All Quiet on the Western Front (TV 1979)

A young soldier faces profound disillusionment in the soul-destroying horror of World War I.

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Paul Monash (screenplay), Erich Maria Remarque (novel)

Stars:

Richard Thomas, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Thomas	...	Paul Baumer
Ernest Borgnine	...	Stanislaus Katczinsky
Donald Pleasence	...	Kantorek
Ian Holm	...	Himmelstoss
Patricia Neal	...	Paul's Mother
Paul Mark Elliott	...	Josef Behm (as Mark Elliott)
David Bradley	...	Albert Kropp (as Dai Bradley)
Matthew Evans	...	Friedrich Muller (as Mathew Evans)
George Winter	...	Franz Kemmerich
Dominic Jephcott	...	Peter Leer
Mark Drewry	...	Tjaden
Colin Mayes	...	Westhus
Ewan Stewart	...	Detering
Michael Sheard	...	Paul's Father
Katerina Lírová	...	Paul's Sister

Storyline

Paul Baumer is a young German who, along with his graduating high school classmates, enlist in the German Imperial Army during the First World War. Originally thinking war would be a great adventure, Paul and his friends discover exactly the opposite as the war drags on and one by one the members of the class are killed in action until only Paul remains.

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Plot Keywords:

disillusionment | hospital | trenches | battle | school | 

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Taglines:

They left for war as Boys, never to return as men.

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Genres:

War | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hallmark Hall of Fame: All Quiet on the Western Front (#29.1)

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Company Credits

Production Co:

Norman Rosemont Productions, Marble Arch Productions, ITC Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 131 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed largely in Czechoslovakia, one of the first US/UK productions to be shot in what was then a Communist Bloc country.

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Goofs

After the scene when Leer dies it shows the Germans in their trench and they all have mud on their helmets. It then shows Westhaus and his helmet is clean, but it is muddy again in the next scene when he is shot exiting the trench and falls back into two of his fellow soldiers.

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Quotes

Paul Baumer: [to a dying Frenchman] If we threw away the guns, the grenades - we could have been brothers, but they never want us to know that.

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Connections

Version of All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

User Reviews

One of the Few WWI films around and very good at that

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.