The lives of three young men, a German and two Americans, during WWII.The lives of three young men, a German and two Americans, during WWII.The lives of three young men, a German and two Americans, during WWII.
- Director
- Writers
- Edward Anhalt(screenplay)
- Irwin Shaw(novel)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Edward Anhalt(screenplay)
- Irwin Shaw(novel)
- Stars
- Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 1 win & 7 nominations total
John Alderson
- Cpl. Kraus
- (uncredited)
John Banner
- German Town Mayor
- (uncredited)
Stephen Bekassy
- German Major
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Edward Anhalt(screenplay)
- Irwin Shaw(novel)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMontgomery Clift commented upon Brando's performance during the filming. He called Brando a slob and that he was using only about one third of his talent.
- GoofsEarly in the movie, Marlon Brando's character is riding in some sort of staff car. The car is right-hand drive; the Germans did not use right-hand drive. However, the staff car is a French-made Laffly V15T, which is, indeed, right-hand drive and was used by the French Army in WWII. The vehicle was probably captured from the French Army.
- Quotes
Capt. Hardenberg: The German army is invincible because it is an army that obeys orders. Any order. No matter how distasteful. It has no sentimentalists, no moralists, no individualists. You will have no future in it if you don't understand that. You may have no future at all if you oppose it. I trouble to tell you this because you have a fine record. You will be a creative soldier, once you get all this "thinking" knocked out of you.
- ConnectionsFeatured in V.I.P.-Schaukel: Episode #8.2 (1978)
Review
Featured review
Peace in our time?
I have seen this movie several times and catch something different every time I see it. Today is the first time I've seen it from the beginning. In the context of the time it was made, it was a bold statement about the human factor in any war. Brando shines and plays a sympathetic character who sees first hand the evil that men do in the name of patriotism.
Made at a time when the Americans that liberated the concentration camps were in their prime and there weren't any idiots running around claiming it was a lie, we see how ordinary citizens respond to the unthinkable. Brando's character stands in for the citizens of the Reich who claimed they were clueless about the genocide while the ashes from the smokestacks fell like snow on their towns. We see the horror and the denial.
It briefly explores a major taboo--interracial/interfaith marriages. It looks at racism in the context of anti-Semitcism (unfortunately still alive and well in America) and one man's courage in opposing it. Ironic this brand of racism, as the founder of the prevelant religion in America was a Jewish rabbi.
This movie is worth the 3 hours of time; it would make a great set piece with "Judgement at Nuremberg" which also showcases the talents of many of the actors from this film.
Good acting from all players in this film. It presages Robert Altman with the interweaving of the characters' lives from the first shot where Barbara Rush and Brando debate the merits of the Fatherland to the last scene in the forest where the end comes full circle.
Made at a time when the Americans that liberated the concentration camps were in their prime and there weren't any idiots running around claiming it was a lie, we see how ordinary citizens respond to the unthinkable. Brando's character stands in for the citizens of the Reich who claimed they were clueless about the genocide while the ashes from the smokestacks fell like snow on their towns. We see the horror and the denial.
It briefly explores a major taboo--interracial/interfaith marriages. It looks at racism in the context of anti-Semitcism (unfortunately still alive and well in America) and one man's courage in opposing it. Ironic this brand of racism, as the founder of the prevelant religion in America was a Jewish rabbi.
This movie is worth the 3 hours of time; it would make a great set piece with "Judgement at Nuremberg" which also showcases the talents of many of the actors from this film.
Good acting from all players in this film. It presages Robert Altman with the interweaving of the characters' lives from the first shot where Barbara Rush and Brando debate the merits of the Fatherland to the last scene in the forest where the end comes full circle.
helpful•348
- lauramae
- Nov 11, 2002
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $3,550,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 47 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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