A Time to Love and a Time to Die

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Audience Member Conventional approach to WW2 drama, except told from the German side. Largely spoilt by John Gavin's wooden acting. Jock Mahoney would have been better in the lead, not in a bit part. Keenan Wynn lifts it whenever he appears. Directed by German, based on German book. Author has small part. He sums up his philosophy as need to believe in God. (Believe it if you want!) Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A piece of marvellous and elegant film direction signed by Douglas Sirk. It has one of the best recreations of apocalyptic Germany\Russia during WWII ever filmed; with detailed and incredibly real-looking sets, beautiful yet merciless landscapes, and a characteristic lush cinematography that enhances the dread and destruction present everywhere. The central romance is a bit of light in such a dark place - even if John Gavin isn't the greatest actor coming out from Hollywood. What amazes me is how Sirk, with all the ingredients to make a sappy and unwatchable movie (over-sentimental writing, uninspired acting and overly dramatic music, for example), is capable of turning all that into such a splendid and moving work of art. A great film. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review mark b Take the aesthetics of tear-jerking movies like Imitation of Life or Magnificent Obsession, set them on the Russian Front and in Germany in 1944, and you get some idea of this film. A melange of melodrama, camp, death, and a short appearance by Klaus Kinski as a heartless Gestapo clerk, ATTLAATOD is actually a pretty good film. Especially weird is to see those loveable mugs, the Wehrmacht , dealing with Russian partisans. The truly fun part of the film happens when Ernst Graeber goes home on leave and makes time with good girl Elizabeth Kruse. Every time they go on a date, the USAAF bombs the shit out of them. And of course there are the symbolic characters like Joseph, the hiding hateless Jew, and the Heine, the infantile piano prodigy who happens to burn people alive at his own concentration camp. Still, though, I liked this movie a lot. Nothing else liked appeared in American films until Peckinpaugh's Cross of Iron in 1977. Whatever else you want to say about Sirk, he used the widescreen to great effect, Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member a wonderful film and one of the finest of sirk's career. even john gavin can't spoil it. a rare look at world war 2 from the german soldier's point of view. sirk's own son died a soldier on the russian front after he was forced to leave him behind in germany so this was an extremely personal project for him Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Unusual to see a Hollywood production of a WWII war movie, but based in the point of view of the Germans on the front line. Douglas Sirk goes back to his homeland post defeat to create an amazing love story, supposedly Godard's favorite Sirk film, of a soldier on leave and a girl in his hometown, bombed to pieces. The set pieces, filmed in bombed out areas that was left as it was post-war, adds an incredible authentic look that just isn't in a lot of older war movies. And the obvious is how Sirk handles the camerawork, and the dialogue. Although like "Schindler's List", Germans speaking English might be a little strange, but don't let that stop you. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member A truly great, but little known film. It's a really beautiful story. Well worth your time. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews

A Time to Love and a Time to Die

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