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Westfront 1918

Play trailer Poster for Westfront 1918 1930 1h 30m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
As World War I draws to a close, a German lieutenant (Claus Clausen) leads his troops on a dispiriting tour of duty through France. In between horrifying intervals of bloodshed in the trenches, one soldier, Karl (Gustav Diessl), is granted a brief reprieve and allowed to return home to his wife (Hanna Hoessrich), only to find that wartime conditions have left her both morally and financially bankrupt. Returning to the front, the disillusioned Karl willfully volunteers for a harrowing mission.

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Westfront 1918

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
PJ Nabarro Little White Lies The thinking man's All Quiet on the Western Front. A coruscating portrait of the transcendent desolation caused by war. Rated: 4/5 Oct 30, 2018 Full Review Walter Goodman New York Times The truth of the movie is all in the trenches. Jan 9, 2018 Full Review J. Hoberman Village Voice The always protean Pabst made a brilliant adjustment to sound. May 10, 2005 Full Review Bryher Close Up When the history of the cinema comes to be written, it is probable that Westfront 1918, directed by Pabst, will occupy the same position with regard to the sound film that Potemkin occupies in relationship to the silent picture. Jan 21, 2021 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com An early major accomplishment in sound cinema from Pabst, the exacting poignancy of Westfront 1918 transpires in its haunting final frames. Rated: 3/5 Aug 26, 2020 Full Review Eric Melin The Pitch Rather than force common war story beats onto the characters, Pabst employs a more observational tone. His camera was free to move along the surface of the trenches, giving the full wide expanse of what the soldiers were experiencing. Rated: 2.5/4 May 11, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (9) audience reviews
Katrina W It was okay. I wish there was a dub in English. It wasn't interesting enough to have to read subtitles. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/26/23 Full Review Audience Member For a 1930's German War film Westfront 1918 is very impressive. What few battles scenes there are, they're very impressive. While there isn't much a storyline throughout, and kind of just bounces around from scene to scene with these German soldiers you get a sense of what they've went through and how just brutal and devastating WWI was. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Another great WWI film! Considering its age it's absolutely incredible how well this film brings war cruelty in the trenches on the screen. Like fellow WWI film All Quiet on the Western Front (with whom it shares many more similarities) it only shows personal impacts on the soldiers and not whole sceneries (like the Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan) which makes it even more affecting. The use of explosions, smoke, sound and blood is well orchestrated and the black and white gives the film a natural bleakness. The war scenes in Westfront were even better than the ones in the US Best Picture winner. It wasn't quite as devastating as AQOTWF though. The story evolves around four infanterists (rather three because one of them is merely a side character) who have to face difficult situations in the trenches as well as in their personal life. You don't really get to know them very good and you don't even learn their full names but you can see what horrible experiences they gain. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member An early transition film into the world of sound, Pabst makes use of the new technology with added intensity. Sound effects of relentless bombings from the French with an added emotional appeal on the effects of war on a marriage that relies on the absence of sound to make an adultery situation as uncomfortable for viewers as it for the character. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member ..lejos una de las mejores peliculas sobre la primera guerra, la "nueva objetividad" de Pabst crea una pelicula mas de vivencias que un drama.. no existen simbolismos cursis, solo el horror y el miedo. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member This was the German film that many claim to have inspired "All Quiet on the Western Front". Yet, don't run out and buy it based on that. First, understand that this is a German film and the speech is somewhat antiquated. That problem is compounded by slightly blurry subtitles (if you don't speak German) and very poor sound quality. Still, the acting is good as is the movie. Ask me to borrow it if you like. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Westfront 1918

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Movie Info

Synopsis As World War I draws to a close, a German lieutenant (Claus Clausen) leads his troops on a dispiriting tour of duty through France. In between horrifying intervals of bloodshed in the trenches, one soldier, Karl (Gustav Diessl), is granted a brief reprieve and allowed to return home to his wife (Hanna Hoessrich), only to find that wartime conditions have left her both morally and financially bankrupt. Returning to the front, the disillusioned Karl willfully volunteers for a harrowing mission.
Director
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Screenwriter
Ladislaus Vajda
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
German
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 4, 2018
Runtime
1h 30m
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