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Watch on the Rhine

Play trailer Poster for Watch on the Rhine Released Aug 27, 1943 1h 54m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Anti-Fascist German engineer Kurt Muller (Paul Lukas), with his American-born wife, Sara (Bette Davis), and their three children, returns to the United States in 1940 after spending 17 years in Europe, where Kurt has engaged in underground resistance to the rising Nazi threat. Unscrupulous Romanian count Teck de Brancovis (George Coulouris), a houseguest of Sara's family in Washington, D.C., discovers Kurt's secret and threatens to expose his activities to his contacts at the German embassy.

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Watch on the Rhine

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Watch on the Rhine is a distinguished picture. It is even better than its powerful original stage version. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times A fine, sincere, outspoken film. Rated: 4.5/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review TV Guide Yawn. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 31, 2012 Full Review John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis ...as important today as its was in 1943. (Bette Davis Collection, Volume 3) Rated: 7/10 Mar 26, 2008 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Starring Bette Davis, Lillian Hellman's anti-Nazi play was made into simplistic film, full of contrivances and propagandistic speeches, meant to justify U.S. involvement in WWII. Rated: C+ Jan 30, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jeff S This one starts slowly and for some of us isn't even that enjoyable at the beginning, but the waiting is worth the time. Bette Davis is especially great in this drama about family, greed, loyalty, and the horrors of war. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/09/24 Full Review mark g The acting is dismal. I could not get past how poor the acting was. Ruined movie completely. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/15/23 Full Review Julia N Although the theme was a worthy one, it did not need to be so nonstop. The violin music throughout was intrusive and annoying, but it accompanied Bette Davis's over-acting as the 'brave wife' perfectly. The saving grace was her mother, who, though she talked too fast, offered the only touch of lightness, but I did not enjoy the scenes with her black servant. The villain was obviously a bully and a coward from the start, so the denouement was expected. Paul Lukas was the best actor in the ensemble. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/13/23 Full Review william d The story is completely contrived, the dialogue is bereft of any resemblance to normal conversation. The entire project is merely a vehicle for Hellman's virulent anti-fascism. Understandable, given Hellman's politics and the fact it was made during wartime. However, that doesn't make for a very interesting movie. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member One of those propaganda movies Hollywood was obligated to churn out. This one's made in '43 but the battlefield is a wealthy household in suburban DC during 1940 or '41, pre-Pearl Harbor. Stilted dialog explains to Americans why Europe's battle is our battle. As a nice period touch, the only blacks in the film are Steppin' Fetchit type servants. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Watch on the Rhine is an extremely touching personal and anti-fascist movie from a Lillian Hellman play. Very moving and remarkably apt even 80 years later Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Watch on the Rhine

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Movie Info

Synopsis Anti-Fascist German engineer Kurt Muller (Paul Lukas), with his American-born wife, Sara (Bette Davis), and their three children, returns to the United States in 1940 after spending 17 years in Europe, where Kurt has engaged in underground resistance to the rising Nazi threat. Unscrupulous Romanian count Teck de Brancovis (George Coulouris), a houseguest of Sara's family in Washington, D.C., discovers Kurt's secret and threatens to expose his activities to his contacts at the German embassy.
Director
Herman Shumlin
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 27, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 54m
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