths who enlist in the Kaisers army to fight for the Fatherland in the great war. Based on the masterful novel by Erich Maria Remarque the youths who join at the encouragement of their schoolteacher with dreams of glory quickly learn the horror of war. Some parts of this version are better than the original and in others the 1930 version still stands out

Ian Holm's portrayal of Himmelstoss the sadistic drill instructor comes off somewhat better than in the original. In this version he is not the boys hometown postman so the viewer only sees him as the stern and cruel D.I.. His cowardice scene is also handled better. Veteran actor Ernest Borgnine as Kat the group leader is only a tad off as being as good as Louis Wolheims. Richard Thomas as Paul Baumer the central figure is about neck and neck with Lew Ayres original. Donald Pleasance is convincing as Kantorek the boys schoolteacher who tells them their plans for the future must be put on hold in favor of serving the Fatherland. Both this and the 1930 recently restored version should be watched back to back if possible.

Many films that are remade often times do not stand up to their original counterparts but this 1979 film does. Considering it was a made for TV film makes that quite an accomplishment. If you enjoyed Saving Private Ryan you'll enjoy this one as well.

The made for TV and 'remake' labels have tended to devalue All Quiet on the Western Front. With successors like Das Boot and Saving Private Ryan, it also seems less visionary now. However, All Quiet on the Western Front is a superb adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's classic novel. The novel, published in 1929 by the 31 yr old Remarque was an instant classic. I remember reading it nearly two decades ago and its still one of the best books I've ever read. The Hollywood adaptation starring Lew Ayres - director Lewis Milestones greatest achievement - was very good as testified by its IMDb status. The remake is better! The remake is more intelligent, the cast is great and the period detail is extraordinary. The director - Delbert Mann - is an experienced veteran with classics like Marty to his credit. All Quiet is his magnum opus, released on TV because theatre owners didn't see it making any money. Naturally very few people watch message movies. Fewer still would make the effort to rent a "made for TV" film. Hardly anyone would watch this when they can see the original instead - a film with a more famous pedigree.

This adaptation is very faithful to the novel. Even with minor changes in the ending, the basic spirit of the book is retained. The cast is uniformly excellent with Richard Thomas playing the central role of Paul. Donald Pleasance, Ian Holm and Ernest Borgnine all give uniformly good performances in character driven and memorable roles. It could be said that Ernest Borgnine is too old and too fat to be a corporal. True, but on an emotional level be fits brilliantly into the role and his physicality really lends an element of humanity to him. The war scenes would rank very high in anyones list but for Saving Private Ryan's gritty realism. I loved the old German town from where Paul and his friends come. It looks straight out of the 1910's. All the period details are top notch. I strongly recommend watching this unheralded classic.

It is difficult to go wrong with such a magnificent story, one of the most affecting literary anatomisations of the tragedy of young men destroyed by war. And yet, this 1979 television remake of the Lewis Milestone original adds many elements to cherish of its own. Most notably, the casting of Richard Thomas, best known for being John-Boy Walton, in the role of Richard Baume. His characterisation is wonderfully profound, and poignant, and the scene in the trench with the French soldier is a virtual masterclass of compassionate acting. Thomas has never become a superstar; and for this reason he is one of an evergrowing army of neglected romantic leading men. The battle scenes are breathlessly exciting; and yet they do not dwell on carnage, and it is to their credit...and yet still they elicit pity and horror from the viewer. The music is magnificent, the structure craftmanlike, the acting (by Thomas, Borgnine, Holm) superlative, and the work itself suffused through with compassion.......