Watch on the Rhine (1943)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Herman Shumlin

Writers:

Lillian Hellman (play)
Dashiell Hammett (writer) ...

Release Date:

27 August 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

On her lonesome lips a smile.

Plot:

Sara and Kurt Muller and their three children are returning to her mother's home in Washington DC after 18 years in Europe...

Plot Keywords:

Washington DC | Embassy | Blackmail | Freedom Fighter | Nazi

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Sara Muller
Paul Lukas	...	Kurt Muller
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Marthe de Brancovis
Lucile Watson	...	Fanny Farrelly
Beulah Bondi	...	Anise
George Coulouris	...	Teck de Brancovis
Donald Woods	...	David Farrelly
Henry Daniell	...	Phili Von Ramme
Eric Roberts	...	Bodo
Donald Buka	...	Joshua
Anthony Caruso	...	Italian Man
Helmut Dantine	...	Young Man
Clyde Fillmore	...	Sam Chandler
Erwin Kalser	...	Dr. Klauber
Kurt Katch	...	Herr Blecher

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Quotes:

Fanny Farrelly: We've been shaken out of the magnolias.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) (TV)

An excellent movie

It may (or may not) be considered interesting that the only reason I really checked out this movie in the first place was because I wanted to see the performance of the man who beat out Humphrey Bogart in his CASABLANCA (10/10 role for the Best Actor Oscar. (I still would have given the Oscar to Bogie, but Paul Lukas did do a great job and deserved the nomination, at least.) Well, I'm glad I did check this movie out, because I enjoyed it immensely. I think the movie did preach a little, but not only did I not mind, I enjoyed the speeches and was never bored with them.

The acting was outstanding in this movie. I especially enjoyed Paul Lukas, Lucile Watson (rightfully nominated for an Oscar), Bette Davis (wrongfully not nominated), George Coulouris and, oddly, Eric Roberts, who plays the middle child. I really enjoyed his character: an odd-looking boy who talks like some sort of philosopher. He just cracks me up. Even the characters name (Bodo) is funny.

The ending, in which Lukas's character was forced to do something he considered wrong even though he was doing it for all the right reasons, worked for me as well. I agreed with why he felt he had to what he did, and I understood why he couldn't quite explain it. The message this movie makes is a good and noble one, the scenery (meaning the house) is beautiful, and the acting is the excellent. Watch this movie if you ever get a chance.

9/10